The popular Geylang Serai Ramadan/Hari Raya bazaar is making a return this year for the first time since the pandemic started.
The festival will run from April 2 through May 2 in and around Wisma Geylang Serai (WGS).
It’s a month-long festival that celebrates the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan through food, shopping and entertainment.
Smaller scale Geylang Serai bazaar
“As we gradually return to normalcy, it is my pleasure to share that this year, we will be organizing a Geylang Serai Hari Raya Shopping Experience @ WGS,” wrote Assoc Prof Dr Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim, Minister of State for National Development.
The bazaar was first rumoured to return this year after the People’s Association launched an open tender on Mar. 1 to get organisers for the event.
Interestingly, this year’s event is named the Geylang Serai Hari Raya Shopping Experience (GSHRSE) and will feature a pared-down lineup of vendors selling food for the breaking of fast, festive décor and wares.
Visitors to GSHRSE can expect to see 40 stalls comprising of only 8 halal food stalls and 32 non-food stalls, a stark difference from the hundreds of stalls present in previous bazaars.
If you’re planning to attend the event in person, take note that Safe Management Measures will in force.
These measures will also be enhanced by Virtual Reality Capability technology which includes a 360-Degree Virtual Event platform, QR codes, E-menus as well as a Real-Time Crowd Monitoring system and Queue Card System for crowd control.
It remains to be seen how these measures would aid in managing the crowd, especially since 2 million people visited the bazaar in 2019, Today reported.
Other bazaars
In his Facebook post, Associate Professor Faishal also wrote that there will also be a bazaar happening in Kampong Glam during the fasting month.
More details will be announced in the coming weeks on the WGS and One Kampong Gelam social media platforms.
“I hope that these two events will add festive cheer to this year’s celebrations but please remember to remain cautious and observe the stipulated Safe Management Measures at all times so that we can continue to keep each other safe,” said Faishal.
Top photo via Assoc Prof Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim/FB
