This year’s mid autumn festival was expected to be special. Singapore celebrates its 50th anniversary this year and that should reflect in every Singaporean custom. On the peak day of the celebration, a lantern parade was organized, to be followed by a big party for the participants.
As was to be expected, Chinatown was crowded. We had a rough idea about where the parade should pass by, but once there we could not help but be a part of the throng of visitors that slowly advanced on the pavement, on one side the barrier of people that waited at the street side, on the other side tables heaped with food, where happy eaters, not fazed by the crowds staring into their bowls and at their plates, dug in. Everyone seemed to know where to go except us, who tried to head to every corner where we heard drums. At one time we glimsed a part of the procession where professional dancing groups entertained the public.
Afterwards, we managed to always be where the parade wasn’t. We knew that the parade was expected to advance at a leasurely pace, since it was open to the public and should include all those who had brought lanterns. Alas, when we finally had gained a raised vantage point, the parade itself had already finished and the participants had gathered in an orderly manner before a stage, where entertainers regaled them with music and (apparently) comedy routines.
As announced, the festivities ended at 10 in the evening with some nice fireworks.
