Events & Festivals of Sunny Singapore

Monday, December 28, 2009

Hey people! As promised, this post will be dedicated to..

The Marina Bay SINGAPORE Countdown!!

Probably the biggest 2010 countdown event in Singapore, this is one supersized countdown event which ought not to be missed. You may have seen advertisements on televisions advertising on this huge countdown event if you are currently staying in Singapore. However, if you're still wondering what it's all about and why you should go for this event, this post should help you out a little...

If you haven't guessed yet, this is an event where all kinds of people gather at a certain place in Singapore called Marina Bay on the 31st of December to celebrate the countdown to the new year. What's surprising about it is that, just last year, around 250,000 people headed down to this very same event. This made it the biggest countdown event of the year in Singapore and this year, it's set to get even bigger!

Activities this year include a free "swinging samba and throbbing batucada beats by the 25-member percussion group Bloco Singapura" "lighthearted skits and improvised miming by The Mimes, magic acts by Kiki Tay, as well as caricature drawing by Kamal Dollah."* From enthralling music by local groups, to humourous skits, thrilling magic acts and unique arts, these exciting activities are specially organised to keep you entertained while counting down to the New Year.

Moreover, the ever-changing and breath-taking fireworks display, which never fail to capture it's audience's attention will be here again. And this time, the fireworks will be dancing to a brand new music score, specially created for this year's event. This music score mixes Singapore's different ethnic culture's music to form a fresh start to the year.

In addition, the wishing sphere project is here once again! In fact, wishing stations are already set up to let people pen their wishes around Singapore. This significant project involves people writing their wishes on a sphere provided by the event organisors. These spheres will then lighted and put in the Bay, turning the Bay into a Bay of floating lights, aspirations and dreams. This magnificent view can then be seen on the Bay at the event by everyone who is there..

Finally, not only is the admission to The Marina Bay SINGAPORE Countdown free, it is also open to everyone and anyone looking for a place to go during your New Year's Eve. So, if you are looking to spend some quality time with your whole family and friends, or if you want to just chill out somewhere on the 31st, head on down to Marina Bay for.. The Marina Bay Singapore Countdown!

-Prime

References, Pictures and sources from:
-http://www.marinabaycountdown.sg

1:24 AM

Sunday, December 27, 2009

SILOSO BEACH COUNTDOWN PARTY
@ SENTOSA

It's that time of the year again. So long to the old year and welcome your New Year with the spectacular events created specially for you to join us in Singapore for the Countdown to the New Year 2010! As a New Year's Celebrations Special, I will be posting on not just one, but TWO exciting and unique New Year Celebrations events for you to choose from. They are...

"Asia's Grooviest Countdown Party!"- The Siloso Beach Countdown Party!

and...

"The BIGGEST New Year’s Eve Celebration event in Singapore." - The Marina Bay SINGAPORE Countdown!

"Asia's Grooviest Countdown Party!"- The Siloso Beach Countdown Party!

Woah.. First ZoukOut and now this. The first event is none other than.. the Siloso Beach Countdown Party! Quoted from the event's main website as "Asia's Grooviest Countdown Party!", the Siloso Beach Countdown Party is the perfect countdown event for partygoers in Singapore during this New Year's Eve. From the sands of Singapore's "hippest" beach, Siloso Beach, across a 1.2km party arena with 5 different party zones, this is expected to be Singapore's biggest, hippest and most fun beach countdown party. Starting from 8pm on 31st December 2009 and ending at 6am on 1st January 2010, this means that you will have up to 10 hours of non-stop partying, music and dancing.

Said to be even bolder and bigger this year, partygoers attending this event can expect hours of insane partying, dancing, eye-catching beachwear and culture as they groove to the non-stop music played by acclaimed international and local DJs such as DJ Koflow and DJ Earworm. I'm certain that as a party goer and participant of this beach party, if the huge crowds of eye candy in beachwear don't get you grooving, the atmosphere, music, rhythm and beats played should be enough to get you rocking and grooving your way to the new year.

Energetic pyrotechnic displays and stilt-walkers which never cease to amaze me and spectators will also be on scene to heat things up further. Moreover, as event participants, you may also experience Asia's first surfing, restaurant and lifestyle venue featuring Singapore's only 3-meter high barreling wave at the Beach itself while partying all the way till dusk!

Finally, what would the annual "Siloso Beach Countdown Party" be without it's famous hallmark foam pool? Brought out once again to complete the most fun beach party in Singapore, the ever-popular foam pool ensures that everyone would be able to leave this party with an unforgettable experience! So what are you waiting for? Grab your bikinis, trousers or whatever beachwear you have and head on down to the Siloso Beach, Sentosa for the this New Year's Celebrations and Countdown!

Tickets Priced at:
$35 (19 Dec till 27 Dec)
and
$39 (28 Dec till 31 Dec)

UOB cardmembers: 15% off (till 30 Dec)

* All tickets include Event Admission & 1 drink. Island Admission payable separately. Booking fees apply for tickets bought through SISTIC.** Valid for purchase over Sentosa ticketing counters only.

Pictures of Past successful Siloso Beach countdown parties:

Pyrotechnicians displaying their skills at the beach party. Isn't it hot??

Party-goers/ Participants hanging out and enjoying themselves at the Siloso Beach Party in their various beachwear.

The unforgettable
"hallmark" of the party, the foam pool!!

For more information on the Countdown beach party of the year, please visit the following websites:

* http://www.silosobeachparty.com/ticketing.php

* http://www.silosobeachparty.com/about/overview.php

* http://www.sistic.com.sg/portal/dt?dt.isPortletRequest=true&dt.action=process&dt.provider=PortletWindowProcessChannel&dt.windowProvider.targetPortletChannel=JSPTabContainer/sEventsCalendar/Event&dt.containerName=JSPTabContainer/sEventsCalendar&dt.windowProvider.currentChannelMode=VIEW&dt.window.portletAction=RENDER&contentCode=siloso1209

Pictures and Sources from:

- http://www.silosobeachparty.com

- http://www.sistic.com.sg

(P.S. The Marina Bay SINGAPORE Countdown Event will be posted up in the next post due to limited space.)

- Prime -

Labels: Asia's Grooviest Beach party, Marina Bay SINGAPORE Countdown, New Year Countdown, Sentosa, Siloso Beach Party, Sistic

10:06 PM

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Asian Civilisations Museum
Where Asian Cultures Come Alive!
Opening Hours: Mon: 1pm-7pm
Tues-Thurs: 9am-7pm (Till 9pm on Friday)

Hey everyone, ever wondered what else you can do while you are in town, near to Raffles city? Besides visiting the usual places of attractions, popular shopping and eating haunts, why not take a stroll through the gallaries of a museum, just a 5 minute walk from city hall MRT station.
Check out the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) for a wonderful afternoon immersing yourself in cultures of Asia. For a day, leave behind the hustle and bustle of the city to the quiet scantuary of the ACM museum, where you can immerse yourself in the rich and fascinating cultures of Asia. A trip to the ACM will not disappoint.

For starters, admission tickets are priced at $8 for adult and $4 for students and the elderly! Wow! You can "travel" Asia and learn more about their cultures in a period of a few hours. In addition, guided tours for groups with numbers ranging 20 above charge only $6 and $3 for adults and children respectively. At dirt cheap prices, you can explore a total of 8 gallaries at your own pace!

The Singapore River Gallery
(Gallary 1)
The first gallery, called "The Singapore River Gallery", covers Singapore's history. From it's founding to its development, this gallery covers it all. Step in here and you can almost imagine yourself back in the days where Singapore was a budding nation.

Southeast Asia Gallery
(Gallery 2 and 3)
Step in here and you will see artifacts unique to the cultures and tribal groups found only in Southeast Asia. Ranging from religious artifacts, household items of everyday use to the material possessions of the Southeast Asian people. Stunning pieces are seen here, prepare to be dazzled!

China Gallery
(Gallary 4)
In this gallery, expect nothing less of the ACM museum but to bring you only the best! The beautiful dainty porcelain ware of the Chinese dating back to the Tang Dynasty are on display. Be amazed with the craftsmanship of the artifacts.

Special Exhibition
(Gallery 5)
In the special exhibition, it now houses the much hyped about exhibition from the Phillipines. Called the "Land of the morning: Phillipines and its people".

Step into this part of the museum and you feel as if you have been transported back in time. Cheery Spanish tunes are played continuously whilst you immerse yourself in the beautiful pieces on display.

West Asia Gallery
(Gallery 6 and 7)
Covering west asia, this gallery shows glimpse into the cultures of countries like Java, Vietnam and Ottaman Syria. You will see beautiful tapestry pieces from Syria and delicate masks and puppets of the East Java culture. Absolutely stunning!

South Asia Gallery
(Gallery 8)
Wrap up the expedition with the museum's final gallary, featuring statues of religious figures in the Indian culture to acient coin relics dating back to 800 B.C. Portraits of deities painted in such vivid colours will seize your attention.

So come on down with your family and friends for a visit to the Asian Civilisations Museum. New and interesting exhibitions are never too few. For more information about any upcoming activities or exhibitions, you can check out their website right here!

-Annabel-

Labels: The Asian Civilisations Museum

10:10 PM

Friday, December 18, 2009

Hello everyone! Ever thought of celebrating Christmas in a different way? Singapore is the place you should be! Being uniquely Singapore, we invite you to come celebrate Christmas in Singapore with our very own Christmas lightings, shopping deals, performances, and celebratory events!

Orchard Road is a must to visit if you're celebrating Christmas in Singapore, the Christmas lightings put up in Orchard Road is sure to take your breath away as you walk along the roads or take a spin in a rented car. I remember taking a car-ride down Orchard Road to stop for a cup of StarBucks Coffee on a Christmas Eve many years ago with my family, I cannot forget how Orchard brought the Christmas feeling to my heart, how strangers walked up to wish you a Merry Christmas, the atmosphere Orchard has on Christmas just lifts my heart up and take all my troubles away.

Fancy shopping? Selected malls such as Marina Square, Vivocity, and TANGS Orchard wouldn't close till 11 p.m. that's when you can really shop till you drop!

People all around the world celebrate Christmas because of a very special person to Christians, it's not Santa Clause I'm talking about but the birth of Jesus Christ. Want to know more? Singapore has much to offer as Singapore is home to over 360 thousand Christians and many churches. These churches will provide all the information you need to know about the festive event of Christmas. I've been to a few Christmas Church Services in Singapore and I enjoyed the Christmas Carolling very much, you should give it a try if it appeals to you!

With so many things to do in Singapore, why not spend Christmas in Singapore this year? You may just want to keep coming back every year. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Clement

References
http://app.stb.gov.sg/asp/new/new03a.asp?id=9463

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Singapore

10:26 AM

Sunday, December 6, 2009

ZOUKOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL @ SENTOSA

Many party-goers will be looking forward the weekend of 12 of Dec 2009. This is because.. The annual ZoukOut music festival is coming back for the ninth time!! Besides only partying for the whole night, there will be a fireworks display and new laser show to be revealed to all. The dusk-till dawn party at Siloso Beach drew a record 26,000 partygoers last year.

However, the organizers are expecting an increase in the number of people as the tickets are being being snapped up as early as October.

One ticket @ $58 is available at http://www.sistic.com.sg/.

In order to cater to the likes of its customers, ZoukOut boasts a stellar line-up of 60 local and foreign talents, such as Dutch trance music deejay Armin Van Buuren, french electro pop duo Miss Kittin & The Hacker and Brit dance music jock Richie Hawtin. To complement with the theme of beach, a "lighthouse"will be built on Siloso Beach. The tower signals lots of fun to be at ZoukOut 2009. The surprise doesn't just stop here! This year, Siloso's beach culture took on a whole new level of buzz when new venues such as Wave House and Azzura are opened. With all the highlights of ZoukOut 2009, Zouk has spent $200,000 on both the fireworks and laser shows, which increased the cost of the event to $2.1 million this year.

Although there are other beach party competitors, Zouk Out remains the most popular choice. Extracted from a short interview, some commented:" Even with so many beach parties, I am just going for ZoukOut, It has the largest line of performers and i have never missed it." However, for those who prefer a smaller group of people, they would want to visit the other two events, which is 'Asia Dancetination 2009' and 'Shack In and Shack Out'.
People come from all over the region for ZoukOut, which definitely increases our visitor arrivals figures. This music festival is definitely a boost in tourism for the economy.

The music festival held in mid-December annually is not one to be missed. If you are a hardcore partygoer and just love to dance and have fun, the music festival held at ZoukOut is the one for you. But of course, work hard and play hard, we should take good care of yourselves after a night drained of energy. If you have missed it this year, fear not, there will surely be a return of the music festival next year, definitely with more booomz effect!!

The Dance Floor Fireworks Display

Enjoying themselves Laser show

It's time to dance!!

- Amanda -

Labels: Festival, Music, Music Festival, Sentosa, Zouk, ZoukOut

9:53 AM

Monday, November 30, 2009

Wondering where to go to spice up your holidays? If you are finding somewhere where you and your family can chill and have fun at the same time, Singapore is the right place for you!

Singapore Zoo will be hosting a week-long programme of events in January next year in celebration of the beginning of the New Year.

The events, which also celebrate the Year of the Ox, will take place at the zoo from Saturday January 24th 2009 until Sunday February 1st .

A wide range of family-friendly activities will be held including fortune telling sessions with the God of Fortune and entertainment from the Big Head Doll, who will treat guests to fun performances. There will also be a set of twin lions performing death-defying stunts on three metre-high poles and an Ox calf present in homage to the Year of the Ox!

Of course, there are much more to see at the Zoo!

I went down to the Singapore Zoo on Saturday and was so shocked to see the huge change made to the Zoo ever since the last time I came, which was a few a year ago. This time round, the Singapore Zoo has arranged a wide range of activities just for you and your family!

Upon purchasing the tickets, we were given a brochure containing the programme for the day. We did not manage to get there in time for the breakfast though. What's so special about having breakfast in the Zoo? The most special thing is that you can have breakfast up close and personal with those adorable orang utans, elephants and snakes!

There are over 3000 animals inhabiting in these tropical rainforests, and more than 40 animal feeding sessions, photo shoots, shows and rides!

Elephants of Asia
We caught one of the shows, which is Elephants at Work and Play! This is one thing you definitely should not miss! The surprising thing is that the elephants had such a close bond with the Mahouts that the elephants listens to him! The elephant presented skills like picking up a 400kg log as well as splashing water at a very long distance, which is something no human can do.

Lucky visitors can get to go on the platform and engage in activities with the elephants!

Look at how close the elephants are!

Not only that, elephants rides are also available for your family to enjoy. However, for the well-being of the elephants, rides are only limited to 30 people per session. I managed to get the tickets for the elephants ride, and i agree that this is something one should not miss! This is definitely one-in-a-lifetime experience! Kids are able to ride too as safety precautions are also taken.

Other rides such tram rides and boat rides are also available!

With unlimited tram rides, this 28-hectare zoo can be easily explored!

An animal wonderland, which is known as Rainforest Kidzworld is also available for your children to enjoy! One can enjoy a never-ending list of fun activities ranging from pony rides, animal contact sessions and obstacle course!

Look at how big the wet animal wonderland is!

Enjoy local cuisine at Ah Meng Restaurant when you are hungry! This restaurant serves local food such as Chicken Rice, Nasi lemak and Laksa! There is also KFC and Ben & Jerry's available!

Here is a short video about these adorable orang utans in the zoo. In this video, you will also be able to hear about the plight of orangutan in the Indonesian rainforests. Enjoy!

The following slideshow is a compliation of photos I have taken during my trip to the Zoo.

For more information, you can visit the main website for the Singapore Zoo at http://www.zoo.com.sg/

Location:80 Mandai Lake Road Singapore 729826

Transport: http://www.zoo.com.sg/l2_t2.aspx?l1=2&l2=11&langid=1
Map & Driving Directions: http://www.streetdirectory.com/asia_travel/travel/travel_id_8273/travel_site_122344/

Book your airline tickets fast and come down to visit the Singapore Zoo!

Labels: family, fun, kids, Singapore, vacation, zoo

7:58 AM

Thursday, November 12, 2009

EDO-KIMEKOMI DOLLS EXHIBITION @ SPM

Looking for something interesting to do in Singapore, well, why not go on down to the Singapore Philatelic Musuem (SPM) and check this out. Only exhibited from the 12 to 15 November, SPM & Traditional Edo-Kimekomi Dolls Sachiei-Kai (Society) presented a joint exhibition of Edo-Kimekomi dolls. What's more is that this is the first time that Singapore is having such an exhibition.

"What is it about?" or "What is Edo-Kimekomi Dolls?" you ask?
Well...

Edo-Kimekomi Dolls are historic Japanese dolls that depict Japanese festivals, folklore and traditions. They date back to 370 years ago and are certified as a traditional artwork by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan.

The dolls are clear and simple expressions of Japanese history and culture. This high artistic skill is known only to a limited number of people within Japan. Today, many Kimekomi dolls of 20th century origin can be found at temple fairs and antique markets.

It is said that these dolls were invented by a high-ranking shrine priest named Tadashige Takahashi some 300 years ago in Kyoto (old capital city of Japan). The technique was then spread to Tokyo at the end of the Edo era (1603-1867).

The main exhibit was The Mouse's Wedding. It illustrates one of the scenes from a Japanese children's classic of the same title. The exhibit depicts the happy ending to the tale with a wedding exhibition. Here are some pictures to get you excited!

Aren't they amazing? It took 2 years and 38 Edo-Kimekomi Dolls Sachiei-Kai Party members to complete everything. In addition, EVERY single one of them are handmade.

The other part of the exhibition is of the Seven Lucky Gods or Shichifukujin. The Seven Lucky Gods have been an important part of the Japanese culture since the Muromachi Era (1333-1573). The origins of the seven gods can be traced from different parts of Asia (China, India and Japan).

And here are pictures of some of the other exhibited dolls.

There is a section of Kimekomi dolls that were made to represent the 12 Zodiac animals. What you see above is just of the monkey and ram.

In addition, you can join in on the workshops being held and make your very own doll! There's nothing better than making your very own souvenir to remember the event by. The materials are imported from Japan so you can't get them anywhere else in Singapore if you miss this.

So, want to see more?

Although the exhibit period is until the 15th of Nov, the dolls will still be on display until January 2010.

So why wait?

Come on down now and see them for yourself!

Don't miss out on this chance!

Singapore Philatelic Musuem (SPM)

23 B Coleman Street

Singapore 179807

Republic og Singapore

Tel: (65) 6337 3888

Fax: (65) 6337 8958

E-mail: nhb_spm_adm@nhb.gov.sg

Getting There:

* MRT

A 10-minute walk from City Hall or Clarke Quay stations.

* Public Bus

The nearest bus-stop is outside the Armenian Church at Hill Street.

SBS Transit : 2, 12, 32, 33, 51, 62, 63, 80, 197
SMRT : 61

Musuem Hours:

Monday : 1 pm - 7 pm

Tuesday to Sunday : 9 am - 7 pm

Admission:

$5.00 for Adult

$4.00 for Child (3-12 years)

- Phoebe -

Info taken from exhibit explanation boards.

Labels: Culture, Edo-Kimekomi Dolls, Japan, Phoebe

4:36 PM