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<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Chingay moves from Orchard to Marina Bay
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Change of parade site from next year aimed at drawing bigger crowds </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lim Wei Chean
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE annual Chingay Parade has a new home.
From next year, the assorted stilt-walkers, musicians and other performers who grace the parade will strut their stuff over a 1km route that will begin at the Formula One Pit Building at Marina Bay and end at the Singapore Flyer.
The move marks an end to Chingay's 19-year association with Orchard Road.
The parade - a street procession to celebrate Chinese New Year - had been moved from Singapore's main shopping street to City Hall in 2007, but it was to have been a temporary, two-year arrangement while Orchard Road underwent a $40 million makeover.
However, the organisers of the parade, the People's Association (PA), decided on a permanent move to Marina Bay to attract bigger crowds.
The new route will have seating space for 18,000 spectators a night, more than triple the 5,500 at Orchard Road.
'It will give us a chance to put on a bigger and more spectacular show,' said Mr Nah Juay Hng, chairman of the executive committee for the event.
Chingay is a top draw for tourists and Singaporeans alike each year, and tickets are snapped up quickly once they go on sale.
Tickets for next year's parade, to be held on Feb 19 and 20, will go on sale from Aug 1. They will cost between $25 and $80.
Organisers will also be leading a drive to get people overseas to buy tickets.
To do this, the PA has teamed up with two travel agents. GTMC Travel and City DMC will market and sell tickets in countries such as China and India, and will offer tour packages with the parade as a highlight as well.
At a briefing yesterday, organisers gave a peek at what is to come at next year's performance, which will incorporate creative takes on Asian legends and traditional arts.
The opening act promises to be spectacular, with a dance that incorporates the setting off of firecrackers, called Firecracker Dragon. Performers will be specially flown in from the Chinese city of Guangxi.
More details on the six-act parade will be announced later.
Orchard Road businesses, meanwhile, say that Chingay's move is a boon for them. The chairman of the Orchard Road Business Association (Orba), Ms May Sng, said retailers have always had issues with the hosting of Chingay because of space constraints.
They felt that the stands erected for spectators hampered pedestrian traffic, thus hurting business.
Ms Sng added that Orchard Road will still have plenty of activities without Chingay - the annual Christmas Light-Up, the Great Singapore Sale and the Singapore Fashion Festival, among others.
She said Orba was working with the Singapore Tourism Board to add more events.
Others, however, said the loss of Chingay dampens some of the allure of Orchard Road.
Said one Orchard Road hotelier, who declined to be named: 'So many things are happening in Marina Bay - the F1 race, the integrated resort. It's inevitable that will take some attention away from us.'
[email protected]
<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>Chingay moves from Orchard to Marina Bay
</TR><!-- headline one : end --><TR>Change of parade site from next year aimed at drawing bigger crowds </TR><!-- Author --><TR><TD class="padlrt8 georgia11 darkgrey bold" colSpan=2>By Lim Wei Chean
</TD></TR><!-- show image if available --></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->THE annual Chingay Parade has a new home.
From next year, the assorted stilt-walkers, musicians and other performers who grace the parade will strut their stuff over a 1km route that will begin at the Formula One Pit Building at Marina Bay and end at the Singapore Flyer.
The move marks an end to Chingay's 19-year association with Orchard Road.
The parade - a street procession to celebrate Chinese New Year - had been moved from Singapore's main shopping street to City Hall in 2007, but it was to have been a temporary, two-year arrangement while Orchard Road underwent a $40 million makeover.
However, the organisers of the parade, the People's Association (PA), decided on a permanent move to Marina Bay to attract bigger crowds.
The new route will have seating space for 18,000 spectators a night, more than triple the 5,500 at Orchard Road.
'It will give us a chance to put on a bigger and more spectacular show,' said Mr Nah Juay Hng, chairman of the executive committee for the event.
Chingay is a top draw for tourists and Singaporeans alike each year, and tickets are snapped up quickly once they go on sale.
Tickets for next year's parade, to be held on Feb 19 and 20, will go on sale from Aug 1. They will cost between $25 and $80.
Organisers will also be leading a drive to get people overseas to buy tickets.
To do this, the PA has teamed up with two travel agents. GTMC Travel and City DMC will market and sell tickets in countries such as China and India, and will offer tour packages with the parade as a highlight as well.
At a briefing yesterday, organisers gave a peek at what is to come at next year's performance, which will incorporate creative takes on Asian legends and traditional arts.
The opening act promises to be spectacular, with a dance that incorporates the setting off of firecrackers, called Firecracker Dragon. Performers will be specially flown in from the Chinese city of Guangxi.
More details on the six-act parade will be announced later.
Orchard Road businesses, meanwhile, say that Chingay's move is a boon for them. The chairman of the Orchard Road Business Association (Orba), Ms May Sng, said retailers have always had issues with the hosting of Chingay because of space constraints.
They felt that the stands erected for spectators hampered pedestrian traffic, thus hurting business.
Ms Sng added that Orchard Road will still have plenty of activities without Chingay - the annual Christmas Light-Up, the Great Singapore Sale and the Singapore Fashion Festival, among others.
She said Orba was working with the Singapore Tourism Board to add more events.
Others, however, said the loss of Chingay dampens some of the allure of Orchard Road.
Said one Orchard Road hotelier, who declined to be named: 'So many things are happening in Marina Bay - the F1 race, the integrated resort. It's inevitable that will take some attention away from us.'
[email protected]
you can get more pleasures with $80 than throw your hard earned money...on CHINGAY!:p
:p
