SINGAPORE, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Thousands of people braved the rain late Sunday for a countdown to the Chinese New Year in Singapore.
The rain hit the Chinatown area of Singapore about half an hour to the beginning of the Year of the Dragon on Jan. 23. But it just added to the fun and the countdown went on as planned.
A host of the celebration on the main street of the Chinatown area said the rain was often considered a sign of fortune for the Chinese New Year, which began on Jan. 23 this year.
Organizers of the celebration distributed oranges to the crowd. They were considered a sign of good luck in the Chinese culture.
Artists from Singapore as well as China, including Taiwan, gave performances on the stage. Many of the local residents and tourists came to the Chinatown area on Sunday evening to buy goodies and decorations for the most important festival for the Chinese community.
The shops selling bak kwa, a type of thin sheet of salted sweet meat, and the Chinese New Year decorations were typically popular with the last-minute shoppers.
The Chinese community accounted for more than 70 percent of the population in Singapore. Celebrations in Chinatown kicked off from Jan. 1 this year with a light-up ceremony to turn on all the lanterns and the decorative lighting on the streets. They will remain on throughout the nights for close to 50 days.
The Chinese community typically spent the several days visiting families and friends and having fun at some of the celebrations organized by the government and the social organizations.
Apart from the celebrations in Chinatown, people can also visit the River Hongbao, a series of celebrations from Jan. 21 to Jan. 29 that featured, among others, performances, cuisine and crafts and art works from the Zhuang Autonomous Region of Guangxi, China this year.
Many families like the flower show at Sentosa, which is home to a casino resort, including facilities such as the theme park Universal Studios.
