The 31st edition of the River Hongbao (RHB) 2017 Festival will run from Jan 26 to Feb 4 at the Floating Platform at Marina Bay. This year the festival will incorporate an entrance walkaway which features a heart-shaped design and is expected to draw more than one million visitors.
Reports said the event will be held from 2 pm to 11pm daily; however, it will be extended until 1 am on Jan 27, Chinese New Year's Eve. Admission to the event is free for all.
In a press release on Wednesday, the organizers said the festival will usher in the year of the rooster with "modern and forward-looking elements".
The organizers also said that the main lantern-piece of the event will showcase upcoming local landscapes such as Jewel Changi Airport and Punggol Eco-town. It will play an important role in late night fireworks and laser display as the pyrotechnics will emanate from it.
The authorities will also launch an interactive mobile app on Jan 18 for visitors. The app will allow them to send Chinese New Year wishes that will show up as writings on sky lanterns on their mobile screens. The visitors will also be provided with virtual reality glasses on site to experience a 360-degree view of the flying sky lanterns.
The RHB 2017 light-up ceremony on Jan 26 will be graced by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.
Singer Hartono is scheduled to perform at the opening of the festival, followed by other performances by local artists such as Roy Loi and Hong Shao Xuan. The visitors will also get a chance to enjoy performances by overseas troupes such as the acclaimed Chongqing Song and Dance Troupe.
The event will also include an exhibition titled The More We Get Together: Major Festivals in Singapore. The exhibition aims to celebrate the multicultural heritage of the nation. Apart from these, there will be more than 30 rides and games booths, as well as handicraft and food stalls.
This year, the RHB edition is jointly organised by Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations, Singapore Press Holdings, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Singapore Tourism Board and People's Association.
