FAQ for Wesley@NightFest 2025

Wesley Night Festival 2025

Light On The Hill: Island Celebrations

COME AND BE THE LIGHT ON THE HILL AT WESLEY@NIGHTFEST!

FAQ for Wesley@NightFest 2025

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”   - Matthew 5:14-16

We're excited to announce that Wesley will be participating in the Singapore Night Festival (SNF), a major national community event, again in 2025!

What is the Singapore Night Festival (SNF)? 

The Singapore Night Festival is an annual celebration of Singapore’s rich cultural heritage and artistic expressions, transforming the Bras Basah and Bugis precinct into a vibrant hub of creativity and community engagement. Held in multiple venues, including the National Museum, Peranakan Museum, Singapore Management University, Stamford Arts Centre, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, St Joseph’s Church, and CHIJMES, the festival celebrates its 16th edition this year. It is organized by the National Heritage Board, with a yearly thematic focus, e.g., The Art of Play (2024) and The Great Port City (2023).

What were the Demographics of SNF 2024? 

Over 1 million visitors attended SNF 2024 across 16 festival nights. The predominant age group was 15-29 years old.

How many people attended the first inaugural Wesley@NightFest 2024?

Over 20,000* people attended the inaugural Wesley@NightFest last year. 

*Figure provided by the National Heritage Board, the organizer.

What happened last year at Wesley@NightFest?

Please find out more here: Light on the Hill: Wesley Methodist Church Shines Bright at Singapore Night Festival 2024 - Wesley Tidings

How did we do as a “new kid on the block” at the SNF last year? 

Wesley@NightFest was singled out in a speech by Qazim Karim, the Head of Festivals and Precinct Development at SNF, on February 21, 2025, at a briefing by the Bras Basah - Bugis team under the National Heritage Board to its stakeholders. 

Wesley@NightFest has been highlighted as a wonderful case study and as a positive example of good programming with great hospitality and public engagement run by volunteers, and a good case study overall. 

What is the theme of the SNF this year? 

This year's Night Festival theme will be announced officially by the organizer in April or May. However, our theme is consistent and perennial: "Light on the Hill," with a sub-theme aligning with the broader festival theme.

What are the dates for Wesley@NightFest? 

We are looking at the following dates:

• August 22nd (Friday) - Official Opening Night
• August 23rd (Saturday)
• August 24th (Sunday)
• August 29th (Friday)
• August 30th (Saturday)
• August 31st (Sunday)
• September 5th (Friday)
• September 6th (Saturday) - Official Closing Night

The opening weekend is especially important for generating excitement and attracting visitors.

What is the timing for each night?

We will open our doors officially at 7pm and close at 11pm. If the crowd is thin, we may close earlier. Volunteers have to report for briefing at 6.15pm and dinner starts at 5pm.

What are the programmes at Wesley@NightFest? 

Programmes include Physical and Augmented Reality (AR) Photo Booths, Heritage talks and tours, Origami sessions, Music performances in the Sanctuary, and Ukulele performances.

Why Volunteer at Wesley@NightFest? 

Following Wesley@NightFest 2024, which saw over 20,000 visitors, we're looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help us in this year's event. This is a chance to:

• Share the love of Christ with the wider community.
• Extend hospitality to our neighbors.
• Foster community spirit.
• Help people feel comfortable entering a church.
• Be part of a memorable and impactful event right here in WMC.

Wesley@NightFest is a church-wide event overseen by PICO, with involvement from various ministries including Events, Property, Comms, Safe@Wesley, Mission, W&M, and GYM. We'll be utilizing various spaces within the church, including the sanctuary, atrium, courtyard, and more. We'll also have street performers (ukulele) at the open car park to draw more crowds.

What Volunteer Roles are available for me to serve in? 

We need more than 100 volunteers each night to fill various roles, including:

• Security Watchers
• Ushers (Inside & Outside of Church)
• Origami Ambassadors
• Physical Photobooth Talents
• AR Photobooth Ambassadors (AR – Augmented Reality, it is really simpler than it sounds, like what you see on social media platforms such as tik tok)
• Heritage Guides
• AV Ambassadors
• Photographers
• Medic support
• Volunteer Care Team

On-site training will be compulsory for all volunteers (except AV support, photographers and medic support).

How may I get involved? 

Sign up at https://wesley.sg/wesleynightfestival-volunteer.

Please share volunteer opportunities with your ministry members. Rest assured it wouldn't "compete" with other ministries your members are currently serving in, because this is a one-off project. They can choose to serve on one or multiple nights.

Are Volunteers allowed to share the gospel with visitors?

As this is a national community event, we are not allowed to discuss about Christianity or proselytize openly and loudly. We need to be culturally and racially sensitive. However, the visitors are free to take the leaftlets or read the posters we have in Church. If they ask us about our services, we can also tell them or point them to the boards that have our service schedule and to our Church’s website (https://wesleymc.org). 

If anyone wishes to engage in a conversation about Christianity, you may like to refer them to one of our pastors or staff on-site at the event.

Why can’t you start and end the event earlier?

As the name suggests, this is a night event, organised for Singaporeans and tourists alike to come out to interact and visit the Bras Basah-Bugis precinct at nightfall. Many venues only close at 2 am or later. The peak of the SNF is after 9pm where many families and younger people come to visit the places after their dinner.

What is the reporting time? Do you provide dinner for volunteers?

Dinner is provided for all Wesley volunteers from 5.15pm at the roof top* every evening. The compulsory briefing starts at 6.15pm at the side courtyard*. 

*venues subject to change

Will I get water or bathroom breaks during the night?

Yes, all volunteers can take breaks. We will also have an area for you to rest and have a snack throughout the night. Please just let your team leaders know. 

Can a volunteer just serve for an hour or two hours at Wesley@NightFest?

We understand that it is a long night for all, and some of you may have to leave earlier. However, at the moment, the small committee handling this project is unable to look into the specific requests due to the sheer number of volunteers in an event of this scale. We encourage all to try serving from 7 to 11pm with breaks in between. But if you really have to leave earlier, please reach out to your team leaders assigned to you later on and discuss your options with them.

Can children volunteer at this event?

For safety reasons, and as we expect a large crowd, we only allow people aged 15 and above to serve at this event. However, feel free to bring your younger children along if you have an adult accompanying them throughout the night.

May I volunteer on the same night with my small group or own group of friends from Wesley?

Yes, of course. We encourage you to sign up with your small group or your own group of friends on the same night. You may indicate your small group name and/or leader’s name on the sign-up form when it is made available. Please make sure all of you sign up individually for the same night.

I am going to volunteer together with my small group. Do we have to sign up individually?

Yes, you must sign up individually. Please see above.

Why must Volunteers for ushering, origami, heritage guides, photobooth acting attend training and briefing?

Attending the training and briefing is vital for all volunteers in ushering, origami, heritage tours, and photobooth acting. These sessions will give you the practical tools, knowledge, and even some practice, so you can feel confident and prepared to engage with the large number of visitors and contribute to a smooth and enjoyable event.

When are the training sessions?

• Training Session 1: 2.8.25 Sat at 11.30am-12.15pm (Plaza Hall)
• Training Session 2: 16.8.25 Sat at 11.30am-12.15pm (Plaza Hall)

• Training Session 1: 5.7.25 Sat at 9.30-11.30am (Level 2 hall)
• Training Session 2: 5.8.25 Tue at 7-9pm (Level 2 hall)

• Training Session 1: 2.8.25 Sat at 10-11.30am (Plaza Hall)
• Training Session 2: 16.8.25 Sat at 10-11.30am (Plaza Hall)

• Training Session 1: 2.8.25 Sat at 8.30-10am (Basement room 1&2)
• Training Session 2: 16.8.25 Sat at 8.30-10am (Basement room 1&2)

• Training Session 1: 2.8.25 Sat at 9-11am (Basement room 1)
• Training Session 2: 16.2.25 Sat at 9-11am (Basement room 1)

Why are all volunteers encouraged to attend security briefing?

At an event of this scale, proactive safety measures are paramount. This training is designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to navigate common scenarios at such public events. You'll learn to identify potential security concerns, understand emergency procedures, and know what to do should an incident occur. Given that some areas will be restricted and specific emergency exits will be in place, this training will ensure you have the necessary information regarding out-of-bounds zones and evacuation routes. Additionally, you'll learn about the protocol for assisting visitors who may be lost or have lost personal items. By participating in this training, you become an integral part of our security network, contributing directly to a safe and enjoyable event for everyone. Your participation in this training is not just encouraged, it's essential for the well-being of our entire community.

I volunteered in the same role last year and attended the training last year. Do I have to attend the training again?

You are strongly encouraged to attend the training as a refresher again.

Will Volunteers be provided with T-shirts?

Apart from actors and performers, volunteers are asked to wear their own Red colored plain T-shirts/tops, without any loud logos. This approach allows us to be good stewards of our resources. However, some roving ushers may be asked to wear costumes to add to the thematic vibe.

Will Volunteers be provided with some form of identification then as this is a public event?

Yes, we are working on that. More details to follow.