By Tan Qiuyi
Posted: 28 November 2010 1946 hrs
Some 5,000 people celebrated Grandparents Day at the Singapore Zoo on Sunday. Part of a slew of active-ageing activities organised by the Council for Third Age (C3A) this month, the event had participants aged between 4-months and those in their 70s.
A scavenger hunt, games and live music provided ample opportunity for multi-generational fun at the event. Grandparents Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of November every year.
-CNA /ls.
Unk Dicko was invited by the Council of Third Age to perform and entertain at the main stage of this big event. The special invitation was made more than a month ago.
So yesterday morning , me and my 'Minstrels' made our way to the Singapore Zoo where the Grandparents Day celebrations were held. Fortunately, I had asked members of my group to be there by 9.15 am. We were slated to perform at 10.15 am at the main stage of the Event venue.
By the time I got there, only 3 empty parking lots were left.
The many vehicles that came later had to park along the 1.5 km approach road to the zoo, all the way to the main junction of Mandai Road!
It was that crowded.
Young parents and families of all races turned up in force to support and honour their own grandparents. It was good to see that many people doing this. Quite a number even had elderly grandparents in wheelchairs coming for this event.
My minstrels and I walked to the Performing area amidst a sea of excited kids and other visitors, enjoying the sights, sounds and especially the unmistakable scent of animal droppings that was ever present in the morning air.
Soon as we neared the stage, Felicia..one of the event co-ordinators excitedly asked me if we were all ready to start. I looked at my watch which showed 10.am. Obviously the earlier item must have ended earlier than expected and they could not just keep the crowd waiting for the next 15 minutes with nothing to hold their attention.
Being always ready and well-prepared has its advantage as in such situations...I meant our group.
Immediately, I gathered our minstrels and strode on stage. Checked the mics and music stand.
The emcee had made an introduction of myself to the crowd.
I tuned and played some warming up notes on my Ukulele as I engaged the crowd. Nice and really pleasant audience seated on white chairs.
It is always very useful and important to engage the audience a little before a performance in "live' entertainment like ours. Such rapport guarantees there will be some enthusiastic response from those watching you.
How to do so effectively is not a secret, more a natural tendency and knack.
We were slated for a 15 minute slot in our 1st segment. Turned out it was over 25 minutes.
That means being ready to entertain with more song requests.
What was our 1st segment like?
Details in part 2....lots of pics.
