No thanks to the global pandemic Covid-19 that has massively impacted our world economy, work and daily living. Mid-Autumn Festival 2020 is subdued and toned down from previous years. Nevertheless, we still have Mid-Autumn Festival lantern decorations around local favourite destinations such as Chinatown, Gardens By The Bay and Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall. 

Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival today, this would be a great time to be with your family and loved ones. Time for family gathering and bonding, count our blessings during this gloomy global pandemic Covid-19 period.

Wishing all a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival celebration!

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Earlier in the week, I went for the media preview session organised by Kreta Ayer – Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee. During the session, we were informed on the key highlights of this year’s 2018 Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival and I would be sharing some key information and details here!

The theme for Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 is “Our Chinatown. Our Mid-Autumn” (“我们的牛车水, 我们的中秋节”). Visitors to this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival are able to feel, go back in time and reminisce the scenes and life experiences of the Singapore’s Chinatown in the 50s and 60s. This wonderful festival is a great festival and event to encourage more people, especially for the youth to learn more about Chinese traditions and heritage, the lives of their forefathers when they first arrive in Singapore.

The street lanterns in the form of traditional accordion paper lanterns, showcasing centrepieces of early Chinese immigrants, are nice and beautiful, along the streets of Chinatown, you have to stop, take a look and admire them! There would also be nightly stage shows with exciting dragon dance performances on weekends, mass lantern walk (great for the kids and our international visitors!)

There is a new night event for this year’s Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018, that is the “Singapore Culture and Heritage Trail – Cantonese Chapter: Reliving the yesteryears once more”.This is a two nights event, it’s about food! They are bringing back traditional Cantonese cuisine and street food commonly found in the 1950s and 1960s. More than 10 popular Cantonese delicacies with traditional dishes which are quite difficult to come by today, such as the “Gold Coin Chicken” (金钱鸡) and “Prawn Toast” (虾多士)!

There are other street activities taking place, such as fortune telling, face threading, Chinese calligraphy, Cantonese costume photo boothand opera will surely delight visitors. Out of the programmes lined-up, many of which are supported by WeCare PALs; PA’s network of corporate and community partners such as International Left-Hand Calligraphy Association, Kong Chow Wui Koon, Kowloon Club and The Wedding Chamber. Besides immersing in the Cantonese culture, visitors can also be part of history by joining in for a record breaking feat of the most number of oriental masks to be worn at the same time.

Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 will officially kick start on Saturday 8^th September 2018 with the Official Light-up and Opening Ceremony (开幕典礼与亮灯仪式), graced by Guest-of-Honour, Mdm Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore.

Dr Lily Neo (梁莉莉医生), Adviser to Jalan Besar GRC GRO (KRETA AYER–KIM SENG) (惹兰勿刹集选区基层组织顾问(牛车水–金声)) said, “Mid-Autumn Festival is one of the two key Chinatown Festivals that bear rich Chinese traditions and heritage. It is important for us to continue preserving and passing down our traditions and heritage from generation to generation. This year Mid-Autumn Festival tells the story of Chinatown where it reminisces the early days of our forefathers coming to Singapore in search of a better life and how they have contributed in many ways to our nation building. They have also brought along their culture, traditions and festivals while they settled down their roots here. We hope that through this festive celebration, it will remind us of our own history and culture while we continue to build on the strong foundation laid by our forefathers to bring Singapore to greater heights.”

“The Mid-Autumn Festival celebrations bring to life the heritage, character, and beauty of Chinatown, delighting visitors and Singaporeans year after year. The festivities also play a key role in bringing together the local community to foster a deeper appreciation of the rich Chinatown heritage,” said Ms Serene Tan, Director, Arts and Cultural Precincts, Singapore Tourism Board.

When you visit Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018, spot the iconic main centrepiece display, a Chinese junk ship measuring 10m tall, 8.5m in length and 2.5m in width, along with 168 sculptured lanterns of the different vocations of the early Chinese immigrants, particulary the Samsui Women, Coolies, Street Hawkers and Rickshaw riders, along Eu Tong Sen Street and New Bridge Road. Do not miss the 180 beautifully hand-crafted lanterns, hand-painted with orchids, peonies and hydrangeas, giving South Bridge Road bright and festive mood! In addition, 1288 lanterns, enlarged versions of the traditional paper accordion lanterns in bright and vibrant colours of red, pink, yellow and orange light up the main streets of Chinatown along New Bridge Road, Eu Tong Sen Street and South Bridge Road.

The design of the Mid-Autumn Festival Street Light-up 2018 is the 3^rd collaboration between the organising committee Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee (KA-KS CCC) and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA). Do keep a lookout for their designs!

Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 is going to be bright, colourful, exciting and fun, along with food, performances and activities for visitors of all ages, whether you are a Singaporean or an international visitor! Do visit Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 and enjoy yourself! Keep a lookout for my Flickr photo album on my Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018!

For more information on Chinatown Mid-Autmn Festival, please visit :

Website : www.chinatownfestivals.sg

Facebook : www.facebook.com/Chinatown.Festivals

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/chinatown_festivals

The post Chinatown Mid-Autumn Festival 2018 is back! appeared first on TGH Photography and Travel Portal/Blog.

This exhibtion, Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes, is part of a three-year collaboration between Singapore Tourism Board and The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia to bring unique and fun thematic events to Singapore. Tens years of Marvel Heroes is a milestone, what are some of the interesting statistics from the first ten years? Check out the infographic below!

What makes Marvel Heroes that special and unique, commanding a huge following and support around the world?

“Everything we do at Disney revolves around our content and providing audiences with the coolest experiences with their favorite Disney, MARVEL, STAR WARS stories and characters,” said Amit Malhotra, Country Head, The Walt Disney Company Singapore and Malaysia. “This Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes exhibition for Singapore celebrates ten incredible years of blockbuster entertainment from MARVEL and provides fans with a completely innovative, multi-platform experience which will reconnect them with their favorite MARVEL movie moments.”

Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes is developed by The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia and Beast Kingdom; organised by SPACElogic and supported by Singapore Tourism Board, ArtScience Museum and Victory Hill Exhibitions.

“We hope to build on the foundations of the extremely popular Marvel exhibitions and add brand-new technology and interactive elements to present a never-before-seen experience to the Singaporean attendees. In addition to unique exhibits, installations and interactive content, Beast Kingdom also provides the largest selection of top quality Marvel merchandise, including action figures, collectibles, clothing and accessories for all Marvel heroes. This will be the world’s most exciting and memorable experiences for all Marvel fans!” said KK Yang, CEO of Beast Kingdom Co., Ltd.

“The ardent fans in us regard this project as a personal commitment to ensure the most authentic and exhilarating experience. We draw upon multi-disciplinary solutions to recreate the themes to transport the audience into the World of Marvel Heroes.  We are looking forward to sharing this adventure with Marvel Heroes’ fans,” said Gregory Chia, Executive Director of SPACElogic.

There are 10 themed sections at Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes Exhibition at the ArtScience Museum. Come on! Let’s go inside! We are now beginning to enter into the Marvel world of Super Heroes!

Section 1 – Ten years of Heroes

Begin your journey into the world of Marvel Heroes, take a trip back in time, do you remember all the Marvel films released over the last decade?

Section 2 – Iron Man

Iron Man and Tony Stark, probbaly one of the most beloved characters in the Marvel Heroes world.  Enter Stark Tower and head into Tony Stark’s workshop, witness and be mesmerised by the evolution and transformation of Iron Man’s armours via projection mapping. Oh yes, you can’t miss the towering Iron Man there too!

Section 3 – Captain America

The First Avenger, Captain America, his story and iconic shields, can be viewed via 3D holograms. As you continue walking down, this huge flying carrier seen in Marvel’s The Avengers, the S.H.I.E.L.D Helicarrier ferries you into the world of Marvel Studio’s Thor: Ragnarok via Bifrost.

Section 4 – Thor and Hulk

Inside the Sakaar’s magnificent gladiator arena, you can be a part of the action, the battle between Thor and Hulk. Oh yes, Thor’s Mjølnir hammer is there too, would you like to try and pull it out too?

Section 5 – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Board Yondu’s ship (featured in Marvel Studios’ Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2), can you spot Groot? Time for the children to have interative fun and dance with baby Groot via the digital screens.

Section 6 – Doctor Strange

Prior to reaching the New York Sanctum Sanctorum, the residence of Doctor Strange, you would be walking through a tunnel of changing images of Singapore. They are training and preparing your eyes to embrace the Doctor Strange’s light portal to discover the powerful relic known as the Eye of Agamotto.

Section 7 – Black Panther

Next up, is the futuristic world of Wakanda, a utopian world with advanced technology many decades ahead of anywhere else on Earth. It’s now time to begin your journey to explore Wakanda.

Section 8 – Ant-Man and The Wasp

Have you visited Hank Pym’s lab from the new Marvel Studios’ film Ant-Man and The Wasp? Are you able to shrink down and investigate Hank Pym’s laboratory for the Pym Particles inside their world of oversized laboratory equipment and microscopic world?

Section 9 – Thanos

A beautiful display of Infinity Stones, it’s time to rally and gather your family and friends, coming together to activate the Infinity Stones in an interactive display. Let’s all activate and light up Thanos’ infinity gauntlet!

Section 10 – Interactive AR Gallery and a short Marvel Heroes film animation

The final section, what do you see and what can you do? Experience the world of Augmented Reality (AR) technology with their favourite Super Hero before watching a short, special and heartwarming short film on the screen. What is this short film all about? I shall leave it as it is here, for you to visit Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes exhibition and watch it for yourself to experience it, Marvel Heroes fans would love it!

Last but not least, this is not the end! Before you leave the world of Marvel Heroes, this is one thing that you must/have to do! Take an individual or family photo with the Marvel Heroes family giant wall poster! There are also many Marvel Heroes gifts and soft toys that you might like a lot and want to buy for yourself or for your loved ones!

To all the Marvel Heroes fans! Who is your favourite Marvel Heroes character? For me personally, it’s a toss up between Iron Man and Captain America! This is a must visit for all Marvel Heroes fans, don’t miss it! More photos can be viewed here inside this Flickr photo album!

Sharing this quote,

“Heroes are made by the path they choose, not the power they are graced with.” – Iron Man

May Marvel Heroes be an insipiration to you, in becoming a Hero too, in the path that you choose.

Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes Exhibition Information and Ticket details

Venue: ArtScience Museum

Date: 9^th June to 30^th September 2018

For more information, please visit www.marvelexhibition.sg

* Information and infographic courtesy of ArtScience Museum and SPRG *

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Make a guess, how many stamps and philatelic materials can be found in this All About Dogs exhibition at the Singapore Philatelic Museum? There are 300 stamps and philatelic materials (on dogs) from all around the world, making their presence here in Singapore. Beside the stamps and philatelic materials, there are multisensory interactive exhibits that the children can learn and enjoy when they visit All About Dogs exhibition with their family.

A short history on the relationship between human beings and dogs, it can be traced back over thousands of years ago. Originating from wolves, the early dogs ate the leftovers thrown away by the human beings. As time passes, the human beings and dogs developed a close relationship, a special bond of trust between them. Thereafter, dogs slowly and gradually became domesticated to the over 200 dog breeds that we have in the world today. Our dog breeds today can be divided into seven groups, namely working dogs, herding, hounds, toys, hunting, non-sporting and terriers.

Inside the All About Dogs exhibition, the children can play, enjoy and learn at the following interactive stations

• Role play as a dog groomer
• Test the sharpness of a human’s hearing as compared to a dog’s
• Identify scents
• See the colour of the world through dog’s eyes
• Piece together dog stamp jigsaws

My current family dog is a Japanese Spitz (fat, lazy, chubby, fluffy and cute), we used to own a silky terrier and a pomeranian (left us due to old age and illness). When I visited the All About Dogs exhibition, I tried searching for a stamp that shows a Japanese Spitz, however, I can’t find it! For the comic fans, keep a lookout for the iconic Snoopy, as well as Tintin’s loyal buddy Snowy!

All About Dogs exhibition is now ongoing till 1^st December 2018, it’s great for the children to visit and learn more about dogs, stamps and philatelic materials at the Singapore Philatelic Museum. Do plan a visit with your family and children!

Details of All About Dogs Exhibition 犬狗趣谈

Venue: Singapore Philatelic Museum

23-B Coleman Street, Singapore 179807

Date: 14^th February to 1^st December 2018

Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday, 10:00am – 7:00pm

Admission charges: Free admission for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents

Admission charges for tourists: Adult $8

Child (3-12 years old) $6

Telephone: 6337 3888

Website: www.spm.org.sg

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SingaporePhilatelicMuseum/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ilovespm/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ilovespm

Offical hashtags: #allaboutdogsSPM #singaporephilatelicmuseum

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