River Hongbao 2025 is back at Gardens by the Bay for its 39th edition and is promising a spectacular Chinese New Year celebration to welcome the Year of the Snake.
River Hongbao 2025 is one of Singapore’s most beloved and long-standing Chinese New Year events. The iconic event offers a blend of culture, history and festivities, together with spectacular lantern sets that light up the night. It has been held at Gardens by the Bay for the last five years.
This year, River Hongbao 2025 runs for 10 days from 27 January to 5 February 2025.
On the first two days of the event on 27 and 28 January, festivities will begin at 6.30 pm. For the remainder of the period, the event will begin from 2.30 pm.
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River Hongbao 2025: Held In Conjunction with SG60
River Hongbao 2025 will be among the first major events celebrating SG60, paying tribute to Singapore’s 60 years of independence.
Be sure to look out for impressive SG60-themed large scale lantern displays, as well as stunning firecracker showcases at this year’s event.
River Hongbao 2025 Highlights
1. Chinese New Year Lantern Sets around Gardens by the Bay
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There are more than 20 impressive lantern sets all around Gardens by the Bay for River Hongbao 2025.
Impressive SG60-themed large scale lantern displays are set to celebrate Singapore’s 60th year of independence with stunning visual artistry at River Hongbao 2025.
Here are some lantern highlights that you should look out for at River Hongbao 2025.
God of Fortune
Not to be missed is the all-time favourite God of Fortune lantern display that will wish visitors a prosperous Year of the Snake. Playing on the double meaning of “包” (bao) which can mean both “guarantee” and “steamed bun” as in “包子” (baozi), the God of Fortune is portrayed holding a giant bun overflowing with an avalanche of gold coins, surrounded by large gold ingots.
Wishing Heart
Continuing the tradition of giving back, guests can toss coins at the Wishing Heart lantern set to make their wishes. Proceeds from this activity will go to Viriya Community Services (VCS), a non-profit organisation that has been serving the community for over 20 years and is dedicated to promoting love beyond self and enhancing lives through family support, mental health services, and specialised programmes.
Special SG60 Lantern – The Lion City @ Supertree Grove
In celebration of SG60, this lantern set features a stunning replica of the majestic Merdeka Lion, reflecting the spirit of independence and unity, alongside a depiction of the 13th-century legendary prince who was said to have renamed the island to Singapura, the “Lion City.”
2. River Hongbao 2025 Exhibition
Visitors can immerse themselves in this year’s River Hongbao 2025 exhibition, titled “Greetings from Afar: Chinese Remittance Letters”.
Featuring artefacts and interactive elements, this exhibition showcases the broad historical and cultural significance of remittance letters, as well as the emotional, personal stories of early Chinese migrants in Singapore, particularly through Chinese New Year remittance letters from the 20th century.
These remittance letters often served as lifelines for families, maintaining ties and upkeeping traditions despite the great distances. The exhibition provides a window into the emotional, personal stories of early Chinese migrants in Singapore, particularly through Chinese New Year remittance letters from the 20th century.
Through this exhibition, visitors will be able to trace the changes in remittance letters over time, exploring the history of this intricate network that sustained family connections across great distances. Learn about the contributions of shui ke (traders), who played a significant role in delivering remittance letters and money and remittance agencies in facilitating these correspondences.
Artefacts on display include traditional red-striped envelopes, handwritten letters featuring Chinese numerals, and items such as medicated oils that were often sent alongside the letters. Interactive installations, combined with photo-friendly spots, create an engaging and immersive experience for visitors of all ages.
The exhibition also features a craft station where visitors can bring home their own remittance letter. This hands-on activity not only offers a deeper appreciation of customs and traditions passed down through the generations but also provides a meaningful bonding opportunity for families.
Guided tours in English and Mandarin by Ngee Ann Polytechnic students will be available for visitors during selected timeslots [ ].The guides are trained under the guidance of SYSNMH’s Mandarin Docents, and will help facilitate a meaningful and enriching experience for the visitors.
This River Hongbao exhibition is a collaboration between the Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall (Singapore) and Fujian Provincial Archives of China.
3. Firecrackers at Gardens by the Bay
In conjunction with SG60, 60 strands of firecrackers will light up the night on opening day at The Meadow, with 30 strands following on the second and third evenings, bringing the excitement of traditional Chinese New Year celebrations to life.
Want to watch the firecrackers at Gardens by the Bay? Here is the firecrackers show times:
- 27 Jan 2025 (Opening Night) – 8 pm
- 28 Jan 2025 (Countdown Night) – Midnight on 29 January 2025
- 29 Jan 2025 (CNY Day 1) – 8 pm
4. Spring Blossoms Floral Display at the Flower Dome
Complementing the festivities of River Hongbao is Gardens by the Bay’s Chinese New Year floral display Spring Blossoms.
This year’s floral display features the theme of Legend of the White Snake, created in collaboration with leading China landscaping company Beijing Florascape.
Drawing inspiration from the Chinese folktale, the centrepiece of ‘Spring Blossoms’ is a striking 4.5 m-tall floral rendition of the protagonist Madam White Snake, crafted through mosaiculture. Mosaiculture is a sophisticated horticultural art form that utilises plants to create detailed, three-dimensional figures.
Dahlias, a signature flower of the Gardens’ Chinese New Year floral displays through the years, will feature prominently in ‘Spring Blossoms’, with over 1,000 blooms including five new varieties.
5. “和” (Harmony) Series on Social Media
A specially curated 5-episode skit, “和” (Harmony), is also being launched this year.
This heartwarming series tells the story of a young boy discovering the importance of family, traditions, and unity during Chinese New Year through his interactions with his Ah Ma.
Visitors can enjoy this touching story on River Hongbao’s social media channels.
6. Performances
Visitors can look forward to captivating nightly performances featuring a star-studded lineup of local talents.
The schedule includes celebrated artists such as Joanna Dong, who will enchant audiences with her soulful renditions, Shigga Shay, delivering high-energy rap performances and singer-songwriter shazza.
There will be overseas performances by “The Wind from Yunnan” Performing Troupe from Mengzi City, Honghe Prefecture, Yunnan Province, China.
Thematic nights will celebrate the festive Chinese New Year season, featuring Movie Night by the J Team Productions, Getai Night, Xinyao Night, and Singapore Talent Night in collaboration with MediaCorp.
These nightly performances showcase Chinese traditions and Singapore’s rich multicultural diversity, with something for everyone to enjoy.
Here’s the schedule of themed nights at River Hongbao 2025:
Performance timeslots
| THEME 主题 | TIME SLOT 时段 | |
| 小除夕
27 Jan 2025 星期一 Monday |
开幕典礼
Opening Ceremony |
晚上8时至10时
8 pm – 10 pm |
| 除夕
28 Jan 2025 星期二 Tuesday |
除夕夜
Chinese New Year’s Eve |
晚上10时至午夜12时
10 pm – 12 midnight |
| 大年初一
29 Jan 2025 星期三 Wednesday |
歌舞升平迎新年
Dance Galore Night |
晚上8时至10时
8 pm – 10 pm |
| 大年初二
30 Jan 2025 星期四 Thursday |
万民缤纷迎新年
Fun in Diversity Night |
|
| 大年初三
31 Jan 2025 星期五 Friday |
电影之夜
Movie Night |
|
| 大年初四
1 Feb 2025 星期六 Saturday |
歌台之夜
Getai Night |
|
| 大年初五
2 Feb 2025 星期日 Sunday |
歌台之夜
Getai Night |
|
| 大年初六
3 Feb 2025 星期一 Monday |
新遥之夜
Xinyao Night |
|
| 大年初七
4 Feb 2025 星期二 Tuesday |
新加坡派
Mediacorp – Singapore Talent Night |
|
| 大年初八
5 Feb 2025 星期三 Wednesday |
新加坡派
Mediacorp – Singapore Talent Night |
7. Food Street
Food lovers can make their way over to the bustling Food Street that is serving up a delightful spread of local and international dishes, ensuring every visitor leaves with full hearts and satisfied palates.
8. Amusement Rides
Visitors can also enjoy thrilling amusement rides, including the Double-Storey Horse Carousel – the only one of its kind in Singapore – as well as the Euro Swing and new additions like the Space Shuttle, Mini Viking and Texas Train. Additional charges apply.
9. River Hongbao 2025 Contests and Activities
Adding to the excitement, visitors can take part in a series of engaging contests and activities, including the Festive Costume Contest, CNY Family Tradition Photo Contest, Spot the Lantern Challenge, RHB Bingo Contest and DIY Lantern Contest.
Each activity celebrates creativity, family traditions, and community engagement, with e-voucher prizes ranging from $10 to $100 to be won.
The Retro Snake Game, available on the River Hongbao website, brings a touch of nostalgia with a festive twist. Participants who achieve high scores can enter weekly lucky draws to win $20 e-vouchers.
Visitors can also learn how to send an eGift or QR Ang Bao on-site with POSB and stand a chance to redeem an exclusive, limited-edition POSB gift.
Things to Note About River Hongbao at Gardens by the Bay
Closure of Meadow Carpark
the Meadow Carpark will be closed on 27 Jan 2025 from 6 pm to 8 pm. Alternative car parks are available at Main Entrance, Bayfront Plaza and Satay by the Bay.
Cancellation of Garden Rhapsody Show
On 27 Jan 2025, the 8.45 pm Garden Rhapsody show will be cancelled, while the 7.45 pm show will continue.
Limited Access to Supertree Grove and The Meadow
Supertree Grove and The Meadow will be closed to the public in preparation of River Hongbao on:
- 27 & 28 Jan 2025: 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm
- 29 Jan – 5 Feb 2025: 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm
Bag Checks on Selected Dates
Admission to Supertree Grove and The Meadow will be gated on the following dates and time due to River Hongbao. Visitors accessing Supertree Grove and The Meadow will be required to undergo bag checks at the entrance checkpoints.
- 27 Jan 2025: 6.30pm to 10.30pm
- 28 Jan 2025: 6.30pm to 12.15am
- 29 Jan – 5 Feb 2025: 2.30pm to 10.30pm
Rescheduling of show timing for Borealis
From 27 Jan to 5 Feb 2025, the Borealis show timing will be rescheduled to 8 pm to 8.15 pm on Monday and 9 pm to 9.15 pm on Saturday and Sunday.
River Hongbao 2025 Opening Hours
The opening hours on the opening day of River Hongbao 2025 will be from 6.30 pm to 10.30 pm.
On Chinese New Year’s eve, opening hours will be from 6.30 pm to 12.15 am the next day.
From 29 January to 5 February, operating hours are from 2.30 pm to 10.30 pm daily.
Admission to River Hongbao 2025 is free.
Find out more about River Hongbao 2025.
If you are looking for a quieter place where you can enjoy a peaceful but Chinese New Year atmosphere whilst amongst nature, you may be interested to read about the Chinese Garden Chinese New Year lights.
