Lots of Santas, food trucks, rides and games at Orchard Road's Christmas light-up 2019
This year's dress-up, running from Nov 16 to Jan 1, is themed The Greatest Gift, with rotund Santa icons and three Christmas villages where revellers can play, eat and make merry.
An artist's impression of the welcome arch at the junction of Orchard and Scotts Road. (Image: Orchard Road Business Association)
Orchard Road offers the greatest gifts for Christmas, and we don't just mean shopping for presents for loved ones during the festive period. That's also this year’s theme for the annual year-end light-up – The Greatest Gift – which will run from Nov 16 to Jan 1.
New to this year’s street decorations is a welcome arch framing the junction of Tanglin and Grange Road. The dress-up is also extended towards Grange Road and Orchard Link for the first time in the event’s 36-year history.
Singapore’s famous shopping belt will be divided into three zones: Tanglin, Orchard and Somerset, with each featuring gift boxes, snowflakes or this year’s icon – little Santas. Accompanying them along the street are more than 30 glass shards dressed to look like giant-sized festive greeting cards. The lamp-post decorations that line Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura will also consist of little Santas hanging from the arches.
Other Insta-worthy sights include a giant Santa riding on his reindeer, a 4m-tall tunnel made up of large Christmas icons, and a station where one can help to pull Santa’s reindeer.
Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) is again collaborating with the Community Chest to organise the light-up ceremony at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza on Saturday, Nov 16. It will be officiated by President Halimah Yacob.
"The theme of this year’s light-up, from the carefully curated programme to the decorative set pieces, underscores the true spirit of Christmas," said ORBA chairman Mark Shaw. "We hope to create joyful memories for all residents and visitors as they enjoy their time on Orchard Road this festive season."
THREE-LOCATION CHRISTMAS VILLAGE
The Great Christmas Village returns for the third year and will run from Nov 23 to Dec 26. But instead of basing the marquee event at the Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza, it will be spread over three locations this year: *SCAPE, Grange Road Car Park and Shaw House Urban Plaza.
New to this year are two pop-ups. The first is Nom Nom Nom, where revellers can dig into street food from 14 food truck vendors that will be shuttling between the Christmas villages at *SCAPE and Shaw House Urban Plaza. The second pop-up is Mini TOYBOX, which will feature Hasbro toys, My Little Pony makeovers and a NERF obstacle course.
There will be more than 30 family-friendly rides and game booths – up from the previous four – at *SCAPE and Shaw House Urban Plaza. The more thrilling rides are found at Grange Road Car Park. Ride credits can be pre-bought on the event's website with an early bird promotion from Oct 22, or at ticketing counters at the three locations as well as online when the villages open. Kiddy rides go from five credits each and each ride credit costs S$1.
Adding to the festive atmosphere are nightly performances at *SCAPE by singers such as Estelle Fly, Shye and Charlene Su, leading up to the Christmas Eve Countdown Concert. Multimedia performances, interactive activities and Christmas carolling will greet shoppers along the pedestrian walkway from ION Orchard to Wisma Atria from Dec 16 to 23.
The Greatest Gift will run from Nov 16 to Jan 1. For details, visit christmas.orchardroad.org.​​​​​​​
