Lunar New Year 2025 in Singapore

Chinese New Year marks the most sublime festivities known in Singapore, which reunite families and friends and the city bursts into a great​ revelry. The city transforms into vibrant paradise of all shades of red, filled to the brim with signature Chinese New Year decorations, like dragons, Chinese lanterns, dazzling street installations, and festive bazaars.

Chinese New Year Traditions

Lunar New Year is more than just a contemporary holiday–it has deep cultural significance, and colors play a huge role in this. For example, red is considered to be the lucky color in Chinese culture, and it's definitely the one of the season. Locals usually spend Chinese New Year visiting friends, family, and loved ones–all the while dressed in vibrant red attire. Children and younger relatives receive hong bao, which are scarlet paper packets, stuffed with cash.

Festival Events

The celebration is all about colorful, symbolic processions, lion dances, red decorations, crimson festive dressings and scarlet present wrapping, lots of mandarines, seasonal markets, dainties, and plenty of merriments in the streets.

Street Illumination

During the Chinese New Year festival, the streets of Singapore Chinatown transform into a vibrant whirlwind of mesmerizing light installations. From a massive dragon sculpture, which lights up at night, to Chinese lanterns adorning the windows of local shops, the district is truly a sight to see.

River Hongbao Celebration (late January, 2025)

One of the most anticipated Chinese New Year events in Singapore takes place at Gardens by the Bay. This iconic event features massive lantern displays, carnival rides, cultural performances, and a wide variety of food stalls offering traditional and modern delicacies. The theme of the festival centers around the year's zodiac animal, with the 2025 edition featuring a large-scale serpent installation. You can also experience a mesmerizing fireworks show, culminating the day. The event usually spans from 2:30 pm to 10:30, with extended hours until 12:15 am on Chinese New Year's Day itself.

Chingay Parade (February 7-8, 2025)

As one of the largest street festivals in Singapore, the Chingay Parade keeps the momentum of Chinese New Year's festivities going with a dazzling showcase of intricate floats, colorful costumes, traditional dancing, and performances. The parade aims to represent the vibrant diversity and cultural heritage of Singapore. This year's theme is "JOY," a deeper dive into the food wonderland that is Singapore, which promises a mouthwatering feast of multicultural cuisines. The event is set to take place at 8 pm at the F1 Pit Building. Tickets range from $20 to $60.

CNY Food

The season offers a unique opportunity to feast on such mouth-watering specialties as buttery pineapple tarts, prune lapis or spiced cake, rolled egg biscuits with a lovely name "crisp love letters" and coconut cookies known as kueh bangkit. In addition to traditional Lunar New Year's sweets, you may also savor spicy shrimp rolls and sweet pork jerky named 'bak kwa'.

Dates of a Celebration

Chinese New Year is celebrated between late January and mid-February, it is also referred to as Spring Festival. The festivities generally span for more than ten days, letting you enjoy the Lunar New Year atmosphere to the fullest.

History

Chinese New Year, sometimes referred to as Lunar New Year or the Spring Festival, is without a doubt the most significant occasion in the Chinese calendar. Traditionally, it was a time to commemorate both ancestors and traditional deities. Nowadays, the days is celebrated with vibrant festivals, parades, cultural gatherings, as well as more intimate family and friends reunions.