10 Mass Singapore Events Postponed Due to Covid-19 Fears

In light of the rising number of local COVID-19 cases with no existing links to previous cases nor travel history to China, the Ministry of Health(MOH) has advised event organisers to cancel or defer non-essential large scale events. For your reference, here are ten events that have been cancelled or postponed as a result of heightened concerns.

1. ILight (CANCELLED)

ILight started in 2010 and has occurred annually since 2016─raking in millions of visitors every year. The eighth edition of the sustainable light art festival held in Marina Bay was scheduled to occur from 6 to 29 March 2020. Following the advisory released by MOH, the festival has been put on hold with the safety and well being of visitors in mind. Moreover, the proximity required between the art exhibits as well as other individuals during the festival heightens the risk of transmission. Not to worry, once the virus has calmed down, artists will be reinvited, and the luminescence can be enjoyed once more.

2. Chingay2020 @ Heartlands

Chingay 2020 was themed ‘Colours in Harmony’. The annually adored parade that exuberantly celebrates Singapore’s melting pot of culture has been cancelled following safety guidelines. It was scheduled to extend across the heartlands of Singapore until 21 March but was voided after a single show in Chinatown on 2 February. This dismaying news has impacted over 2,000 volunteers and 6,500 performers who had been tirelessly practising months prior in preparation for the event. It is, however, understood that this was necessary to ensure the safety and well being of the community at large.

3. National School Games

What began as a spectator ban for the upcoming National School Games(NSG) has progressed into a complete interdiction of competition. The deferral will be in effect until the end of the March school holidays. These measures were taken up to curtail exposure of students to the public and minimise the risk of infection. Now, over 60,000 athletes are left feeling purposeless as the fruits of their labour from months of arduous training may not be reaped. A-Division athletes with competitions beginning after the March School Holidays are trying to keep their spirits up with hopes that the coronavirus situation settles down and their games go on.

4. Concerts

The biggest bummer of the coronavirus cancellations would be the numerous concerts that were cancelled due to concerns over the virus. Fans hoping to attend the WINNER [CROSS] TOUR and Taeyeon’s The UNSEEN had an especially devastating experience with the concerts being cancelled only a few days before the respective events. Not only that, but strict travel restrictions in China have also halted the My Beautiful Live Miriam Yeung World Tour from continuing─disappointing both Miriam and her fans. However, no wallets were harmed in the process of these cancellations as full refunds are processed for the acquired tickets. Nevertheless, this has not stopped die-hard fans from being dumbfounded by the shocking news, frantic and in tears claiming their lives are over from not being able to catch glimpses of their idols.

5. Food & Beverage Fair 2020 (postponed)

This mouth-watering event that’s sure to pique the interest of any foodie was scheduled to occur from 19 to 22 March 2020. In light of the worsening coronavirus outbreak, the event has been postponed to ensure the safety of visitors. The fair features over 200 Food and Beverage stalls and a surfeit of sensational flavours both local and Asian. The date of postponement has not been confirmed and will remain tentative until the coronavirus situation has settled down. Perhaps this is a sign from the world that we should all be going on a diet, but if that’s too much of a reality check for you, I guess we should put our Asian food cravings on a pause while the air is still full of disease.

6. IT Show (postponed)

If you’re a tech junkie, finding this must have hurt. Singapore’s largest tech show occupying three levels across Suntec Singapore offers a multitude of deals over variants of products. The convention was scheduled to occur from 12 to 15 March 2020 and was expecting a large crowd of around 650,000 people. Putting the health and well-being of the attendees at utmost priority, the event has been postponed until further notice. The organisers will monitor the prevailing situation and announce the new dates for the show as soon as possible.

7. Relay for life 2020(RFL) – Singapore Cancer Society

After rallying 7,500 individuals to run in support of cancer patients, the Singapore Cancer Society took a proactive step in ensuring the safety of their beneficiaries by cancelling the event. If you’re still interested in showing your irrepressible support for past, present and future cancer patients, fret no more. To keep the RFL spirit alive and kicking, a supplementary 100km virtual run in March or April 2020 will be conducted in place of the run. That way, you can still show your everlasting love and support while still abiding by the rules and maintaining everybody’s health and safety.

8. Herbalife Marina Run 2020 (postponed)

The Herbalife Marina Run is a multi-category race that allows you to enjoy the grandeur of the Marina Bay area while living out your fitspo dreams. The event was scheduled to occur on 15 February but has unfortunately been postponed until further notice due to the paramount importance the organisers put on the health of participants. The postponement is expected to impact over 6,000 attendees based on past year attendance. Once the event has been rescheduled, participants won’t have to go through the hassle of registering and will automatically be entered in the new race. So, if you signed up but weren’t prepared, now’s your chance to give yourself a headstart and hit the gym!

9. 2020 HSBC Woman’s World Championship

The professional golf tournament was scheduled to occur at Sentosa Golf Club from 27 February to 1 March 2020. The new Tanjong course was meant to have 66 of the top women golfers battle out for a prize purse of US$1.5 million. As a result of continued health concerns, the organisers have concluded that the event should be cancelled for the year. The competition typically draws in over 30,000 golf enthusiasts to Singapore from all around the world. These patrons are now left downcast as they can no longer observe their favourite athletes compete to claim the title.

10. HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens

The largely anticipated Rugby event has left its fans in suspense as the competition gets pushed back from 11 to 12 April to 10 to 11 October with hopes that the novel coronavirus eases over time. Actions taken are in the best interest of the global rugby community as well as the wider public. This does, however, give more time for the athletes to continue training and further improve themselves as individuals as well as teams holistically. Hopefully, all will be well by the time October sets in and fans can look forward to finally watching their favourite teams go head to head to clinch first place.