Joyous celebrations islandwide as nation rings in new year and SG60

Many join heartland events organised to kick off Singapore's diamond jubilee

- Wong Pei Ting

Jubilant celebrations took place across at least 23 locations in Singapore as the country rang in 2025 with fireworks, drone shows and even a K-pop mass dance event.

While tens of thousands flocked to the Marina Bay and Kallang Basin areas to catch the fireworks display that lit up the skies on Dec 31, many opted for locations closer to home, at 17 countdown celebrations in the heartland organised to kick off the Republic's diamond jubilee, dubbed SG60.

They included social media executive Stephanie Tay, 25, who has a tradition of attending countdown celebrations every year with her husband and son. On Dec 31, for the first time, they joined the one at Our Tampines Hub.

Ms Tay was not disappointed—the Tampines countdown featured live music performances and a skating rink, though families donned in-line skates instead of ice skates, and bubbles took the place of snow.

The party was just as lively in Yishun, where a drone show and fireworks dazzled the crowd, alongside carnival rides, games and live performances by local acts such as pop/rock band 53A, bilingual acoustic live band The JumpStart, and singers Stephen Zechariah and Huda Ramdzan.

While drone shows and live music acts wowed the crowds at the various countdown events that dotted the island, many of the venues offered different ways for residents to express their good wishes and aspirations for the new year.

This was as the countdown marked the start of a year of events to commemorate Singapore's 60th birthday—an occasion not just for celebrations but also for Singaporeans to reflect on shared values and to renew their commitment to the nation, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said.

It is estimated that over half a million people attended the SG60 countdown celebrations islandwide, said the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth on Jan 1.