SINGAPORE — The annual Hari Raya Light Up in Geylang Serai is set to be bigger this year, covering 2.3km — nearly double last year’s distance — on Geylang Road and Sims Avenue.

This year’s festivities, which officially kick off on June 13, will also aim to engage a larger audience, with games and activities that will help non-Muslims learn more about the festive occasion and Malay heritage.

For example, during the month of Ramadan, demonstrations on how to play kampung games and cook simple Malay dishes will be held at a fair on the open field next to Eunos Road 5, near Singapore Post Centre.

At the fair, visitors can also try their hand at Arabic calligraphy and dress up in traditional Malay costume to experience kampung traditions first hand. These activities will take place every Friday to Sunday during the month of Ramadan — from June 18 to July 12 this year. However, there will be no activities on June 27 as a separate cultural discovery tour will be taking place.

Free rides on Hippo buses will also be available, so visitors can view the lights up close. Six buses will be available at the official launch event on June 13 and two in the weeks after.

At the launch event, celebrities from past decades, including 1960s singer Rahimah Rahim and 1990s band Nuradee, will make appearances, while Chingay floats, such as the SG50 float, will be showcased.

Sharing the details of this year’s festivities today (June 3), Minister for Social and Family Development Tan Chuan-Jin, who is also grassroots adviser for Kembangan-Chai Chee, said: “What’s important to us is not just the physical set-up, but really the meaning of Hari Raya and also the Ramadan leading to it … to remind the community of what this is about and especially for non-Malay/Muslims to also understand that and to invite them to take part.”

He added: “It’s also very much about celebrating the Malay-Muslim community. I think it’s quite apt as this year is SG50 as well, so this whole effort is to really recognise the contributions of the community.”

This year’s light-up will feature elements from the kampung, such as full-length shuttered windows seen in its houses and elements from the songket, which are traditional Malay textiles that feature intricate embroidery.

To better connect with the younger generation, event organisers will be tapping into social media. Its event Facebook page will feature new social-media characters, who will share about how they are preparing for Hari Raya and make appearances at the various weekly events.

To find out more about the Hari Raya festivities, visit www.facebook.com/ourkampungspiritsg.