60 Strands of Firecrackers to Kick Off River Hongbao in Tribute to SG60

Special-themed large lantern displays to mark Republic's 60 years part of highlights

- Chin Soo Fang

Sixty strands of firecrackers will mark the start of River Hongbao 2025 with a bang on Jan 27 at 8pm at Gardens by the Bay.

This will be a tribute to Singapore's 60 years of independence as the annual Chinese New Year (CNY) event welcomes the Year of the Snake, which begins on Jan 29.

A yearly event since 1987, River Hongbao 2025 will be held from Jan 27 to Feb 5 at the Gardens. The event, one of Singapore's largest and longest-running CNY celebrations, attracted 1.01 million visitors in 2024.

Mr Thomas Chua, chairman of the River Hongbao organising committee and president of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA), said the event is always focused on preserving and promoting Chinese culture and tradition, while bringing festive cheer to everyone.

"As 2025 is also the year we celebrate SG60, we will also incorporate our salute to the nation, and our wish for Singapore's continued progress and prosperity," he said in Mandarin during a media preview at the SFCCA Toa Payoh building on Jan 2.