PHOTO: Singapore will celebrate its Golden Jubilee in New York and in Singapore. (Courtesy of Thinkstock)
True to its essential spirit, as Singapore readies to celebrate its 50th anniversary this September, its leaders seem more interested in highlighting the future rather than its past. That vision will be more about the creative arts than before, as the Lion City will add dimension to a brand that's currently too narrow to encompass all that this city-state has achieved since its independence from Britain in 1963 and its emergence as a republic in 1965. "Even as Singapore commemorates its incredible journey in the last 50 years, we're also starting to make our own mark on the global creative stage today with our burgeoning creativity and imagination," said Kershing Goh, Singapore Tourism Board, Regional Director, Americas.
After successful stops in Beijing and London, Singapore: Inside Out will make its case in the United States in the Big Apple. Singapore will make New York City a pop up store between Sept. 12 and 27 with a series of immersive events and the Singapore: Inside out showcase. The Singapore Tourism Board will celebrate the city's Golden Jubilee celebrations, known in Singapore as the SG50, with a New York City-wide festival of events featuring visual arts, culinary arts, performances and musical showcases. Participating venues include such New York landmarks as Bergdorf Goodman, the Shake Shack, LAVO, The Meatball Shop and others.
The festival will culminate in Madison Square Park with a finale creative arts platform, Singapore: Inside Out (Sept. 23 to 27); a physical manifestation of Singapore's creative evolution as it features Singapore as interpreted by more than 20 Singaporean creative talents. Singapore: Inside Out will officially be unveiled with a private VIP reception in partnership with Shake Shack to honor the Golden Jubilee's arrival in New York.
SG50 Events at a Glance:
Twenty New York restaurants will participate in Singapore Restaurant Week (Sept. 18 to 27) will create Singaporean-inspired dishes and cocktails and a hawker (street food) pop-up truck will serve Singaporean food in the in Flatiron District from Sept. 23 to 27.
A Singapore Art & Feast fest will be running at the Bergdorf Goodman department store from Sept. 20 to 27. The store will run a 16-page fashion spread in September issue of Bergdorf Goodman magazine in tandem with a special window display featuring Singaporean photographer John Clang's work for two weeks.
Singaporean short films, visual arts and theater will highlight "Something to Write Home About" from Sept. 12 to 22 at La MaMa on 66 East 4th Street. And guest Singaporean DJ Lincey from Zouk Singapore will spin at LAVO Italian Restaurant & Nightclub on Sept. 26.
Singapore: Inside Out will return to Singapore after it completes its three international cities tour in New York for what promises to be the biggest SG50 celebrations of all.
The Mandarin Oriental, Singapore will celebrate SG50 the nation's 50th birthday with a two-night Golden Jubilee package through Dec. 30 that includes The Golden Jubilee package includes a Harbor Suite, a Singapore Mint Commemorative Coin, a High Tea at the Axis Bar and Lounge, a Singapore food trail adventure with a local guide, a 45-minute helicopter sightseeing tour around Singapore's key attractions and a Golden Jubilee spa treatment. The package is priced from S$5,300 ($3,854) per night for double occupancy.
In a 2009 speech, the founder of the Republic of Singapore Lee Kwan Yu said, "Singapore has to continually reconstruct itself and keep its relevance to the world and to create political and economic space. This is the economic imperative for Singapore." Lee led a transformation of a sleepy port into a futuristic city-state of some 291 square miles that is now among the most prosperous countries in the world.
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