Teochew Festival (潮州节2016) returns with "Heng Heng" mobile game app

Teochew Festival  (潮州节2016) returns this year at Sands Expo and Convention Centre with 1.5 times bigger than its inaugural event in 2014. Occupying more than 45,000 square feet of exhibition space, the festival will feature over 30 vendors.

Organised by the Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan (潮州八邑会馆), this event aims to celebrate the rich culture and heritage of the Teochews in Singapore. The festival offers visitors enlightening glimpses into the daily lives of Teochews. The organiser hopes to highlight an important aspect of Singapore's Chinese culture through the festival.

The festival will be taking place over two weekends on 9 to 18 December 2016 and the activities will run from daily from 10.30am to 9.00pm.This year's festival will be officially opened by Deputy Prime Minister & Coordinating Minister for National Security, Mr Teo Chee Hean, on 9 December.

WHAT TO EXPECT

1) Qiao Pi Cultural Zone 

There will be a cultural zone (侨批文化馆) featuring artefacts of how early Teochew migrants communicate and correspond with their families in China. Living in a foreign land, the overseas Teochews would send a portion of their income, no matter how meagre, along with a letter to family members back home in China. This combination of remittance and correspondence is known as Teochew Letters (Qiao Pi).

Teochew Poit Ip Huay Kuan has specially loaned these artefacts from the Museum of Overseas Chinese Remittance, Shantou China (中国汕头侨批文物馆), to be displayed at the cultural zone.

2) Traditional Teochew Crafts 

Visitors can admire the exquisite Teochew crafts at the arts & crafts zone. There will be live demonstrations by master craftsmen. Crafts which will be on display include lantern making, golden silk embroidery works, exquisite wood carvings and delicate ceramic tea sets.

3) A Taste of Teochew Cuisines

Foodies will be treated to an array of Teochew cuisines at the festival. Food plays a crucial role in Teochew culture and heritage. There will be a food street featuring 20 vendors comprising homegrown Teochew eateries Chui Huay Lim Teochew Cuisine and Chin Lee Restaurant, as well as food vendors from Shantou and Chaozhou, China. Together, they will dish out a variety of tantalising Teochew specialties such as Bak Kut Teh, Crystal Dumplings, Fried Kway Teow and Fried Oyster Omelette.

4) Cultural Performances  

The Xiao Mei Hua Opera troupe (小梅花艺术团) will perform Teochew operas and AFinger (一指团体) from Shantou, China will perform their renditions of traditional Teochew tunes with a modern twist of hip-hop and RAP music at the festival's central stage.

5) Teochew Tunes (潮音汇狮城) 
As part of the festival, the renown Shantou Chao Yue Tuan (汕头潮乐团) will be putting up a concert, Teochew Tunes (潮音汇狮城). They will be performing a string of Teochew Opera classics and tunes, together with local performing group, Nam Hwa Opera(南华儒剧场) at the Singapore Conference Hall on 16 and 17 December at 8pm. Tickets are priced at $10, $20 and $100, and are sold at Chui Huay Lim Teochew Restaurant, Nam Hwa Opera, and Singapore Poit Ip Huay Kuan from 7 November. The general public can call 6738 2691 to enquire.

6) International Teochew Doctoral Forum (国际潮籍博士论坛) 
The 4th International Teochew Doctoral Forum (ITDForum) will be officially opened at Teochew Festival 2016 on 9 December 2016. Organised by the International Teochew Doctors Association, the annual academic event provides a platform for professional experts to discuss and disseminate state-of-the-art research and technologies in a smart nation. The theme for this year's forum is "Smart Future: Opportunities and Challenges”, which aims to promote collaborations among Teochew technologists and entrepreneurs in the area of smart applications, and to foster closer ties between research, development and commercialisation.

9 December 2016, 1.30pm – 7pm
10 December 2016, 9am – 12pm
Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Level 3 Seminar Room

7) Play the Mobile Game "Heng Heng" and win attractive prizes

The festival will develop its first mobile game app called "Heng Heng" which is specially created with the aim of engaging, entertaining and educating players about Teochew culture through traditional Teochew pastries or "kuehs". The mobile app can be downloaded free from Andriod Google Play and Apple App Store. Teochew Festival entry tickets and a Lenovo Tab3 7 Essential (worth $149) will be given away to players with the highest weekly score. The organiser will also invite the Top 10 players to the Teochew Festival where they walk away with attractive prizes such as F&B vouchers, Teochew Festival vouchers, a Lenovo Yoga 900 tablet (worth $1,999), and an SK jewellery gift set (worth $2,388).

IF YOU GO
What: Teochew Festival (潮州节2016)
When: 9 to 18 December 2016, 10.30am to 9.00pm daily
Where: Sands Expo and Convention Centre Level 1 Hall A
Cost: SGD 10

Website: http://www.teochewfestival.com/
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