With Christmas right around the corner, you can start to look forward to the signature dazzling festive lights and decorations adorning Orchard Road. This year, the iconic Orchard Road Christmas light-up – officially called Christmas On A Great Street – will kick off on Nov 9 with a ceremony officiated by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam.
The ceremony will also serve as a fundraiser for Community Chest.
This year’s light-up is themed after a firefly garden and will feature recognisable Christmas elements including stars, bells, fir trees, red cardinal birds perched atop the overstreet decor and arches of pine and holly.
There’ll also be a series of vertical beams of light that mimic the wavelike motion of fireflies.
As you walk down Orchard Road and marvel at the lights, keep an eye out for the 14-metre-tall Christmas tree at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza.
But that’s not all.
Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza also houses one of the two Great Christmas Villages this year. There’ll be nightly snow shows here at 8pm and 9pm, lasting four minutes each – along with live performances, a Flying Dumbo ride and game booths.
This village will run from Nov 10, 2024 to Jan 1, 2025.
The second Great Christmas Village will be held at Shaw House Urban Plaza from Nov 8, 2024 to Jan 5, 2025.
Unleash your inner child here with carnival rides, games and claw machines.
Returning alongside the Christmas Villages is the Great Christmas Eve Street Party. Stretching 400 metres from ION Orchard to Ngee Ann City, the event will feature live DJ performances, roving mascots, pop-up stalls and food trucks.
Do note that a section of Orchard Road from Paterson Road junction to Bideford Road junction will be closed to vehicular traffic from 6pm to 2am on Dec 24 as party-goers count down to Christmas Day.
In a statement, Mark Shaw, chairman of the Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA), said: “We are delighted to once again welcome both residents and visitors of all ages to Orchard Road to enjoy the vibrant atmosphere of Christmas on A Great Street.
“As we come together with friends and family during this festive season, we want to spread love, hope, and joy. Building on last year’s sustainability initiatives, ORBA remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint at this year’s festivities by reusing and repurposing decorations from past years.”
