On 23 and 24 March 2019, Chinatown Business Association will host Singapore’s first-ever Five-Footway Festival that celebrates the precinct’s heritage.
Opening of the event by the Chinatown Business Association, CDC and Singapore Tourism Board...
An auspicious start to the two-day festivities...
A gift from Rediffusion Singapore...
The festival aims to bring visitors on a walk down memory lane as they stroll through Pagoda, Sago, Smith and Trengganu Streets. Visitors will get to taste popular local street food of yesteryear, participate in traditional games, and browse interesting merchandise at the newly-refurbished Chinatown Street Market.
Denise Phua, Mayor of Central Singapore District, shares animatedly about her childhood days, helping her maternal grandmother sell costume jewellery in Chinatown...
The two-day event is held in conjunction with the nationwide Singapore Bicentennial Commemoration, which takes Singaporeans and visitors on a journey into the past, and provides insights into the island’s rich 700-year history.
“We are excited to introduce the Five-Footway Festival that re-creates the street hawking scenes of yesteryears. With its myriad of activities, the Festival offers a multi-sensorial experience that will acquaint the modern-day visitor with Chinatown’s rich history.”
--- Ms Lim Yick Suan, Executive Director, Chinatown Business Association ---
Five-footways refer to sheltered sidewalks fronting shophouses, and were named as such because they were five feet (1.5 metres) wide. The five-footways were useful in shielding pedestrians from the heat and rain, and stall owners would set up shop along the corridors for people to buy goods.
A stop to taste a bowl of piping hot Rickshaw Noodles, a dish unique to Singapore. This dish was named for rickshaw pullers who relied on the noodles as a source of energy for the day. Stewed in pork broth cooked with minced meat and vegetables, Rickshaw Noodles consist of Hokkien noodles (yellow mee) topped with fried garlic and shallots...
The stallholder engaging two tourists to share about Chendol, a handmade dessert with a sweet mix of rice flour jelly, coconut milk and gula melaka (palm sugar) syrup...
The stallholder engaging two tourists to share about Chendol, a handmade dessert with a sweet mix of rice flour jelly, coconut milk and gula melaka (palm sugar) syrup...
The Five-Footway Festival attempts to recreate the spirit of that time, allowing visitors to experience historical Chinatown through clog races and other traditional activities. Those game to put their skills to the test with friendly rounds of chapteh or hopscotch with friends could win traditional memorabilia such as kuti, paper balls and wooden spinning tops. Visitors can also treat themselves to delicious local foods such as a hearty bowl of rickshaw noodles, roasted chestnuts and ice-cold chendol.
An attempt at five stones, a game traditionally played in kampungs with stones or beanbag cloth pouches...
Seniors happily argue over the correct way to play hopscotch, a traditional children’s game in which one or more players hop over a series of squares drawn on the ground...
An attempt at five stones, a game traditionally played in kampungs with stones or beanbag cloth pouches...
Seniors happily argue over the correct way to play hopscotch, a traditional children’s game in which one or more players hop over a series of squares drawn on the ground...
Cultural activities such as Chinese opera, reading at a five-footway library and calligraphy writing will acquaint participants with the hustle and bustle of the precinct back then, and those wanting a trim can even look out for the streetside barber.
Chinese street storytelling was a popular form of entertainment in Singapore during the colonial period and up till the 1960s. The storytellers set up makeshift premises in various locations in the evening, and read aloud in dialect to paying customers seated around them on crates or straw mats...
Unique collectables can be found at stalls selling items such as waxed umbrellas and straw fans which were commonly spotted on the streets back then. Additionally, foodie trails and guided tours will give visitors deeper insights into the Chinatown of old.
Meeting the people from the days of yore -
the Policeman in semi-long pants, the Samsui Woman, the Matchmaker...
Meeting the people from the days of yore -
the Policeman in semi-long pants, the Samsui Woman, the Matchmaker...
Follow @ChinatownSG’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/chinatownsg/) for more updates about the Five-Footway Festival.
