If you are heading to the Marina Bay area to usher in the new year tonight, look out for the visual extravaganzas happening on the facades of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, the Merlion and the ArtScience Museum.

A series of projected patterns and colours will dance across the exteriors of the three structures as part of a synchronised light projection display to welcome the new year.

Designed to the theme of this year's Marina Bay Singapore Countdown event, Bay Of Hopes And Dreams, the five-minute animated show will take place tonight at 8, 9, 10, 11 and 11.55pm. It features a light-hearted storyline involving the Fullerton Postmaster Bears - which are the hotel's mascots - as they transcend into an alternative realm where wishes unfold.

This is the first time synchronised light shows are being projected on the three structures' facades for the countdown event.

Singapore-based projection and multimedia firm Hexogon Solution is the event's official projection company.

Mr Adrian Goh, its group managing director, says almost 50 people are involved in coordinating the projection displays, from planning the content to onsite operations.

More than 60 projectors are required to create the shows, he adds, and these are located in Merlion Park, Marina Bay Sands, Youth Olympic Park as well as the rooftop of One Fullerton.

Mr Goh adds: "This is, by far, the largest light projection show we have helped put together for the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown.

"A show of this scale requires a lot of planning. This starts as early as six to eight months before the event as we work on the concept and storyboarding, and lead up to the final set-up onsite."

Ensuring accuracy in synchronising the images and audio of the three projection shows is the most challenging aspect, he says.

His company has also worked on the opening and closing ceremonies of the 28th Southeast Asian Games held in Singapore in 2015, the National Day Parades since 2012, as well as other events in Thailand, Japan, Taiwan and Hong Kong.

The Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2018, organised by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, is the largest countdown celebration here.

The authority's director for place management, Mr Jason Chen, says: "This is the fourth year that we are working with The Fullerton Hotel Singapore to showcase light projection displays on its facade as part of this countdown event. With the addition of the light projection shows on the Merlion and ArtScience Museum - two iconic structures - we hope to enhance the visual experience for the public as part of their countdown celebrations."

After each hourly projection, there will be a one-minute fireworks display. In between the shows, selected new year wishes, collected from the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 2018 website, will be projected on the facade of The Fullerton Hotel.

In addition, synchronised displays of festive lighting by buildings around Marina Bay - such as Marina Square, Millenia Tower and the Esplanade - will add to the visual showcase tonight. These displays will take place at the 15-minute and 45-minute marks hourly from 8pm till midnight.

At midnight, there will be a six-minute fireworks display across a larger area of Marina Bay than in previous years.

Myriad programmes will also take place tonight around the Marina Bay area and the Civic District.

At The Float@Marina Bay, revellers can shop for food and beverage and lifestyle products at an outdoor bazaar or enjoy a picnic while watching the visual displays.

At The Promontory and Bayfront Event Space, the Prudential Marina Bay Carnival will welcome revellers from 3pm to 2am. There are more than 40 rides and games as well as live performances by local music acts such as Falling Feathers, TheLionCityBoy and Jasmine Sokko.

Parts of the Civic District will be car-free from 4pm today till 5am tomorrow and will feature free outdoor activities such as sunset yoga and a fitness countdown dance party.

There will be a salsa party at the National Gallery Singapore from 10pm to 2am, while the Asian Civilisations Museum will be open until midnight.