SINGAPORE - Cheers and laughter filled the air as a group of residents from Central Singapore came together on Dec 30, 2023, to build a community float for Chingay Parade 2024.

“I love it when I hear (the cheers) and that’s the whole purpose of my job,” said artist Casey Chen, who is leading the set-up of Can-dilicious, one of 17 community floats for the parade in February.

Working with the theme of Blossom, Mr Chen, 52, came up with the idea of cutting circular bits from 2,000 recycled aluminium drink cans and mounting them on wooden boards that are shaped like flowers.

He then collaborated with residents from Jalan Besar GRC and Potong Pasir SMC to make the parts of the float in five workshops in October 2023.

“From collecting, washing to cutting the cans, a big part of it was done by the residents,” he said of the group, which included teens and seniors.

Mr Chen was pleasantly surprised to see many residents offering to give their free time to help with the set-up of additional parts of the float.

“It showed me that Singaporeans are willing to help each other,” he said.

On Dec 30, the parts were brought together, and the residents came together to paint, drill and combine certain portions to be mounted on the float.

“Whatever you do, I will put it up. I won’t say you can’t do this or that, because it is more fun this way,” Mr Chen told the participants.

Indian national Anjali Bhat, 32, who has been working in Singapore for the past five years, said: “We were working with a team of six complete strangers, and it was good fun to connect with them and what they do. I feel that’s my sense of community.”

She added: “I wasn’t sure what to expect for the parade, but having a preview of it now makes it something I’ll definitely be watching.”

Some participants who helped with the set-up will also perform with the float, like Madam Ching Mee Kheng and Mr Soo Seng Guan, a couple in their 70s.

“I think Chingay parade is very important because it is a festival of the nation. Everybody is so happy when we perform, and many are from other parts of the world. We should be very proud of this event,” said Mr Soo.

Now that the float has been completed, Mr Chen hopes to find new ways to engage the community to create more art together.

“People have come up to me and said they like my art and asked if they can do something like that. I tell them I’d be happy to lend them my tools and give them my phone number,” he said.

Some 3,500 participants will perform in Chingay 2024 alongside the 17 community floats and five main floats. It will also feature Singapore’s longest interactive floor projection for a street parade at 230 metres.

The parade will be held on Feb 23 and 24, with tickets from $20 to $60 available at Sistic. PAssion Card members can get a 20 per cent discount.

For more information, visit https://www.chingay.gov.sg or the Chingay Facebook and Instagram pages.