Singaporeans ring in the new year – and SG60 – with gratitude, pledges

SINGAPORE – Jubilant celebrations took place across at least 23 locations in Singapore as the country rang in 2025 with fireworks, drone shows and even a K-pop mass dance event.

While tens of thousands flocked to the Marina Bay and Kallang Basin areas to catch the fireworks display that lit up the skies on Dec 31, many opted for locations closer to home, at 17 countdown celebrations in the heartland organised to kick off

the Republic’s diamond jubilee,

dubbed SG60.

They included social media executive Stephanie Tay, 25, who has a tradition of attending countdown celebrations every year with her husband and son. On Dec 31, for the first time, they joined the one at Our Tampines Hub.

Ms Tay was not disappointed – the Tampines countdown featured live music performances and a skating rink, though families donned in-line skates instead of ice skates, and bubbles took the place of snow.

The party was just as lively in Yishun, where a drone show and fireworks dazzled the crowd, alongside carnival rides, games and live performances by local acts such as pop/rock band 53A, bilingual acoustic live band The JumpStart, and singers Stephen Zechariah and Huda Ramdzan. 

While drone shows and live music acts wowed the crowds at the various countdown events that dotted the island, many of the venues offered different ways for residents to express their good wishes and aspirations for the new year.

This was as the countdown marked the start of a year of events to commemorate Singapore’s 60th birthday – an occasion not just for celebrations but also for

Singaporeans to reflect on shared values and to renew their commitment to the nation,

Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said.

It is estimated that over half a million people attended the SG60 countdown celebrations islandwide, the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth said on Jan 1.

In Hougang, residents folded paper cranes that contained their wishes, while in Choa Chu Kang, community volunteers put up an “SG60 Tapestry of Hope”.

In Tampines, revellers penned pledges on what they would do for Singapore in its 60th year. By 9.40pm, the 4m wall at Our Tampines Hub was filled with hundreds of wishes, including one by a girl named Renee who pledged to be “a kinder student, better daughter and the best sister”.

Software engineer Manoj Bonala, 38, and his wife Priyanka Bonala, 33, who were at the same event with their eight-year-old son, hoped that Singaporeans will continue to make the country a better place to live in in the years ahead.

In Yishun, residents put up their good wishes on a tree-like structure.

Among those who gathered for the countdown event there was Ms Sabariyah Talib, 62, who hoped for more active ageing centres for seniors like her.

Ms Talib, a retired chef, said she appreciated how much the malls and transport system had evolved since Singapore celebrated SG50 in 2015, as they helped her get around more conveniently.

Law and Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam, who attended the event at the open field beside FutsalArena @ Yishun, made the wish that his Nee Soon residents would come together in the year ahead to build a caring, united and forward-looking community.

As midnight approached, the buzz kicked up a few notches at the different countdown sites.

K-pop songs were played at Our Tampines Hub, and close to 3,000 residents participated in a “K-pop random dance” event before fireworks capped off the celebrations.

The dance segment was what drew 16-year-old student Catherine Peh to the countdown, with her parents in tow.

“My younger sister and I wanted to attend the random play dance, so my family came. I’m glad I chose to come instead of just staying at home like I usually do, as the dances are so fun to watch. The atmosphere is also pretty lively and cheerful,” she said.

City centre drew largest crowds

The biggest crowds were, however, drawn to Marina Bay. 

By about 9.45pm, the police

had to close off access to Jubilee Bridge

and the Merlion and Fullerton waterfront areas because of the throngs gathered to catch the 30-minute fireworks spectacle that would illuminate the night sky over Marina Bay in four chapters from 11pm. The other crowd-puller was a 15-minute fireworks display that marked the finale of a countdown show at the Singapore Sports Hub.

The Esplanade waterfront area was added to the police’s list at about 10.25pm, while access to the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) waterfront area and Helix Bridge was closed by about 11.35pm for the same reason.

When The Straits Times arrived at Marina Bay at about 6.30pm, the path leading to Merlion Park was a flurry of colours, as many in the crowd toted colourful umbrellas and ponchos amid the evening drizzle.

Twenty minutes later, barricades were set up at Merlion Park to bar the crowd from sitting on the steps.

Although the Crowd@MarinaBay tracker showed the place had not yet reached its maximum capacity as at 8pm, the sheer number of people sitting in the area meant incoming visitors had to squeeze through a wall of people as they searched for a spot to wait for the fireworks.

Many came prepared with plastic picnic mats, setting them up along the Fullerton and Merlion waterfronts.

Madam Noor Aisyah, 54, was at the Merlion waterfront with her husband to usher in the new year. The Kuala Lumpur native was in Singapore for a short holiday, and had arrived early to secure a spot for herself right next to the Merlion. 

She said she was excited about witnessing the fireworks display at MBS, having heard how it lit up the Singapore skyline every year.

Asked if she had any wishes for 2025, she said: “Good health and happiness – those are the two things I want most for the year ahead. 

“I also hope that Singapore and Malaysia continue being good neighbours.”

Also seated on a picnic mat, at the Fullerton waterfront, were Ms Rachel Lee and two of her friends.

The 29-year-old, who works in human resources, said it was a relatively last-minute decision to spend the tail end of 2024 at MBS, after seeing the heavy downpour in the late afternoon clear up. 

“Luckily, we arrived just before 8pm, so we could still find a spot to park ourselves. Honestly, we just came here to soak in the vibes,” she said.

“Celebrating the new year with so many others around makes me feel like we’re all part of one big community, having a shared experience.”

With SG60 approaching in August, she said she hopes to see more support for those taking the paths less trodden.

“We still have a narrow definition of success... but everyone’s journey is different. We should recognise that, and be supportive regardless,” she added.