The Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebration 2023 returns to liven up the streets of Chinatown with physical festivities for the first time in two years, including the all-time favourite Festive Fair andStreet Light-Up
Wide Night Shot Chinatown Chinese New Year Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony 2023
After two years of virtual celebrations, the Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebration 2023 returns to the streets to usher in the Year of the Rabbit with a wide range of exciting festivities from 1 January to 19 February 2023. Organised by the Chinatown Festival Committee and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board, the long-awaited Festive Fair will return, along with the annual street light-up, weekly stage shows and the Chinese New Year Countdown Party.
The celebration will bring together Singaporeans and foreign visitors alike for this key event in the Chinese cultural calendar. Held in Chinatown, a culturally and historically significant precinct, the celebration aims to promote a deeper appreciation of Chinese culture and traditions, among locals from all walks of life.
Chinatown Chinese New Year Street Light-Up
Ringing in the Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebration 2023 is the Official Light-up and Opening Ceremony on 3 January 2023. Themed ‘Leaping into the Prosperous Year of the Rabbit (新春福兔迎 新岁, 富贵盈门庆丰年)’, visitors to Chinatown can expect charming dioramas featuring lively and colourful rabbits along New Bridge Road, South Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street, and for the first time, Upper Cross Street as well.
Centre Dividers Chinatown Chinese New Year Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony 2023
A towering 10m centrepiece of a multi-generational rabbit family reuniting for the Chinese New Year will sit at the junction of Upper Cross Street and New Bridge Road. Designed in collaboration with students from the Singapore University of Technology and Design, the eye-catching street decorations are a result of months of hard work by a team of students led by Corliss Tay and Phua Rui Yi Sarah, assisted by student coordinator Kong Mei Jia under the guidance of Dr Zheng Kai, Faculty Fellow, Architecture and Sustainable Design.
Overhangs Chinatown Chinese New Year Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony 2023
Chinatown Chinese New Year Countdown Party
Ramping up the festive cheer and marking the start of the Chinese New Year is the Countdown Party taking place at Kreta Ayer Square on Chinese New Year Eve, 21 January 2023. Broadcasted live on Channel 8 from 10.30pm, the party features a stellar line-up of performances from Mediacorp artistes.
“We are excited to be welcoming the most important festive holiday on the Lunar Calendar back to the streets of the historically significant precinct of Chinatown. The Chinese New Year Celebration unites Singaporeans and international visitors across cultures and generations through a thrilling line-up of festivities, and sets the stage for an auspicious, prosperous year ahead,” said Minister for Communications and Information and Second Minister for Home Affairs, Adviser to Jalan Besar GRC Grassroots Organisations (Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng), Mrs Josephine Teo.
Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebration 2023 Festivities
Apart from the street light-up and countdown party, visitors will be greeted by a dynamic line-up of family-friendly festivities throughout the Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebration 2023.
These include the return of the Festive Fair with 280 stalls selling festive goods spanning Smith Street, Pagoda Street, Trengganu Street and Temple Street, and the weekly Stage Shows held over two weekends at Kreta Ayer Square.
The Chinatown Festival Committee has also partnered up with local gamification startup Sqkii to run the game ‘兔来运转 (The Lucky Rabbit)’ that encourages visitors, especially digital natives from younger generations, to visit the Chinatown precinct and complete tasks with exciting prizes to be won. The game is available from now till 5 February 2023.
For more information, please visit www.shinmincny.sqkii.com
Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebration Programme
For more information, please visit:
Website: www.chinatownfestivals.sg
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Chinatown.Festivals
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chinatown_festivals
Centre Divider Chinatown Chinese New Year Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony 2023
Adopt a Lantern Initiative
As part of the Chinatown Festival Committee’s contributions to make Singapore a more sustainable urban destination, members of the public will be given the opportunity to repurpose street lanterns from the light-up as part of the ‘Adopt a Lantern’ initiative.
The Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebration 2023 runs from 1 January to 19 February 2023. To view the full programme, visit www.chinatownfestivals.sg.
Reminder to Visitors
In anticipation of a larger crowd than in the past two years, the organising committee would like to remind all visitors to visit Chinatown earlier in the day, outside of weekends, to avoid crowding.
Auxiliary police officers and security officers will be deployed to manage crowds in the vicinity. In the event of overcrowding, access into Pagoda Street, Trengganu Street and/or Temple Street will be restricted, to ensure public safety. All visitors are reminded to safeguard their belongings and be vigilant against molesters, pickpockets, and thieves while they soak in the celebrative atmosphere.
Visitors should also bag their litter and throw it into the nearby litter bins for a ‘litter-free’ Singapore.
About Chinatown Festival Committee
The Chinatown Festival Organising Committee, a special project committee formed to organise and coordinate festival-related activities in Chinatown. Now into its 20th year, the Chinatown Festival Committee organises the annual Chinatown Chinese New Year and Mid Autumn Festival Celebrations to preserve and promote Chinese culture and traditions, while injecting vibrancy into the Chinatown precinct.
About the Singapore Tourism Board
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) is the lead development agency for tourism, one of Singapore’s key economic sectors. Together with industry partners and the community, we shape a dynamic Singapore tourism landscape. We bring the Passion Made Possible brand to life by differentiating Singapore as a vibrant destination that inspires people to share and deepen their passions. More:
Website: www.stb.gov.sg or www.visitsingapore.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/STBsingapore
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/singapore-tourism-board