The 1st Jinji Lake New Year Chingay Parade kicked off at Suzhou Center, SIP on Jan 1, attracting a flock of participants and spectators.

According to the organizer, the idea for the event was inspired by Singapore's Chingay Parade, an annual event to usher in the Chinese New Year with street floats and performances given by clowns, dancers, acrobats and jugglers among other performers.

The SIP version consisted of a parade from Suzhou Center to Fengzhiyuan Dock, a walking tour and an exhibition of local business and cultural brands.

The parade gathered nearly 200 participants including Chingay enthusiasts, folk artists, college students and staff from local companies and other organizations. Some of them, dressing up as characters in films, cartoons, video games and books, interacted with the spectators and posed for photos with them, while others gave wonderful performances.

The walking tour attracted lots of sports enthusiasts, who strolled along a designated route, enjoying the beautiful sceneries all the way through and chatting with each other.

The exhibition at the fourth floor of Suzhou Center offered the visitors a good chance to learn more about local brands.