Singapore ready for Grand Prix season

When one gets a chance to attend a Grand Prix, it usually has to be with “the boys.”  Rare is the petrolhead family. Now, if your significant other prefers to stay home and not even bother to take the trip, you just have to bring something back for them: maybe that odd T-shirt, three-for-$10 key rings, fragrances or possibly some toiletries to avoid getting yourself in the doghouse. But for one particular Grand Prix, this doesn’t have to be the case.

The SingTel Singapore Grand Prix has been held in the “Lion City” since 2008. This year, to further entice fans and their families to make that return trip, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), is once again holding the Grand Prix Season Singapore, better-known as GPSS. STB has been at the forefront of conceptualizing ancillary events in and around the city.

This year, the GPSS will run from Sept. 13 to 23, with world-class entertainment, incredible nightlife and shopping extravaganzas. With Rev Up@Orchard, you can get huge discounts on purchases, indulge your inner foodie and party the night away at world-renowned venues like the Amber Lounge. For those in the know, this is the party to be at to rub elbows with Formula 1 drivers and team personnel. Not to be outdone, the Ritz Carlton Millenia has the podium lounge, where Singapore’s elite converge and let their hair down every time the Grand Prix rolls into town. Zouk, still one of the favorite haunts for locals, will definitely keep you partying until the wee hours of the morning.

At the circuit, come Friday, Sept. 20, K-Pop artist Big Bang will take the stage, while The Killers will perform on Saturday. Global superstar Rihanna will be at the Padang Stage on Sunday after the Grand Prix. The legendary Tom Jones, Sir Bob Geldof and famed illusionist Dynamo, who recently drove David Coulthard while blindfolded (see the YouTube link on motioncars.inquirer.net), will also be in the Marina Bay Circuit to entertain attendees.

Outside of the Marina Bay Circuit, at the Civic District, Central District, and the Arts and Heritage District, Singaporeans are pulling out all the stops to entertain both locals and tourists, providing them entertainment with a difference. According to STB area director for the Philippines and Brunei Sherina Chan: “With the latest entertainment offerings in Singapore, many making their Asian debut in the city-state, we are seeing more and more Filipinos traveling to Singapore to catch the latest musicals or concerts. Your family and friends will  be able to cross one or two items off their bucket list for 2013.”

Aside from the fantastic nightlife, all of Singapore’s attractions will keep their gates open for locals and tourists alike. Universal Studios, which has now become the favorite of most Filipino families while in Singapore, is open even during the Grand Prix weekend. Likewise, Sentosa, with all its attractions, will be welcoming tourists from the world over.

The GPSS is not just about holding the race dubbed as the “Monaco of the East” but also about showcasing all that Singapore has to offer. It’s giving the public more choices than ever before, whether it’s shopping, clubbing or going on a foodie adventure. At the center of it all is the ultimate street race under the stars; the 2013 Formula 1 SingTel Singapore Grand Prix.