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<< return to table of contents Chingay Parade 2008 Event date: 15-16 February 2008 An annual event that happens one week after the start of the Chinese New Year, the Chingay Parade here in Singapore adds noise, fun and colour to the already lively New Year celebrations. Held over the 15 & 16 Feb at night, the Singapore Garrison joined local Star Wars fans and participated in the 2008 parade. All said, a total of 36 people formed the Imperial Army contingent which was mostly made up of 501st members. The contingent had to attend rehearsals and many meetings so as to choreograph the marching routine, timing and formation. Stress levels were high right up to the very last minute before the contingent made their grand entrance in front of a packed grandstand and millions of viewers tuning into the 'live' show. Lead by the Emperor and Lord Vader and a quartet of Royal Guards, the Imperial Army drew great applause from the spectators. The highlight of the night was when the Imperial Army took to the streets and marched the 1.5 km route to the finish. It was great to interact with the crowds and to bring to life, characters that existed only on the big screen. While it ain’t no Rose Parade, you could not get any trooper that participated to give up their place for all the action figures in the world. The parade video:
>> View more photos of the parade. Paul Khoo |
