Food-inspired floats, food-themed costumes to take centre stage at Chingay 2025
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The multicultural annual street parade will be one of the first events to commemorate Singapore’s 60th birthday in 2025.
PHOTO: ST FILE
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SINGAPORE - Nasi lemak, chilli crab, roti prata, curry debal and more. Food will be the universal language for Chingay Parade 2025, which will be held on Feb 7 and 8 at the F1 Pit Building.
Themed “joy”, the multicultural annual street parade organised by the People’s Association (PA) will be one of the first major events to commemorate Singapore’s 60th birthday in 2025.
There will be a sensory feast with food-inspired floats, food-themed costumes and PAssionArts installations that reflect Singapore’s shared culinary heritage and the joy of shared meals.
Over 4,000 performers from 150 organisations will be taking part.
The event is set to captivate spectators with a 360-degree parade layout and a dramatic four-level stage, creating an immersive experience that encapsulates Singapore’s rich cultural tapestry, artistic talent and collective spirit.
Singapore and Malaysia will jointly nominate the parade to be inscribed on Unesco’s intangible cultural heritage list
Intangible cultural heritage refers to traditions or living expressions that are inherited and passed on between generations, such as performing arts, social practices, rituals and events.
The National Heritage Board said on Nov 5 that the nomination was jointly decided by both countries, which have Chingay-practising communities in Singapore, Johor Bahru and Penang.
It added that the nomination, to be submitted in March 2025, will commemorate the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations between Singapore and Malaysia. The result is expected in end-2026 at the earliest.
Mr Kia Siang Wei, chairman of the Chingay 2025 executive committee, said at a media luncheon at the Eurasian Association on Nov 12 that Chingay stands for multiculturalism and national identity – a people’s parade for the people, by the people.
He told The Straits Times that with the Unesco joint nomination with Malaysia, the aim would be to create the “awareness, mindshare and value” of Chingay, and get Singaporeans and residents to come forward to support, participate or have a deeper sense of involvement.
He added: “Chingay is evolving because we want to be relevant to the current and future society. We are trying to find new ways to engage a new audience, and we want to reach out to the younger community to build a new generation of supporters.”
Over the next two years, PA aims to create an awareness and advocacy plan to promote the parade – which was first held in 1973 – as a living heritage for the joint Unesco nomination.
The public can sign a digital pledge at https://supportchingaysg.gov.sg
To reach out to children and young people, there will be an educational toolkit with videos, presentations and activity ideas for educators to teach about Chingay.
PA will partner local schools and universities to share the evolution of the event and how it plays an important role in showcasing different forms of arts and culture here.
Schools will be invited to create videos to show their support for the joint nomination.
To reach out to working adults, PA will collaborate with corporate partners to encourage employees to support Chingay’s Unesco nomination.
There will also be interactive pop-up exhibits at schools and community events to showcase Chingay costumes and floats, and allow audiences to experience the event up close.
The roadshows will be listed on https://www.chingay.gov.sg/chingayunesco
For Chingay Parade 2025, PAssionCard members can get 60 per cent off all tickets till Dec 3.
Freelance artiste Tejas V. Hirah, 25, a two-time Chingay performer, said: “Chingay is a platform for intergenerational, interracial and intercultural bonding. I enjoy chatting over bento boxes with people from all walks of life, including the disabled and overseas performers.”
Tickets for the parade are on sale at www.chingay.gov.sg
