River Hongbao returns in 2021 in hybrid format at Gardens by the Bay

• The annual River Hongbao carnival will be held at Gardens by the Bay from Feb 10 to 16
• This year's event has been scaled down due to the Covid-19 pandemic
• Visitors are encouraged to pre-register for the event on the River Hongbao's website

SINGAPORE — Singapore’s annual Chinese New Year carnival River Hongbao will go ahead from Feb 10 to 16 at Gardens by the Bay.

This will be the first time the event will be held at Gardens by the Bay, a shift from its usual venue at the Marina Bay floating platform. The Chinese community will be ushering in the Year of the Ox on Feb 12.

But the programme will be scaled back during the Covid-19 pandemic, with organisers saying on Monday (Feb 1) that they will be scrapping plans for fireworks, live stage performances and an amusement park.

The organisers are the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Singapore Press Holdings' Chinese Media Group, Singapore Tourism Board and People's Association.

There will, however, still be plenty of photo opportunities for visitors, they said. 

Scattered throughout the outdoor gardens are 24 giant lanterns that depict a peacock, the 12 animal zodiacs and the ever-popular God of Fortune, among others.

Also present are Chinese cultural exhibits, such as a curated selection of lion dance artefacts from private collectors and organisations, some dating as far back as the 1950s.

But guided tours of the exhibition have been cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic. 

In their place will be pre-recorded videos from student guides, which can be found on the River Hongbao's website or accessed by a QR code at the exhibition itself.

While there will not be any live performances, there will be nightly screenings of pre-recorded themed performances, including a Getai Night and a Xinyao Night, that will feature local artistes.

Mr Felix Loh, the chief executive officer of Gardens by the Bay, said that while this year’s celebrations have had to be scaled back, he hopes the occasion “will still bring some cheer and joy to our community as we welcome a new spring of hope together”.

KEEPING VISITORS SAFE

While the carnival has typically attracted more than a million visitors each year, the 35th iteration this year will see a cap of 2,000 visitors per time slot.

The duration for the time slots varies from 1.5 hours during the day, to two hours at night.

To prevent crowding, visitors are required to pre-register by booking slots online at www.riverhongbao.sg.

As visitor numbers are limited, different elements of the festival will be posted online for the public to enjoy at home, said the organisers.

They added that aside from the usual safe management measures such as SafeEntry check-ins and thermal screenings, high-touch points will be cleaned several times a day.

More than 100 volunteers, safe distancing ambassadors and uniformed auxiliary police officers will also be on site to ensure visitors adhere to safe management measures.

The organisers said they will continue to monitor the evolving Covid-19 situation and adjust the programme if necessary.

Mr Tan Aik Hock, the chairman of this year's organising committee, said the organisers are confident that they have "put in place robust safety protocols that will allow our visitors to imbibe some festive flavour".