Kickstarts A Grand Weekend Of Celebrations to Mark The 90th Anniversary of The Fullerton Building, Home to The Fullerton Hotel Singapore
- Unveiling of the commemorative ‘Mile Zero’ plaque on the 71st National Monument grounds
- One of the largest showcases in Southeast Asia; more than 90 vintage, classic and super cars in the heart of Singapore
- Commencement of the preeminent Concours d’Elegance and fund-raising in support of the President’s Challenge
- A magnificent 3-day event held across The Fullerton Heritage precinct – art and photography exhibitions, heritage tours, family activities, culinary delights, gala events and yacht displays
THE eagerly anticipated inaugural Fullerton Concours d’Elegance opens its doors to guests today. A unique three-day celebration to mark the 90th anniversary of the Fullerton Building, home to The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, it takes place from 29thJune to 1stJuly 2018 across The Fullerton Heritage precinct, from 10am to 10pm daily.
The iconic building was gazetted as a National Monument on 7thDecember 2015 in recognition of its pivotal role in Singapore’s history. Built in 1928, the Grande Dame has borne witness to many historical events and milestones.
All roads lead to the Fullerton Building
Paying tribute to the Fullerton Building’s roots as ‘Mile Zero’, the point of reference for measuring all road distances in Singapore, The Fullerton Hotel Singapore unveiled a commemorative plaque, which was embedded into the hotel grounds during the Opening Ceremony. Measuring 1.2 metres, the plaque features the milestone system adopted circa 1909, with the Fullerton Building marked as ‘Mile Zero’, from which key roads and other milestones were mapped out. The location of the plaque is especially significant, as it is located at the former entrance of the General Post Office.
The unveiling ceremony was graced by Guest of Honour Mr Lim Eng Hwee, CEO of the Urban Redevelopment Authority and Deputy Chairman of Sino Group, Mr Daryl Ng.
Speaking at the Opening Ceremony, Deputy Chairman of Sino Group Daryl Ng said, ‘The Fullerton Building is an iconic location which holds a special place in the nation’s history, and in the hearts of people of Singapore. It has served as a key point of reference for Singapore 90 years ago, and has been a part of various milestones in this nation. The plaque is engraved with an old milestone map of Singapore and pinpoints significant markers. No matter the distance one has travelled, no matter the length of time, we continue to welcome guests and invite them to create special memories of the Grande Dame with our 90th anniversary celebration and the Fullerton Concours d’Elegance.’
Visitors to the Fullerton Concours d’Elegance, set to be the cultural event of the year, can look forward to a multifaceted experience that embodies The Fullerton Hotel Singapore’s rich heritage and fine hospitality the Fullerton brand is known for. There will be something for everyone – from car aficionados and art lovers, to photography enthusiasts, foodies, history buffs or anyone looking for something fun to do over this weekend.
Iconic cars to debut in Southeast Asia and a display of one-of-its kind in Singapore
26 classic cars owned by discerning private collectors in Singapore and Malaysia will be competing in the preeminent Concours d’Elegance. The cars will be judged on criteria including originality and authenticity, restoration quality, design and styling, and elegance in three categories, namely Pre-World War II Vintage, Post War Classic (1945 to 1960) and Modern Classic (1961 to 1983).
Presiding over the Concours d’Elegance is Chief Concours Judge, renowned vintage car enthusiast and President of the Malaysia & Singapore Vintage Car Register (‘MSVCR’), Dr Ivor Thevathasan. Other esteemed Concours judges include Mr Alain Li, Regional Chief Executive of Richemont Asia Pacific and Mr David Thomson, former president of the MSVCR. They will be complemented by a team of Honorary Judges, including Ms Larissa Tan, CEO of home-grown brand Vanda Electrics, and Mr Oliviero Bottinelli, former Managing Director of Audemars Piguet Asia Pacific.
Visitors will have an opportunity to view some of the private collection of cars owned by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Ibni Almarhum Sultan Iskandar, Sultan and Sovereign Ruler of the State and Territory of Johor Darul Ta’zim. They will be displayed alongside rare and exquisite timepieces from Audemars Piguet that correspond to the manufacturing years of the cars.
Car enthusiasts are also in for a treat – the Bugatti Chiron Sport will make its debut in Asia at the event and three cars will be on public display for the first time in Southeast Asia. These are the Rolls-Royce Celestial Phantom, Rolls-Royce Dawn Black Badge as well as a recently restored Rolls-Royce Phantom II.
Among the stellar line-up of more than 90 cars curated for the event, visitors will be able to admire several unique automobiles that are one-of-a-kind in Singapore. This includes the 1926 Rolls-Royce Connaught Tourer, 1936 Mercedes-Benz 500K [Right-hand drive (‘RHD’)], 1938 McLaughlin-Buick 90L Ltd, 1958 Porsche 356A Speedster (RHD), 1972 Ferrari Dino 246GTS Convertible and 1990 Aston Martin Lagonda.
A culinary trip down the memory lane and beyond
The Fullerton Hotel Culinary Team have created the Fullerton Concours d’Elegance cocktail, and the ‘Mile Zero Series’ that includes a cocktail, mocktail and the ultimate celebratory cake which comprises layers of rich chocolate mousse perfectly balanced with tart rosella cremeux, to celebrate this significant milestone. Central to the series is the ingredient Milo, which has been a staple for generations of Singaporeans. To pay tribute to the hotel’s postal heritage, the Fullerton Concours Pandan Mousse Cake and Lychee Rose Cake will be exclusively available during the three-day event.
To reflect Singapore’s heritage as a multicultural society, Post Bar at The Fullerton Hotel Singapore has specially created the Heritage Platter, featuring classic local favourites such as chicken satay, crispy chilli crabmeat bun and Peranakan delight kueh pie tee.
A celebration of heritage, inspiring innovation – heritage tours, art exhibitions, family activities and photography workshops
Visitors can join the ‘After Dark Monumental Heritage Tours’, organised in collaboration with the Preservation of Sites and Monuments Board, to discover the rich history of The Fullerton Heritage precinct and the Fullerton Building.
Parents and children can look forward to fun activities organised by LEGO and Tamiya. They can view a miniature version of the LEGO Fullerton Building assembled specially for the event, and create their own car models with LEGO.
Photography enthusiasts can hone their skills by joining a workshop by Leica, featuring acclaimed local professional photographer KC Eng, to learn his photography techniques for cars, portraiture and interior architecture. They can also view a special art exhibition of cars and the Fullerton Building by renowned artist Stephen Peng, presented by Gallery NaWei.
Bringing communities together for a good cause, supporting the President’s Challenge
The Fullerton Hotel Singapore has gathered unique limited-edition items for auction to raise funds for the President’s Challenge. At the Awards Ceremony Gala Dinner on 30th June, guests can bid for a variety of items, including an exquisite timepiece from Audemars Piguet and specially commissioned paintings by Stephen Peng. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of ten other beautiful cars and the Fullerton Building art pieces by Stephen Peng, as well as ticket sales from the private gala dinners will also be donated to the President’s Challenge.
An experience not to be missed
Everyone is invited to celebrate the 90th Anniversary of the Fullerton Building, home to The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, at its headline event, Fullerton Concours d’Elegance. The event will take place from 29th June to 1st July 2018 across the entire Fullerton Heritage precinct from 10 am to 10 pm.
