Chingay procession was held in celebration with the birthdays of the Chinese deities or the procession of the Goddess of Mercy. It was held to worship and enjoy with the deity. During the earliest procession in more than 100 years ago, the earliest English newspapers Echo in Malaysia adopted the word Chingay Procession for this special event.
Today, in Malaysia and Singapore, Chingay is not only performed by the Chinese, but the art has successfully attracted the Malays and Indians. It has become a unique multiracial performance. The popularity of Chingay in Penang has made it one of the very impressive cultural landmarks as well as an important tourist attraction.
On 4 February 1973, the first Singapore Chingay parade was held partly as a result of the ban on firecrackers a year earlier in 1972 as a result of fire hazards. This ban was viewed unfavourably despite the safety issues involved. Some people felt that the ban would result in a much dampened festival mood for the Chinese New Year period. To address this issue, the People's Association and the Singapore National Pugilistic Association jointly organised a street parade from Jalan Besar to Outram Park featuring the signature floats, acrobatic acts, lion and dragon dances, stilt walkers, and the like, to bring back some cheer to the general public.
The 2011 Chingay Parade will be held on 11 and 12 February. It will open with a Fire Party, and will include the largest moving multi-ethnic performances, first travelling dance competition within the parade, a spectacular finale where thousands of performers will flood the parade ground holding candle lights and an inaugural colourful Arts District/ Carnival. It also includes activities in which the public can participate, such as the Teresa Teng Look-Alike Photo Contest and the Chingay Paparazzi competition.
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