River Hongbao 2023 will be held from 20 January to 28 January for 9 days at Gardens by the Bay. The event is jointly organised by Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, SPH Media Trust’s Chinese Media Group, Singapore Tourism Board, and People’s Association. On the first 2 days of the event, 20 January and 21 January, River Hongbao 2023 will begin at 6.30pm, while the starting time will be 2.30pm for the rest of the event.
This morning, President of Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations and Chairman of the River Hongbao 2023 Organising Committee, Mr Thomas Chua announced an extension of the partnership between River Hongbao and Gardens by the Bay until 2026, ensuring that the event will continue to be held at Gardens by the Bay for the next 3 years.
With the relaxation of COVID-19 measures, the public can now enter River Hongbao without prior reservation of tickets. A record number of visitors is therefore expected for River Hongbao 2023. In response, Programmes Director of River Hongbao 2023, Mr. Perng Peck Seng stated that even though over 100 volunteers will be deployed each night to maintain order and establish crowd control, the public is still advised to take the necessary protective measures.
This year’s River Hongbao 2023 combines physical and virtual elements to offer an exciting experience for visitors. 30 exquisitely crafted giant lanterns not only add beauty to the venue, but also blend harmoniously with the lush greenery in the background, with each lantern having its own unique significance.
The lantern for God of Wealth symbolises prosperity, good fortune, and abundance for the Year of the Rabbit. Wishing everyone a prosperous year ahead!
Visitors can toss coins at the blessing bells in the Wishing Heart wishing well and make a wish. All funds collected will be fully donated to charity.
Curated by the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, the “Greetings and Blessings: Chinese New Year Cards Then and Now” Special Exhibition showcases Singaporean Chinese cultural heritage through Chinese New Year cards from the 1950s to 1970s. These cards have rich and interesting themes which depict the past landscape of Singapore and reflect the social customs, traditional culture, and values of the Chinese community in Singapore. The exhibition will also be available in the form of a 360° virtual tour on the River Hongbao website.
How can Chinese New Year celebrations be complete without delicious food? There will be a variety of local delicacies available for visitors to indulge in at this year’s River Hongbao! Besides that, visitors can also look forward to popular live performances, such as the GetaiNight, Xinyao Night, Singapore Talent Night, and captivating nighttime performances showcasing Singapore’s diverse cultures by local performers. There will also be an array offamily-friendly play equipment which will provide an immersive entertainment experience for all ages.
For this year’s event, River Hongbao is partnering with POSB to hold a donation drive. For every member of the public who takes a photo with the God of Wealth at the event and uploads the photo to their personal Facebook and Instagram account with the hashtag #NeighboursDoGood within the charity drive’s duration (the account must be set to public after posting), POSB will donate $5 to families in need. The event aims to raise $50 000.
Additionally, there is a large variety of activities online for visitors who are unable to head down to River Hongbao 2023. Visitors can head to the official accounts of River Hongbao on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and the official River Hongbao website to enter the competition and play games for a chance to win prizes worth $5000. This includes the “Fu-er AR” filter game on TikTok, virtual riddles, and the “Bunny Tap” online game. This series of interactive online activities will add joy to the Chinese New Year festivities across Singapore.
River Hongbao 2023 mascot Fu-er bringing auspiciousness and joy to your new year!
For more information, please visit River Hongbao’s official website: https://riverhongbao.sg/
