Doesn’t the air feel different? Don’t you feel like something is coming? Something big. I love to be the bearer of good news, so let me tell you what is up. Ladies and gents, Singapore’s long-awaited, beloved parade – Chingay – is finally coming on Saturday, 12 February! But Chingay 2022 will be different from previous years.
This year, we celebrate 50 whole years of this grand parade, calling it Chingay50! So you know that the festivities will be bigger than ever, right? And now that you do, you wouldn’t hold back, would you? You wouldn’t dare to sit back in this nationwide celebration. Would you? Well then, that means you need all the hot deets. You’re at the right place. Everything you possibly need to know is right here, so get ready to take notes!
#OurChingay50 Parade on 12 February
Well, of course, we can’t start talking about the festivities without mentioning the main event! This year’s theme is “Ignite your Dreams”, which is so fitting for the new year! Unfortunately, due to the abhorred virus-that-shall-not-be-named, Chingay50 will be livestreamed instead. But don’t you worry, preparations have been made to ensure that it feels like we’re all in the same place, enjoying ourselves together. So just be there, and you’ll see! Catch the parade with your family on Facebook, TikTok, and the Chingay website from 8 to 9.30pm!
The location for Chingay50 has finally been revealed, and it sounds electrifying. It will be held at Jewel Changi! (Be cool guys, be cool.)
There will be a delayed telecast held on 27 February at 7pm and a repeat telecast on 6 March at 1pm, on Channel 5 and Channel 8, so there’s no way you could miss the precious #OurChingay50!
The show has been divided into six exhilarating parts. It will start off with opening acts by George Chan and drummers & percussionists from NADI Singapura! This will then be followed by five segments:
- #TheFirstSpark
- #OurFreeSpirit
- #DaretoDream
- #Love
- #StrongerTogether
We know that the world, as we know it, will never be the same again. As we adjust to this new version of normalcy, Chingay50 hopes to give Singaporeans the confidence we’ve lost by reminding us of our different areas of strengths: Heritage, Resilience, Aspirations, Multiculturalism and People. After all, we are the country that went from a fishing village to a first-world nation. This? This is nothing compared to what we’ve had to previously go through, as long as we’re all united in efforts to overcome this together.
#TheFirstSpark pays tribute to the humble beginnings of Chingay, as we learn about our heritage.’ #OurFreeSpirit shows the way Chingay grew with great resilience through youthful showcases. #DaretoDream spotlights how Chingay had become a platform for passions and talents to soar, enabling aspirations to turn into reality. #Love demonstrates Singapore’s multiculturalism and the harmony that these cultures sing in, through fascinating story-tellings of fantasy weddings. And finally, #StrongerTogether illustrates the togetherness and unity of our people, especially during harsh times.
Brilliant, don’t you think?
#HeyChingay50Bus
This one’s something really new and hot. Instead of the usual Chingay floats, we get to see brand new Chingay50 buses this year! This is specially brought to us by the #HeyChingay50Bus campaign, where selected public buses are transformed into reimagined Chingay floats with vibey in-bus experiences for commuters. I love how this campaign serves as a unique solution to the unique problems that we’re faced with, and once again reminds us of innovation that we have all demonstrated during the pandemic. So give yourself a pat (or five) on the back!
Selected buses will be adorned with one of the numerous designs that represent the different communities living in our midst. These interior and exterior designs are meant to invoke a little nostalgia for past Chingay parades. The best part of these designs is that they’re all made to be interactive. There are QR codes scattered around the bus for you to scan and learn a little more about Chingay on long and boring bus rides!
Psst! There’s something else. If you happen to spot these buses, don’t forget to take a photo of them and post them using the #OurChingay50, #ChingaySG2022, #HeyChingay50Bus hashtags because you stand to win some tantalising prizes! (A little birdie told me that there are $7,000 worth of prizes waiting for a home!) But do remember that your profile needs to be public for this! So another little game planned for your dreary bus rides is to spot ‘Dreamy’ on any of the #HeyChingay50Bus. When you spot it, scan the QR code next to it and see what awaits you!
Buses are the new parade floats! Catch them from 25 January to 27 March.
#OurChingay50Stories
Chingay is turning 50. That’s not a small number! Imagine the sheer number of memories and stories made in these 50 years. Imagine the number of people who had one of the best nights of their lives because of Chingay. Hearing these stories wouldn’t just be an opportunity; it would be an honour.
So, for #OurChingay50Stories, performers, volunteers, audiences, crew members, and even community partners come together to share it all with us. After all, the theme is “Ignite our Dreams”. So, maybe their stories and experiences might stir something in us to ignite some dreams of our own.
Chingay has put together 50 stories in the form of an online showcase, and they will progressively be made available from January 2022 onwards. These stories truly enable us to see Chingay from a new lens, and celebrate its 50 years of knowing the people that it’s impacted. I love that.
Chingay Mama Shop 2022
Yes, the Chingay Mama Shop has returned! All rejoice! If you haven’t heard of it before, the Chingay Mama Shop is your one-stop online collective of local designers, merchants and social enterprises hosted on Lazada. You get to shop from these local businesses and play your part in charitable causes, as part of the sale proceeds of selected items will go towards supporting vulnerable groups. Shopping for the greater good – now that’s a form of shopping that never hurts!
Over 40 merchants will be a part of this initiative. There are so many things available for you to shop, from fragrances to food items. So if you find something, do consider buying them, because these local businesses need your support. Support their aspirations and dreams and help them soar. That’s what Chingay is all about, isn’t it? It really all comes together.
There will also be a special LazLive held where you can tune in to check out the kind of products that await you and make immediate purchases! Do tune into the Livestream, which will be held on these dates:
- 5 February from 3 to 4pm
- 10 February from 1 to 2pm
- 26 February from 3 to 4pm, and
- 7 March from 1 to 2 pm
Watch Parties
We all know what a killjoy it is that the parade can’t be held live. But don’t be too disappointed! Here’s the catch: If you organise a watch party to watch the #OurChingay50 live show on 12 February, you stand a chance to win $7,500 worth of vouchers! I know, it’s amazing, and you get to catch the show with your loved ones!
Here’s what the process will look like: First, register as a host for a watch party by 12 February, 12pm; then, select your platform of choice (either virtual or physical); take screenshots, photos, or videos of your attendees watching Chingay50 (with wide smiles, of course!); finally, submit the visuals via WhatsApp to 8882 1004 by 12 February, 11pm. But do ensure you abide by all Safe Management Measures guidelines! And do stick to the deadlines to be in the running!
Twenty winners will win $200 each, four winners will win $500 each, and one extremely lucky winner will win $1,000! But there’s just another category that demands your creativity and puts your imagination to the test – 5 winners with the most creative theme watch parties will win $500 each! Thinking caps on!
But at the end of it all is that Chingay50 hopes to garner at least 20,000 views, after achieving which, $10,000 will be pledged to underprivileged families. Your attendance makes a difference, so register as a host or join a watch party!
For more details, the watch party info guide shall be your saviour!
Chingay50 is jam-packed with festivities and events! Although the big day is Saturday, 12 February, so much is going on that it fills the air with anticipation and excitement. But, most importantly, Chingay makes sure to bring along with it the lesson to stick together. It reminds us of who we are as Singaporeans – we, who have been through so much together. With the theme of “Ignite your Dreams”, Chingay once again hopes to make a difference to those who’ve been looking for a spark to take action to make their dreams come true. This is it. This is your sign.
#OurChingay50 reminds me so much of ‘SG50’ – the way all of us came together to celebrate our nation’s birthday. So let’s do the same again, this time with the parade that has been such a huge part of Singapore history. Let’s make Chingay50 one for the History Books!
Remember to catch the parade on Facebook, TikTok, and the Chingay website from 8 to 9.30pm on Saturday, 12 February 2022. Find your watch party attendees and register soon too. May the best party win! For more information, you can always visit the Chingay website.
Don’t hold back, Singapore! Indulge in the celebrations and live a little more! Chingay50 is going to be huge.
Visuals courtesy of People’s Association.
