Overwhelming response for Singapore Day in New York

By May Wong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 12 April 2007

SINGAPORE: Singapore Day will be held in New York on 21 April and the response has been so good that organisers have been forced to move the event to a larger venue – Central Park.

The inaugural festival on Singapore's entertainment scene as well as local cuisine was, initially, supposed to be held at the smaller Bryant Park.

Funnyman Hossan Leong and singer Kit Chan are some of the artistes who will bring the local flavour to Singaporeans living in the US.

Organisers had targeted a turnout of about 1,000 Singapore citizens in the US. But now, the figure has ballooned to some 5,000 and most of them are Singaporeans.

Roy Quek, Director, Overseas Singaporean Unit, said: "Someone told us that some friends in New York were planning to go very early to the venue for Singapore Day, which is now in Wollman Rink in Central Park, because they want to be first in line to get to the food, to see the exhibitions and basically, to make sure they get in.

"It's especially heartening when you hear things like that – there's so much enthusiasm, so much buzz going around among the Singaporean community about Singapore Day."

Ten larger-than-life panels will be erected at the venue, with videos screened to showcase the developments in Singapore.

Mr Quek said: "When you go into the park, the first thing you'll see is the exhibition about life, work and play in Singapore. You'll see slices of Singapore – past, present and future.

"When you move out of that part, you'll see hawker stalls, performances by Singaporeans, of Singapore songs, telling Singaporean jokes and basically having a Singaporean Day out in New York, in Central Park."

Singapore Day will occupy the size of about two football fields.

And if this event proves to be a success, the organisers might take it to other places like Shanghai or London.