Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2013

Yue Hwa Chinese Products at the corner of Eu Tong Seng Street

Great Southern Hotel at the corner of Eu Tong Sen Street in 1973.

The former Peoples' Park (on the right of the photo) next to Majestic Theatre in 1950.

The Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2013 Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony was officially launched by Mr Tharman Shanmugaratname, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance on Saturday, 19 January 2013 at Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road, Singapore.

Presentation of the Singapore Book of Records Certificate for the "Largest Sculpture Made of Sky Lanterns" comprising 850 sky lanterns at South Bridge Road in Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2013 Street Light-Up.

The refreshing and innovative snake theme street light-up design, conceptualised by 12 undergraduates and four faculty and staff members from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD).

The Street Light-up showcases vibrantly coloured lanterns forming snake sculptural structures and illustrations of the 12 animal signs in the Chinese Zodiac on the lanterns.Photo Credit: Chinatown Festivals on Facebook.  Chinese New Year 2013 is the "Year of the Snake".

Photo Credit:  "Chinatown Festivals" on Facebook.

Chinatown is the traditional place in Singapore for Chinese New Year shopping, marketing or just to mingle around for rubbing the shoulders of fellow Singaporeans of all ethnic groups, including foreign visitors and tourists to soak in the cheerful atmosphere, sound, sight, smell, nostalgic memories for the festivities over the centuries.

How is it possible to share with younger Singaporeans to describe in words or visualise the Chinese New Year festivals in Chinatown in the past without "memory-aids" as photos?

With the courtesy of National Archives of Singapore archived photos to share on this blog, the current photos of the same place juxtaposed with archived photos to view the difference. Same, same but different!

From 18 January to 11 March 2013, Chinatown will be enlivened and lit up by Chinese New Year Celebrations. 

Organized by Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens' Consultative Committee, the Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2013 will showcase an exciting, colourful and vibrant programmed centered on the theme, "Spring of Happiness" -  金蛇迎新春, 花开幸福年.

Please visit the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens Consultative Committee's "Chinatown Festivals" web for more information here .

On this photojournal , follow this personal nostalgia blog as my "mind's eyes" switch from now and then  to visit Chinatown, some of the buildings, shops, and street names remain unchanged.  We can remember and recognise the old, familiar places.

 For the benefit of the first visitors to Chinatown and the younger Singaporeans,  there are some interesting stuff to discover and to learn..  Thanks to the conscientious efforts of the National Heritage Board for conservation of Chinatown, these heritage historical buildings are not demolished.

 The advantages of  elderly Singaporeans who have memories of the best of both worlds - old and new.

New Bridge Road in the above photo.  The photos below of New Bridge Road in 1972 due to change of traffic direction.

Memorable Photos - Thanks for the Memories

Photo Credit:  Delta Avenue Facebook

Chinatown Chinese New Year Celebrations 2013 Official Light-Up and Opening Ceremony

Opening Address by Dr. Lily Neo, Grassroots Adviser and Member of Parliament for Tanjong Pagar GRC

Highlights of the Programmes

Fireworks Display at Chinatown

It was a rousing finale with bright, colorful and enjoyful completion of the Chinatown Chinese New Year 2013 celebrations...a meaningful and unforgettable evening for everyone.


"Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year 2013.  Gong Xi Fa Cai"!"