Live events have been key to Singapore marking 50 years of independence. Under the SG50 brand of events, festivities have taken place throughout the summer in line with the official Independence Day on August 9 and a Golden Jubilee weekend, which ran from August 7-10.
From a gala concert in front of a 40,000-strong audience, to horticultural displays and charity races, MIX reviews some notable celebrations hosted by hotels and official bodies, which pay tribute to the half-century in which Singapore has become one of the most globalised nations in the world and a prime destination for business events.
Community spirit
Marina Bay Sands (MBS) ramped up its annual Singapore Charity Festival for the jubilee, eclipsing the two- and three-day festivals of previous years with a 10-day spectacle of activities and outreach programmes. Taking place from July 31 to August 9, the festival coincided with Singapore’s Golden Jubilee weekend (Aug 7-10), hosting themed activities across the integrated resort’s main attractions.
MBS rolled out 25 community outreach events within and around the resort. Among the festival’s key events was the Play It Forward charity race, styled as an “Amazing Race” competition, held on August 2. Competing in the race, 27 teams were required to complete a series of challenges across attractions such as the ArtScience Museum and SkyPark Observation Deck, all within a time limit. Winning teams were awarded SG$50,000 (US$35,000) donated by MBS to the winner’s pre-selected charity.
The Community Chest Heartstrings Walk 2015 involved a vertical marathon up 57 storeys of the MBS Hotel, all in the name of 80 local charities supported by the non-profit Community Chest. After the stairway challenge, participants and supporters were treated to a carnival at MBS’ Event Plaza.
For families with children, a line-up of free entertainment and activities was set up by MBS’ Skating Rink during the festival’s 10 days. Film screenings, games and performances from local musicians were on offer together with a showcase of LKY the Musical, depicting the story of Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of independent Singapore.
Flower power
In what seems a nod to the whimsical design of the 101-hectare Gardens by the Bay, SG50 celebrations were rung in with the floral display “From Tales to Legends: Discover Singapore Stories”, inspired by local legends and mythical characters from Singaporean folklore. Landscape architect Damian Tang curated more than 8,000 orchids and plants for the display, which ran from July 31 to September 13, arranging 10 lifesize wooden sculptures of the legends within Gardens by the Bay as if they were interacting with the display.
Celebrating the venue’s iconic supertrees, people were also invited to “Garden Rhapsody”, a nightly event that ran from August 6-10 where the supertrees were animated with laser imagery alongside performances by local musicians.
History in 3D
Another icon that lit up Marina Bay for the celebrations was The Fullerton Hotel, which commemorated the jubilee from August 1 to 9 by projecting 3D images across the hotel’s façade of historic moments that have taken place at the 128-year-old Fullerton Building. An eight-minute music video titled A Celebration of Our Heritage played across the façade featuring key moments in the nation’s history.
In a tribute to the hotel’s former role as General Post Office (from 1928 to 1996), colourful images of stamps from the past 50 years were projected across the hotel’s façade. On the Golden Jubilee weekend, staff from the Fullerton Hotel gave out roasted peanuts and local potong ice cream outside One Fullerton, where members of the public were able to watch a live feed of the National Day Parade projected onto LCD screens set up around the bay.
Outdoor anthems
In charge of Singapore’s official celebrations was the SG50 committee, led by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture. One of the largest events organised by the committee was the Concert Series in the Park, which has seen 71,000 people attending the first three of a total of six concerts. Part of a year-long public engagement campaign, the concerts have been staggered between March and December, each held in one of Singapore’s national parks. Performances run the gamut from pop, jazz, rock and Mandarin compositions. Children in need of extra entertainment can look forward to balloon sculpting stalls and plenty of food and drink.
Adding to SG50’s musical offerings, brand activation company Pico worked with the Ministry of Culture for SING50, a celebratory concert held at the 55,000-seat National Stadium. Organised over a period of 11½ years, the concert was attended by 41,300 people on August 7, and was bolstered by donations from Zurich Insurance who pledged to give SG$5 for every person who attended the concert. St Regis Singapore was the event’s partner hotel, hosting music acts such as rapper Apl.de.ap from Black Eyed Peas and concert pianist Lang Lang.
Back to school
Singapore’s Ministry of Education enlisted event services company Milton Exhibits for the Good Morning ‘Cher (Cher is local slang for teacher) roadshow, a series of public exhibitions which showcased the evolution of education in Singapore. Four events were held throughout July and August, exhibiting displays at Changi City Point, Westgate, AMK Hub and Suntec City Hall designed to evoke “nostalgic memories of school days”, according
to the Ministry of Education.
To raise awareness of the roadshow, Milton built vintage pop-up classrooms around the city, showcasing school memorabilia, historical classroom props and old class photos. Social media was core to the campaign: participants with the 10 most liked Instagram posts linked with the hashtag #goodmorningcher were awarded a limited edition E-Z link card – Singapore’s contactless transportation payment card. Each of the exhibits showcased musical and dance performances by school groups and fringe activities and games were on offer for children visiting the shows with parents. Admission to the shows was free, with total footfall coming at more than 50,000 over the course of the four exhibits.
