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I realized that integrating into a city sometimes depends not on big events, but on these small neighborhood excitement: if you are willing to come out and take a look and smile, Singapore will become “I belong here too” at some point.
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Dad explained to me softly and occasionally laughed with me. That simple but warm companionship makes me feel very nostalgic. Looking back now, the Chingay Parade is not just an event, but also carries the good times I spent with my father.
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It isn’t just about nostalgia. It is a gentle reminder of what we have not lost, but perhaps forgotten: the beauty of gathering, the joy of slowing down, and the magic that emerges when we allow ourselves to be carried, even briefly, back to a simpler rhythm of life.
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As children, we were happy because after the Chingay procession, our father would bring us to eat and go window shopping. This helped pass the time, as the buses were always crowded once the procession ended…. We also needed to thank the cleaners, who would immediately start cleaning the surrounding area within a short time, before traffic on the road resumed.
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There are thousands of performers from all over the world. They use high technology such as LED costumes and props, digital backdrops and projections, making it a mega show.
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I have a deeper understanding of the significance of Singapore’s multicultural integration. Different ethnic groups and cultures are presented side by side on the same street, respecting and appreciating each other. This is the most moving scenery in Singapore, and it is also a cultural and educational force that is worth passing on from generation to generation.
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I still recall fondly that feeling – everything at home was spick and span, of having families around me and counting down to a new year. I miss it.
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Hot, sweaty, and jostled from all the pushing, we didn’t care. Every sound, every flash of light, and every swirl of colour made us feel as if we had stepped into a dream.
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Now, the Chingay parade has moved into neighbourhoods, making it easier for frail seniors to have a look. Last year, I managed to get tickets for my daughter and me to be there. My daughter’s wish was fulfilled.
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Different ethnic groups present their best traditional celebrations … exciting lion and dragon dances and float drumming by the Chinese community groups, joget dance and silat, a Malay martial arts, by the Malay community and also Thaipusam drumming by the Indian community
