All Fired Up
The Straits Times|December 28, 2024
The Straits Times goes behind the scenes to peek at preparations for the New Year's Eve display that will light up Singapore Sports Hub
Yamini Chinnuswamy
All Fired Up

Fireworks and New Year's Eve are as iconic a pairing as roses and Valentine's Day or pumpkins and Halloween, with one key difference: Fireworks are intangible, disappearing almost as quickly as they appear in the sky.

But even a 15-minute fireworks sequence - like the one that will be lighting up the Singapore Sports Hub when the clock strikes midnight on Jan 1, 2025 - leans on more than a dozen technicians and workers, three to four lorry cranes and a 6m-long container full of pyrotechnics inventory.

The festive fireworks will have a footprint of 150m across the sky, and shoot up as high as 200m. On-site preparations in Kallang began on Dec 26, while choreography and design of the sequence started about a month ago.

Mr Ronnie Wee, 48, a fireworks choreographer with Explomo Corporation, is the man at the heart of this extensive operation. He tells The Straits Times this is only the second time he is attempting to execute a 15-minute continuous display - the first time was during a competition in Berlin in 2009.

This story is from the December 28, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the December 28, 2024 edition of The Straits Times.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM THE STRAITS TIMESView All
GRANNY LIFTS THE BAR ON KEEPING FIT
The Straits Times

GRANNY LIFTS THE BAR ON KEEPING FIT

Ms Cheng Chen Chin-mei beamed broadly as she hoisted a 35kg weightlifting bar to her waist, dropped it and waved confidently to the enthusiastic crowd in a competition in Taipei.

time-read
1 min  |
December 29, 2024
Youth rewrite social norms
The Straits Times

Youth rewrite social norms

It has always been the case that young people drive societal change.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 29, 2024
Zoo pygmy hippo adored by internet
The Straits Times

Zoo pygmy hippo adored by internet

For users scrolling through TikTok, X and Instagram, one animal has emerged as the undisputed star of 2024: Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 29, 2024
Warabimochi gives snack lovers much to chew on
The Straits Times

Warabimochi gives snack lovers much to chew on

Singapore was mad for mochi in 2024, the craze sparked by the arrival in February of popular Japanese brand Warabimochi Kamakura.

time-read
1 min  |
December 29, 2024
Virtual Travel Tools Take Off
The Straits Times

Virtual Travel Tools Take Off

Virtual tools reshaped the travel landscape in 2024, driving innovation and transforming experiences for travellers worldwide.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 29, 2024
X factor behind pop princesses' reign
The Straits Times

X factor behind pop princesses' reign

From Charli XCX and Sabrina Carpenter to Chappell Roan and Billie Eilish, women ruled the airwaves in 2024.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 29, 2024
Ugly shoes stand out
The Straits Times

Ugly shoes stand out

In an era when fashion trends come and go faster than you can lace up your sneakers, one movement has proved its staying power: ugly shoes.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 29, 2024
TikTok's very mindful, very demure influence
The Straits Times

TikTok's very mindful, very demure influence

You see how TikTok continued to foster the exchange of ideas and philosophy between borders and cultures in 2024? Very mindful, very demure.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 29, 2024
Quitting the F&B scene
The Straits Times

Quitting the F&B scene

La Dame de Pic, Tippling Club, Gemma, Art di Daniele Sperindio, Sushi Kimura, Beni, Chef Kang's, Sommer and Braci are all restaurants that fine-dining fans might recommend as must-visit places in Singapore.

time-read
2 mins  |
December 29, 2024
Rising mercury shifts seasons
The Straits Times

Rising mercury shifts seasons

The year 2023 was recorded as the hottest in history, and 2024 is on track to surpass it.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 29, 2024