Night Strolling at the Gardens by the Bay: "Lunar NY Lanterns, Carnival Games, & Light Shows!"

Before the first day of the Lunar New Year began, the lantern displays at Gardens by the Bay were already lit up, and I had the pleasure of exploring them along with the other activities set up for the celebration. It's one of the biggest holidays in the city, so I had high expectations for this event at the Gardens.

It's amazing how much preparation went into transforming the space, especially considering that Gardens by the Bay is already well-equipped with amenities compared to other parks in the city. The best part? No entrance tickets were required to enter the carnival area! There were plenty of games, rides, and food stalls, all easily accessible to everyone.

It was a wonderful night filled with strolling, delicious food, and stunning sights at Gardens by the Bay. I wanted to share a glimpse of my experience in today’s post—I hope you’ll enjoy the photos too!

I arrived at Gardens by the Bay right on time. It was already crowded, but not to the point where I had to squeeze through just to take a photo of the attractions. They had devised a way to control the crowd flow by setting up winding barriers at the entrance—it felt like I walked for 10 minutes just to get through, LOL.

I think this is a new measure implemented this year because they were expecting a large turnout tonight.

Once I got past the barriers, there was a bag inspection, which was quite an unusual experience for me. I don’t remember this being done in previous years.

Anyway, I just wanted to get in, so I cooperated. It wasn’t a thorough check, so it didn’t really bother me.

Finally, I’m in! At the start of the stroll, there were lanterns featuring the 12 Chinese Zodiacs. This is probably the part of the display that people are most interested in since it’s where they get to read about their fortune for the coming lunar year.

I checked mine, and it had something good to say about my career—oh my, I like the sound of that! It also mentioned that my finances would improve this year. Is it talking about $HIVE? I sure hope so, LOL!

Right after the Chinese Zodiac lanterns, I moved on to the main event area—but to get there, I had to pass through the "Time Warp Zone"!

It was such a cool way to enter the event, almost like stepping into the future and welcoming the new year ahead!

https://youtube.com/shorts/zAoJlIqi3Sc?si=P5Zh4pd-Ina3d7OG

After passing through the light tunnel, we were welcomed by the stunning Supertrees, already glowing beautifully for the event. Plenty of people were seated around the trees—probably early visitors who were now tired and resting. 😆

The sight of the carnival instantly brought back fond childhood memories. I was eager to walk around and snap photos along the way.

It looks like they added new attractions this year—there’s now a pool where you can float on a tube or even step inside something like a giant hamster ball! It seemed like a lot of fun, judging by the excited faces of the kids trying it out. Their parents were just as thrilled, snapping photos of them enjoying the rides.

Playing the games was also a fun way to enjoy the night, but I found them extra challenging—especially for the kids. I even saw a mother trying to help her little girl win a prize, but unfortunately, she was unsuccessful. 😔

From here, I moved to the center of the park, where a large crowd seemed to be waiting for an event… it was the Light Show! This was the most anticipated part of the experience.

They had multiple sessions of the light show, including one inspired by the Aurora Borealis, which depicted the beauty of the northern lights. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see that segment, but I did catch the first part of the show and managed to record a portion of it.

I’ve linked the short video I created in this post—feel free to check it out! 😊

https://youtube.com/shorts/GNZtLJqJ3Vk?si=jb5qisf5k_oKzDTB

To complete the experience, I needed a snack—the stroll was a bit tiring, and it was already 8:00 PM, well past my dinner time.

There were fewer food stalls this year, but a few treats caught my eye, including candied fruit, which seemed especially popular with the kids.

Overall, my visit to Gardens by the Bay for the Lunar New Year celebration was a magical experience filled with dazzling lights, lively festivities, and nostalgic carnival fun. From stunning lantern displays to the breathtaking light show, every moment was worth the trip. I’m already looking forward to next year’s event—until then, I hope you enjoy the photos and videos I’ve shared! 😊