Orchard Road lights up for the festive season

There is a lot to look forward to this festive season, and one major event that kicked off on Saturday, Nov 13, was the much anticipated light-up on Orchard Road.

The 38th iteration of Orchard Road Business Association’s (ORBA) Christmas light-up is bigger than ever. The theme, Christmas in Bloom, is meant to symbolise hope, resilience and the desire to return to normalcy after two years of uncertainty in the pandemic.

President Halimah Yacob officiated the opening of the light-up, which was livestreamed on Facebook from 7pm to 8pm on Nov 13. Community Chest— the co-organiser of the event— was raising funds for over 100 social service agencies during the event, with all donations going to helping the needy.

Some of the things to look out for if you head down are the main arch, which has red and rose gold poinsettias, to usher in the festive season.

There is also a video projection on the side of Mandarin Orchard Singapore in the evenings, and augmented reality (AR) elements on a mobile app to enhance it.

Music in the Air is also making a return, with Christmas carols playing daily on the Orchard Road stretch.

A virtual tour of the stretch will also be available from 19 Nov for those unable to visit, featuring enhanced sound and interaction using AR technology. 10 hotspots in the area will also feature musicians and buskers to add some local flair back into the celebration.  

There are over 68km of fairy lights and 8km of neon lights illuminating Orchard Road.

The display stretches from Tanglin Mall to Plaza Singapura and will be up until Jan 2, 2022.