The first Chingay was held on 4 February 1973, and the parade was a relatively simple one which had been put together by the People's Association and the Singapore National Pugilistic Federation, and it saw a procession of lion dances, giant flag bearers, dragon dancers, stilt walkers, clowns and juggling acts down a 3 kilometre route from old Victoria School to Outram Park. While many in Singapore feel that the annual Chingay parade, now in its 43rd year, has moved away from its original purpose of a street parade for the masses first celebrated in 1973 to make up for a total ban on the long held tradition of letting off fireworks during the Luanr New Year, the parade is without a doubt still very much a celebration of what Singapore is and what perhaps Singapore has become. The parade has in its recent editions become a show of the spectacular, combining a street-like parade in which the people from all major races and from all walks of life participate, with a well-orchestrated show of lights, music and effects which never fail to dazzle the audience. I think that this change happened as Singapore has gone through many changes in technology and economy, hence the change in the way we celebrate Chingay.
I think the organisers have successfully fulfilled the purpose of Chingay 2016 which is the mark of the starting of the next 50 years to come before SG 100 arrives. In order to portray a brighter Singapore in the future, the organisers have incorporated bright and colourful floats with brightly-lighted costumes worn by the performers. All these bright and colourful "lights of legacy", with light sticks and a lightbulb included in the drawstring bag given to us, this allows us to get into the theme of "Lights of Legacy, Brighter Singapore". That definitely shows us that the purpose of Chingay 2016 is to aim for a brighter and more successful Singapore in the future.
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