What is Chingay?
The Chingay Parade is an unique multiracial annual street parade held in Singapore as part of the Chinese New Year festivities organized by People's Association.
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On 4 February 1973, the first Singapore Chingay parade was held partly as a result of the ban on firecrackers a year earlier in 1972 as a result of fire hazards. This ban was viewed unfavourably despite the safety issues involved. Some people felt that the ban would result in a much-dampened festival mood for the Chinese New Year period. To address this issue, a street parade was organized featuring the signature floats, acrobatic acts, lion and dragon dances, stilt walkers, and the like, to bring back some cheer to the general public.
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The largely Chinese parade became a multi-cultural one from 1977 when Malay and Indian groups started joining in the performances, which was to mark a major precedent in the overall flavour of the parade into one which has become largely multi-cultural in character, despite the continued presence of traditional Chinese acts such as lion dances and stilt walkers to this day.
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Today the parade takes place on part of the Formula One Marina Bay Street Circuit route. There are about 6.500 parade performers, 2.000 parade volunteers, 150.000 spectators and one million Singaporeans are watching the parade on television. 16,3 million homes and hotels across Asia receive the television broadcast through Channel NewsAsia.
Chingay 2019
Chingay 2020
Who we are:
An international group of Chingay enthusiast, who like to dress up, dance, be cheerful and meet new like-minded people from different cultures.
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What we do:
We participate as a group in the yearly Chingay parade in Singapore at the famous Formula One Marina Bay Street Circuit route.
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Who can join us?
Everybody who is able to join us at the Chingay parade and main rehearsal dates in Singapore 2021.
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How to join us?
Register here. We will start a What’s app group in August 2020.
Program
We will have 2 groups practicing in Singapore and Berlin.
All are joining together in Singapore for the final rehearsal and parade in February 2021.
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Dates:
October 2020: We will get a video to practice remotely
December 2020/January 2021: We will be practicing in Singapore and Berlin
February 2021: fly over to Singapore and practice together
in-between 1-week sightseeing in Singapore or trip to other Asian countries.
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Costs:
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trip to Singapore
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accommodation
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1-week sightseeing in Singapore or trip to other Asian countries
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100 SGD deposit (will be returned after successful participation)
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What you get?
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Chingay participant t-shirt
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Certificate of participation
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the costume
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life time friends and a life time experience
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unique cheerful moments
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amazing pictures
How it all began….
Staying in Singapore since 2011 I am a big fan of Chingay. Watching the parade with my friends every year I always wanted to be part of the show. But how? I applied as a volunteer in F&B, loved the atmosphere behind the scenes and made friends for life. But my main goal was to be one of the performers one day. I got invited to be part of one group but as they were practicing 3 times a week starting in November. I was not able to join them as my tight working schedule, traveling a lot, would not allow it. When the organizer asked me in 2018 to set up our own group for the bicentennial parade, I was immediately on fire. The great team work and support of People Association made it possible that we were able to perform. It was an unforgettable experience: Dancing 1,5 km in self-made costumes through the Formula 1 pit, having thousands of spectators watching and cheering. Since than we are performing every year at Chingay.