SINGAPORE — There will be no fireworks display at Marina Bay this New Year’s Eve to prevent crowds from gathering in the area, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said on Thursday (Nov 5).

Fireworks will instead be set off from various heartland locations across Singapore, and more details will be provided in due course, the authority said. URA is organising this year’s countdown. 

“As safety remains a priority in view of the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be no fireworks display at Marina Bay on Dec 31, 2020 to minimise crowds from gathering in the precinct,” it said in a statement. 

The heartland fireworks will be broadcast as part of Mediacorp Channel 5’s New Year’s Eve programme and also streamed online, “so that everyone can look forward to a safe countdown experience in the comfort of their homes”.

LIGHT, PROJECTION SHOWS AT MARINA BAY

While there will be no fireworks at Marina Bay, the public can look forward to two other events happening there in December.

The first is a light display that features 60 light beams illuminating the Marina Bay skyline nightly from Dec 1 to 31. 

The second will feature projection mapping shows on the facades of three Marina Bay landmarks — The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, the ArtScience Museum and the Merlion — from Dec 25 to 31. 

URA’s chief executive officer Lim Eng Hwee said that this year’s countdown is “all the more significant… as it marks a time to reflect on the end of a challenging year, and an occasion to usher in 2021 with new hopes." 

Mr Lim added: “As health and safety remain a priority, we have adopted a different format to ensure that the public can celebrate safely and meaningfully.”