Christmas in Singapore will never be complete without its annual light decorations at Orchard Road. On the contrary, the 2023 Christmas festivities will be bigger and better.
Named Christmas on A Great Street, the annual Orchard Road Christmas light-up will return for its 40th edition this year (2023). Besides the signature dazzling lights that make excellent photo opportunities, this year’s edition will also mark the debut of a street party on Christmas Eve.
Details for Orchard Road Christmas 2023: Activities, dates, locations, and more
This yearly light-up at Orchard Road ties in with the festive holiday season to draw visitors to the famed Singapore shopping belt.
To signal the start of Christmas on A Great Street, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam will officiate the Light-Up Ceremony at Shaw House Urban Plaza on November 16.
In addition to marvelling at the bright lights and sparkling decorations, visitors can bask in the yuletide celebrations with the festivities’ first Christmas Eve street party.
Held on December 24, the street party will stretch from Paterson junction to Bideford junction, and the affected roads will be closed to traffic from 6pm onwards. The party will take place from 8pm to 12.30am.
Visitors can look forward to merry-making activities like music band and dance performances, live Christmas carols, and Meet and greet sessions with Santa Claus. Furthermore, those who get hungry while enjoying the programmes can grab a bite at the food trucks-filled Christmas Market.
Not only can visitors countdown to Christmas Day at Christmas on A Great Street, but they also can countdown to usher in the New Year (2024).
The Return of Great Christmas Villages
It certainly isn’t Christmas without Christmas Villages. Back again this year are the Great Christmas Villages. Visitors can look forward to three satellite villages, up from one in 2022.
Located outside Shaw House Urban Plaza, Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza and Plaza Singapura, all Christmas Villages have carnival rides, games, pop-up stores, and food and beverage kiosks to keep everyone entertained for hours.
The Christmas Village at Shaw House Urban Plaza will open first on November 24 and feature an exclusive double-storey carousel and Ferris wheel. The other villages at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza and Plaza Singapura will commence on December 1 and 8, respectively.
Highlights for the Ngee Ann City Christmas Village will be live performances by local musicians like Daniel Sid, LAYYI and The Cold Cut Duo on Friday and Saturday evenings, arcade games and a swing ride. At the Plaza Singapura Christmas Village, visitors can jump for joy in a bouncy castle and get hands-on with craft workshops organised by Kiztopia.
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Christmas-themed Augmented Reality (AR) Projection Displays
In collaboration with OUE Limited, this year’s Christmas on A Great Street will also feature outdoor augmented reality (AR) projection displays. Starting November 1 and ending January 1, 2024, a massive installation will illuminate the facade of Hilton Singapore Orchard. It can be enjoyed in 3D when viewed through the PopAR Live app on smartphones.
There’ll also be 25 smaller AR displays along the pedestrian walkway from ION Orchard to Mandarin Gallery.
To hype up the yuletide spirit in the day, familiar music will broadcast from speakers mounted on 44 lamp posts along Orchard Road.
The Light-Up Ceremony, organised by Orba (Orchard Road Business Association) and the Community Chest, aims to raise funds to support more than 100 social service agencies running over 200 critical programmes. Notably, Hitachi Asia has been the main sponsor for this annual light-up for 33 consecutive years.
For more information, head over to the Vist Singapore website.
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This story first appeared here.
Related: Discover The Magic: Must-Visit Christmas Markets Around The World In 2023
