The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) said in a statement last Friday that in view of the COVID-19 situation, its “Strolling Through Almeida Ribeiro – Pilot Project for a Pedestrian Area”, which was originally scheduled to be held from December 24-25 and December 31 to January 1, has been postponed to the Chinese New Year (CNY).
Avenida de Almeida Ribeiro, Macau's main thoroughfare, is known in Cantonese as "San Ma Lou" ("New Road").
The Year of the Rabbit will start on January 22.
The pilot project is a part of the bureau’s “A Cultural Base” programme.
More details will be released in due course on the bureau’s website: www.icm.gov.mo, according to the statement.
‘Christmas and New Year Concerts’ slated for weekend
Meanwhile, the “Christmas and New Year Concerts”, which have been organised by the bureau in conjunction with the city’s six gaming operators, will continue to take place in Sai Van Lake Square on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day on the coming weekend, a separate IC statement noted last Friday.
The concerts will be open to the public from 7:30 p.m. on each day, the statement underlined, adding that spectators must redeem their wristbands at the entrance with their pre-booked tickets to enter the auditorium.
Aiming to enable more people to experience the live atmosphere, according to the statement, from 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 0:10 a.m. the next day, public TV and radio station TDM will broadcast the concert live on its channels, mobile app and website, as well as Ou Mun Tin Toi (TDM’s Chinese-language radio channel).
During the concerts, the statement pointed out, large TV screens will also be set up in Largo do Senado and Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre to telecast the performances.
In order to maintain public order at the venue and the surrounding areas, visitors to Sai Van Lake Square are strictly prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages, canned sprays, balloons and glass bottles, and they are urged not to bring large pieces of luggage and pushchairs with them to the venue to ensure safety during the performance, the statement stressed.
A number of traffic control and road closure measures will be implemented from 8 p.m. on December 31 to 1 a.m. the following day, the statement noted, while large signs will be placed in traffic control areas to remind drivers and the public of the traffic arrangements.
The statement underlined that the bureau has made proper arrangements for its arts and cultural activities in strict accordance with the Health Bureau’s (SSM) COVID-19 pandemic prevention guidelines. In order to facilitate the government’s pandemic prevention work, the statement added, participants are required to wear their facemasks and cooperate with relevant pandemic prevention and on-site crowd control arrangements.
Only a small number of spectators enjoy the government’s “Christmas and New Year Concerts” in Sai Van Lake Square on Christmas Eve. – Photo courtesy of TDM
