Spring is in the air in tropical Singapore, as workers put up Chinese New Year decorations along South Bridge Road and Temple Street on Tuesday night to welcome the Year of the Dog.

To ring in the Chinese New Year, the area around Eu Tong Sen Street and South Bridge Road will host the annual Chinatown light-up and street bazaar, which start on Saturday next week. The light-up runs till March 16 and the bazaar will end on Feb 15.

A team of craftsmen were flown in from Sichuan late last month to build the lanterns, many of which will feature man's best friend, alongside those fashioned as auspicious symbols, such as the pussy willow, the plum blossom and pineapple.

In all, 2,188 lanterns will lend their glow to Eu Tong Sen Street, as well as New Bridge and South Bridge roads, with the largest one at 11m tall.

This year's theme is Blossoms of Happiness and Prosperity. The annual affair is organised by the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens' Consultative Committee.