Live performances, activity booths at Istana open house on Nov 12 to celebrate Deepavali
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SINGAPORE: Members of the public can enjoy live performances, activity booths and guided tours with the Istana open to the public on Sunday (Nov 12) to celebrate Deepavali.
The open house will be held from 8.30am to 6pm, the President’s Office said in a news release on Wednesday.
Award-winning flautists Ghanavenothan Retnam and Tan Qing Lun will perform a fusion of Indian and Chinese classical music at the event.
Instrument, dance and band performances by student groups from schools such as Bukit Timah Primary School, Yishun Secondary School, St Magaret's School and the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, as well as the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society and Team Fusion, will also be staged throughout the day.
Visitors who want to take part in hands-on activities can visit the henna art, candle-making and balloon sculpting booths.
Those who want to take a guided tour of the Istana can do so from 9.30am to 5pm, during which they can view selected function rooms and take a closer look at a collection of state gifts presented to Singapore’s leaders.
Volunteers from the National Heritage Board will conduct the Istana main building guided tours, which are limited to 15 people per group and depart at 30-minute intervals.
A guided tour showcasing the Istana’s flora and fauna will also be available from 10am to 4pm. These tours, conducted by volunteers from NParks, are also limited to groups of 15 and depart every hour.
Alternatively, visitors can also opt to go on self-guided tours. The fees are as follows:
There will be food stalls and a food truck on site, as well as merchandise booths with limited-edition Istana souvenirs and President’s Challenge souvenirs. Only cashless payments - via credit cards, debit cards or QR code – will be accepted.
Visitors can enter the Istana grounds via the main gate at Orchard Road. Singaporeans and permanent residents can enter for free.
All other visitors are required to pay an entrance fee of S$10 (US$7) per adult and S$2 per child aged four to 12 years old, via cashless payment methods. Proceeds from the entrance fees, tours - guided or self-guided - and booths will go towards charities supported by the President's Challenge.
“Entry may be restricted due to capacity, inclement weather or other reasons,” said the President’s Office.
