Sensory Overload

By Sue Harben

Eye candy. That’s the phrase that comes to mind when I think of Chingay. Brightlycolored floats, fire twirlers, dancing dragons, stilt walkers, giant puppets, spectacular light displays, and performers draped in the most vibrant and colorful costumes you’ve ever seen, all strutting their stuff to fans in the stands. The largest street performance and float parade in Asia is, quite simply, breathtaking.

Chingay is held in Singapore at the F1 Pit Building during the first weekend of the Lunar New Year celebrated by Chinese, Malays, Indians, and Eurasians, too. The massive parade first started to quell unhappy Singaporeans who resented the country’s ban on fireworks (which are usually set off on New Year’s to drive away evil spirits). That first parade in 1973 celebrating the Year of the Ox was such a hit that it has since become an annual tradition.

The word chingay is equivalent to the Mandarin zhuang yi (妆艺), which means “the art of costume and masquerade” in the Hokkien dialect. There could be no more fitting name. Each and every costume is a work of art, and there are costumes from across the globe. In 1987, The Straits Times featured a pop group from Tokyo, and ever since, performers from around the world have delighted the Singaporean audience.

Don’t think you’ll go and just watch. Nope. The audience is an active part of the show. Each and every spectator receives a goody bag which includes props and a bottle of water to help offset the heat. As the show moves along, the audience is asked to use various props, which can include clappers, light sticks, and gold pompoms, making the show all the more fun and magical.

And yes, at the end of the parade, there are fireworks… just to be safe and keep those evil spirits at bay.

The parade takes the community five months to prepare and is such a hit that it’s held not once, but TWICE. Chingay Parade 2023 completes the trilogy that began with 2021’s “Light of Hope”, followed by 2022’s “Ignite Our Dreams,” and 2023’s “Embrace Tomorrow.” Tickets range from $20 to $60. Go to www.chingay.gov.sg for more info.