As the year draws to an end, Marina Bay and the Civic District are all set to host an exciting line-up of events and activities for all ages and interests.
Celebrate in the City, Marina Bay's festive line-up of year-end activities will conclude on a high note with Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2019, bringing everyone together to usher in the New Year right in the heart of the city.
Marina Bay lights up with hopes and dreams
Starting from December 26, visitors to Marina Bay will get to view colourful and dazzling light projections on the façades of key landmarks in the precinct.
These projections are adapted from the artworks created by students and beneficiaries of local schools and welfare organisations, as part of the Build a Dream initiative, presented by the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2019 in partnership with the National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (NVPC), to support the less fortunate in fulfilling their dreams and personal development.
From December 26 to 31, the façade of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore will be illuminated nightly with artworks by the beneficiaries of the Association for Persons with Special Needs (APSN) and the Metta Welfare Association (Metta).
Visitors can enjoy the whimsical projection shows at 15-minute intervals between 8 pm and 10.30 pm from 26 to 30 December 2018 and between 8 pm and 11.30 pm on New Year's Eve.
Students and alumni of Metta School, as well as current resident artists of Arts@Metta also contributed their artworks for the light projections on The Fullerton Hotel Singapore.
Visitors to Marina Bay can also look forward to light projection shows on the ArtScience Museum from December 29 to 31 between 8.15 pm and 10.30 pm, and The Merlion between 8 pm and 10.30 pm from 29 to 30 December 2018, and between 8 pm and 11.30 pm on New Year's Eve.
The façade of the ArtScience Museum will be lit with projections adapted from artworks by beneficiaries of AWWA and the Cerebral Palsy Alliance Singapore (CPAS), while the Merlion will feature artworks created by students from the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA).
Members of the public can find out more details about how to donate to the respective welfare organisations and schools via the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown website.
Join in the party at Marina Bay on New Year's Eve
Visitors can experience the fun and excitement on December 31 at the Marina Bay and Civic District, where an array of activities and programmes has been lined up from early evening through the night, culminating in a spectacular seven-minute fireworks display set against Singapore's iconic city skyline that can be viewed from around the bay at midnight.
Besides light projection shows at Marina Bay, the public can enjoy live performances at Mediacorp's Let's Celebrate 2019 countdown concert at The Promontory and performances at Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay's series of free programmes, Esplanade Presents Come Together; people can tey try modern local gastronomical delights at the Food Truck Fest at the Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza; or involve themselves in thrilling rides and exciting games at the Prudential Marina Bay Carnival at the Bayfront Event Space.
Over at The Float @ Marina Bay, the STAR ISLAND Singapore Countdown Edition, multi-sensory fireworks musical by Avex Asia, will wow the audience with an hour of performance acts by Taiko drummers, dancers, fire performers and more.
The action-packed stage will be synchronised to a combination of dazzling fireworks, pyrotechnics, lights and 3D surround sound.
Ringing in the New Year at car-free Civic District
Car-Free New Year's Eve (NYE) will transform the Civic District area into a bustling activity hub with a myriad of programmes for the public to enjoy. From 4 pm on December 31, St Andrew's Road, part of Fullerton Road, the stretch of Connaught Drive between Esplanade Park and The Padang will be closed to traffic, enabling the public to enjoy the activities in car-free comfort.
The Incubator at Esplanade Park will feature LOOP, a pop-up lifestyle festival featuring a local craft bazaar selling products by local craft makers and wellness experiences that promote awareness about sustainability.
A key highlight is the Void Deck Olympics on the ground level, where visitors can relive their childhood days by taking part in capteh, congkak and Five Stones challenges. The upper storey of LOOP will also feature a pop-up bar offering specially curated local craft beers and wine collection.
Visitors can inscribe their wishes for the environment on local discarded wood pieces, which will be assembled to form a Community Tree to be displayed at Esplanade Park.
Also within Esplanade Park, families with young children can enjoy bouncy castles as part of the Families for Life (FFL) celebrations. At Empress Lawn, friends and families will get to take home their memories in the form of photo prints at an instant photo booth after posting it on their social media accounts.
Visitors can also get free snacks and drinks from the FFL Mobile Café at Connaught Drive, which will also play host to a bazaar boasting an eclectic mix of hand-made goods, ladies' apparel, and innovative toys for children.
Those who are in the mood for more mobile activities can hop onto the Popcycle for a spin around Connaught Drive and Fullerton Road after 8.30 pm.
At Empress Lawn, there will be outdoor movie screenings and live band performances by local bands and singers such as Ryan with Joy Alexis on guitar, and local band 23 Skyline that will keep visitors entertained all evening long.
Visitors can catch The Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Countdown Concert 2019, a ticketed performance at the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall.
Dance aficionados can swish, sashay, and dance into 2019 at the New Year's Eve Dance Party at the Asian Civilisations Museum, which will be turned into an open dance floor, with a free Salsa dancing workshop.
Along St Andrew's Road and in Esplanade Park, the Health Promotion Board (HPB) will provide some healthy fun for visitors with various family-friendly sports and activities including golf, archery, and giant board games like Snakes and Ladders, Tic Tac Toe, and Bubble Soccer.
Fitness enthusiasts can also participate in the HPB Countdown Dance Workout comprising Fight-Do, K-Kardio Dance and Zumba, in front of the National Gallery Singapore.
Art lovers can visit Explore Minimalism: Space. Light. Object. , the first exhibition on Minimalism in Southeast Asia. The exhibition at the Gallery will give visitors a good insight into this influential art movement. Admission fees will be applicable for the exhibition but on 31 December there will be no charge.
Visitors should know that admission to other permanent galleries will only be free for citizens and permanent residents upon showing their pink or blue Identity Cards at the ticketing counters.
Delightful fireworks display to ring in the New Year
Come midnight, the public will be invited to count down to the New Year with a seven-minute long fireworks display.
Those who are unable to be at Marina Bay can also join in the celebration through the live broadcast of the countdown fireworks on the URA Facebook page (www.facebook.com/urasingapore).
For more details, people can visit www.nationalgallery.sg.
