Solar New Year

Forget hell for one hot minute – Haw Par Villa is bringing worlds together for another new year celebration like no other: the Solar New Year. This event is observed by communities across South and Southeast Asia between April 13 and 16 annually. To mark this special time of the year, Haw Par Villa is opening its gates for the second run of its Solar New Year bash this Saturday, complete with a colourful bazaar, workshops, and free music and dance performances. It kicks off with New Year Blessings from the monks and priests representing the different communities in Singapore. There’s also a Buddha altar set up by the Thai community for members to perform the ritual of washing Buddha’s feet, a Songkran tradition. If you’d like to learn more about the Solar Calendar and how different communities celebrate the new year, hit up the festival’s exhibition.