The Year of the Rooster was given an early welcome yesterday, as a 13m-tall rooster lantern with a length of about 100m was lit up, along with 5,500 other elaborate lanterns.
About 50,000 people turned up for the light-up ceremony, with performances, fireworks and firecrackers entertaining the crowds.
President Tony Tan Keng Yam was there to launch the light-up, which kick-starts the 51-day Chinese New Year festivities in Chinatown.