At certain moments in the year, Marina Bay Sands seems less like a destination and more like a state of mind. As the city turns toward the Lunar New Year, the vast architecture of glass and stone becomes a stage for something more intimate and symbolic: a meditation on movement, aspiration, and renewal. For the Year of the Fire Horse, unfolding from 10 February to 3 March, the integrated resort embraces these themes with a quiet confidence, translating ancient myth into contemporary spatial poetry.
The Fire Horse, long associated with vitality, momentum, and unrelenting forward motion, finds its narrative anchor in the legend of the Thousand Mile Horse, a creature born not for stillness but for distance. Across Marina Bay Sands, this idea of perpetual journeying takes physical form. Decorative installations do not simply adorn the property; they guide the eye, shape emotion, and invite reflection on where one has been and where one might yet go.
The Hotel Lobby sets the tone. Here, an installation unfurls like a monumental scroll, its layered translucencies evoking mountains, wind swept plains, and the slow passage of time. Three horses appear suspended mid stride, their silhouettes caught between departure and arrival. Light moves through the structure as if carried by breath or weather, lending the space a sense of motion even in stillness. It is less a display than an atmosphere, one that encourages pause and inward attention.
That narrative continues through The Shoppes, where the Grand Colonnade becomes a procession of images and symbols. Galloping horses emerge against softly illuminated mountain landscapes, rendered in gradients that echo water, wind, and terrain. At the feet of each horse rests a gold coin, a discreet gesture toward prosperity and abundance. Rather than announcing itself, the symbolism reveals itself gradually, rewarding those who linger. Light and shadow work together here, creating moments of quiet drama that feel contemplative rather than celebratory in the conventional sense.
Throughout the mall, hanging scrolls deepen the visual language. Crafted with emerging horses and rose gold peonies cut from metal, they pay homage to traditional Chinese paper cutting while remaining resolutely contemporary. Each scroll features ombre mountain imagery created by a Shan Shui Hua mountain water painting artist, printed on translucent fabric that lends depth and softness. The effect is immersive and almost cinematic, as though one is walking through a living landscape rather than a retail space.
As evening falls between 10 and 21 February, the exterior of Marina Bay Sands joins the conversation. The architecture glows in shades of gold and pink, punctuated by horse and peony motifs that ripple across the skyline. Against the night, the building becomes both beacon and backdrop, a reminder that celebration can be expansive without being loud.
Art and technology offer another lens through which to encounter the season at ArtScience Museum. At teamLab Future World, a horse appears within Animals of Flowers, Symbiotic Lives, galloping through fields of blooming flora in an immersive digital environment. The experience carries added resonance this year as the museum marks its fifteenth anniversary, making the encounter feel like both a celebration of the present and a reflection on continuity and evolution.
Within this richly textured setting, fashion and adornment are approached as forms of expression rather than acquisition. The Shoppes present a carefully considered selection of pieces that speak to craft, symbolism, and seasonal elegance. Rene Caovilla’s Floriane sandal, adorned with flowers, embroidery, and crystals, feels almost botanical in its delicacy. Bottega Veneta’s Veneta bag, rendered in its signature Intrecciato and ultra soft Nappa leather, embodies quiet mastery of form. Celine’s Spring 2026 Crystal Pouch offers versatility with a jewelled edge, while Ralph Lauren’s Chilton Stretch Silk Charmeuse Top brings understated polish to festive gatherings.
Time and jewellery are treated with similar reverence. Chopard’s limited edition L.U.C XP Urushi Spirit of Shí Chen draws from traditional Chinese timekeeping, marking each hour with a zodiac animal and reminding the wearer that time itself can be cultural, symbolic, and deeply personal. Vacheron Constantin’s Overseas Perpetual Calendar Ultra Thin pairs technical sophistication with adaptability through interchangeable straps. Fred’s Force 10 Rise Necklace, set in 18K pink gold with diamonds and rubies, and Boucheron’s Quatre Classique ring, with its quartet of signature bands, complete a portrait of adornment that values meaning as much as beauty.
Scent and ritual play their part in shaping the season’s mood. Amaffi Perfume House introduces Glory for Women, a fragrance that opens with white and yellow florals such as ylang ylang and mimosa blossom before settling into warm sandalwood. Penhaligon’s Fortuitous Finley offers a bolder counterpoint, blending leather, pistachio, and spice for those who greet the new year with confidence. Estée Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Synchronized Multi Recovery Complex quietly underscores the idea of restoration, working overnight to reveal a smoother, more luminous complexion by morning.
Food, as always during Lunar New Year, becomes a language of reunion and intention. From 31 January to 3 March, Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine presents multi course set menus that read like a catalogue of auspicious classics, from Peking Duck and Roasted Boneless Suckling Pig to Baked Australian Lobster with Superior Broth and Fatt Choy Yu Sheng. Imperial Treasure Fine Teochew Cuisine offers its own refined interpretation, with dishes such as Marinated Duck, Steamed Marble Goby Soon Hock Fish in Teochew style, and seasonal Fatt Choy Hamachi Yu Sheng prepared in Soon Tak style.
From 7 February to 3 March, JUMBO Signatures contributes a more exuberant note with its Bountiful Tasting Menu. Orange Glazed Pork Rib, Chilli Crab Meat Sauce with Caviar served alongside Mini Man Tou, Live Australian Lobster, and the signature fuss free crab form a celebratory progression of flavours. Traditional Teochew Yu Sheng with Hamachi Sashimi is available in three sizes, with the option to add sliced three head abalone for an extra layer of symbolism and indulgence.
Smaller pleasures punctuate the season in the form of gifts meant to be shared. TWG Tea’s limited edition Red Horse Tea blends rooibos with rose blossoms, hibiscus petals, red berries, and lemon balm, a quietly aromatic tribute to the year’s emblem. Ralph’s Coffee presents a Lunar New Year Cookie Gift Set, its ornate red box adorned with peonies and gold foiled horses and filled with 24 cookies in four flavours. Café nesuto reimagines the pineapple tart through brown butter vanilla, yuzu, and hojicha, offering a refined take on a familiar ritual.
Even the act of raising a glass is thoughtfully considered. At Le Noir, the Xin Nian Spritz combines Chinese five spice vodka, jujuberry Lillet Blanc, and citrus, finished with a lup cheong garnish. It is a drink that invites contemplation as much as celebration, a toast that lingers rather than announces itself.
Privileges and seasonal rewards unfold quietly alongside these experiences. Sands LifeStyle members enjoy festive benefits from 29 January to 27 February, while Alipay and Alipay Plus users can access special promotions across participating retailers at The Shoppes from 30 January to 8 March. These gestures feel less like incentives and more like acknowledgements of belonging within the larger rhythm of the season.
Taken together, Marina Bay Sands’ Year of the Fire Horse celebration is less a programme than a mood. It is an exploration of how tradition can be re felt through contemporary design, how movement can be suggested without haste, and how luxury, when approached with restraint and imagination, becomes a vessel for meaning. The result is a Lunar New Year experience that invites guests not merely to celebrate, but to reflect on momentum, intention, and the quiet power of forward motion.
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