UrbanWire

The first-ever outdoor Mardi Gras experience in Singapore came to life on Feb 23 in the hub of Chinatown at Club Street , and was as bold, dramatic and different as we had hoped .

Organised by the Club Street association of businesses, the event from 4pm to midnight was humming New Orleans by day with a series of exciting, fun activities and wacky programmes for the entire family, and singing the cheeky and sassy Sydney by night.

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New Orleans by Day, Sydney by Night!
The ‘Divas'
Mardi Gras downplayed here

"Mardi Gras" (pronounced as mär de grä) literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French. This is final day prior to Lent , the season of prayer and fasting observed by the Roman Catholic Church before Easter.

Over time, however, the emphasis has shifted and Mardi Gras has evolved from its religions and political significance to symbolise many different things-- from colourful, outrageous gay parades to family fun and entertainment- to people from around the world.

Club Street, already known for its successful series of monthly carnivals, cleverly integrated the 2 renowned versions of the carnival – the family-oriented New Orleans and the popular Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

“We try to cater to the masses,” says Ms Alexis Ng, Assistant Communications Manager of the IndoChine Group. “In the daytime, the event caters to families and children and by night, (the activities) caters to the yuppies, hippies, and young adults, straight and non-straight people.” According to her, this year's Mardi Gras carnival will stand for open-mindedness and “freedom of expression as much [as is possible] within the boundaries of Singapore”.

According to the press release, this is in line with Michael Ma's aim of “creating a bohemian street lifestyle within Club Street ”. Mr Ma owns the Indochine Group and is president of the Club Street association.

As expected, Ms Ng talked about some problems in acquiring an outdoor license for the belly-dancing segment. “We are trying to push the boundaries with different costumes and personalities parading,” she adds.

There was something for everyone at the carnival from food, booze, live music and street acts to art and crafts exhibitions, dance entertainment and lucky draws sponsored by DBS Bank.

The carnival mood kicked off with band performances rocking the day with jazzy tunes and hippy hits such as ‘Summer of 69', while psychedelically-clad Just Jester talents entertained all through the day with their juggling and amusing mimes. Belly dancing performances ended the daytime activities with Spanish beats and Arabian tunes.

The carnival also allowed businesses to showcase their skills and products by giving them greater exposure to the public. Rent for stall vendors cost only $150 for the entire day. “This is a good time to expose our businesses,” says one of the vendors, Ms Janelle Kalliappa, owner of Sonique Nail and Body Care.

You could almost feel a rush of adrenalin among the crowd as the drag queens, otherwise known as the Divas from Birdcage cabaret cum discotheque, made their glamorous entrance.

In their flamboyant costumes, they dazzled and seduced the audience with a glitzy opening dance, “Queen of the Night”, and created a laughing riot with their teasing and comical sarcasms when they conversed with the crowd.

Street parades and dance parties followed right after the cabaret show, with performers pulling in visitors to partake in the excitement.

While the celebration is 1 gesture proving Singapore has a more liberal approach towards homosexuality, the true merrymaking mood of an outdoor Mardi Gras carnival still seems a far cry in conservative Singapore.

Previously, Mardi Gras events were held privately in clubs and function rooms, which usually catered to the clubbers and not the general public.

According to Mohd Jamaludin, a 30-year-old freelance event organiser, “Mardi Gras is a carnival of gay parades and usually known as a gay-lesbian festival, but it's too quiet in Singapore.”

Sunny Lim, 45, an expatriate from Indonesia says, “Mardi Gras in other countries is usually livelier than in Singapore . There is nothing much to look forward to in the daytime here. We are looking forward to the programmes at night.”

“Oh! This is nothing compared to those celebrated in Sydney and Perth,” commented Ms Nanette Zehnder, Creative Director of Mosaic Workshop, who added that in Singapore society, it is not possible to celebrate such provocative events on a larger scale.

In fact, so low-key was the event for some that a 28-year-old undergrad, who only wanted to be known as Axton, claimed he would have missed it because “there wasn't much publicity about the event”. He added that he joined in the carnival only because he happened to pass by Club Street that night.

But big or small, the unprecedented carnival provided, within its limits, an entire day of fun and celebration for everyone to join in.