SINGAPORE - A few hundred revellers paid more than $50 each to eat and drink by the beach and watch lanterns float off into the night sky, but the event was a total flop, with no lanterns to fly nor any food for sale.

The reason, as it turned out, was that the organiser Asian Couture and Boutique failed to get the necessary approvals required for releasing lanterns with a lit flame into the sky, among other things.

Many of those who made their way to Palawan Green in Sentosa for the Sky Lantern Festival on Feb 21 – and found that they could not release lanterns or get a bite to eat – are now demanding a refund.

Responding to queries, a spokesman for the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it informed event organisers about fire safety guidelines on Oct 31, 2023, and also reiterated the need to adhere to these rules on multiple occasions leading up to the event. 

Two days before the festival, the event organisers conducted a trial that was deemed unsatisfactory as one of the lit lanterns caused a small fire on the artificial turf, he added.

On the day of the event, SCDF also found that fire safety guidelines were not adhered to during an inspection.

The spokesman said: “They did not provide proper tethers for the sky lanterns, nor fire extinguishers or safety marshals. Therefore, in the interest of public and aviation safety, SCDF informed the event organisers that they should not use the sky lanterns for the event.”

Mr Steven Lau, the director of Asian Couture and Boutique, on Feb 21 said the organisers were informed early in the morning on the day of the event that lanterns with open flames could not be released.

He added that an announcement was made every 15 minutes at the event that “due to unforeseen circumstances”, lanterns could not be released, and instead, a lantern, a pen and an LED light would be distributed for patrons to pen down their wishes.

Sky lanterns, which originated from China, are believed to bring good luck and prosperity. Many pen wishes on the lanterns before releasing them. 

But safety concerns have led to various countries, such as Vietnam and Germany, banning the ascent of such lanterns.

A few places, such as Taiwan, still allow the activity, but have imposed regulations on the time and place of the release.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Mr Lau said more than 2,000 people had turned up for the festival, but walk-ins were not accepted.

Tickets for the festival were priced at up to $53.47 each on ticketing website Eventbrite.

Many of the revellers tied their lanterns on railings and other spots in the event area, he said.

In response to queries, a Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) spokeswoman on Feb 22 said: “As the event organiser was unable to obtain the necessary licences and clearance to meet safety requirements mandated by local authorities such as SCDF, the event could only continue with music entertainment.”

That meant no one could fly lanterns or sell food at the event.

According to media outlets promoting the festival, the floating lanterns were meant to be fastened to the ground with a 60m-long string and allowed to float up to the sky for up to 10 minutes.

Five batches of lanterns were supposed to be released, in line with Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and SCDF guidelines, the ticketing website said.

SDC said it was informed on the afternoon of Feb 21 by both SCDF and the event organiser that the event would start later than planned.

SDC put up signs at key locations – from the Sentosa Express Beach Station to the site at Palawan Green – informing people about the situation, the spokeswoman added.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused our guests,” she said.

People who showed up for the festival said they were disappointed.

One of them, Ms Shirley Tan, 28, said she and her boyfriend left the venue immediately after hearing the announcement that no lanterns would be going airborne. 

Ms Tan, a human resources professional, bought tickets for the festival on Jan 28, after she learnt about it from local news outlets. 

She said: “We were really looking forward to lighting up the lantern because we’ve seen people do the same in Taiwan, so to find out the activity was cancelled was extremely disappointing.”

Another reveller, who wanted to be known only as Ms Seow, said she bought tickets for the event as Tangled, her favourite Disney princess movie, sparked her dream of seeing sky lanterns. Sky lanterns appear in various scenes in the animation movie. 

Ms Seow said: “I felt disappointed because the event was something that was promoted everywhere, even on trusted sites and on various TikToks.

“It felt even worse because they prepared LED candles, which meant they knew the lanterns wouldn’t be released a while ago but failed to be transparent with us.”

Business manager Nguyen Nga Nhi, 34, said she suspects the whole festival was a sham. She paid more than $130 for two regular tickets and one student ticket.

She said: “I realised how easy it is to create an event and sell tickets on Eventbrite.”

Responding to complaints online, Mr Lau said: “We will see in what way we can respond to customer concerns.”

The SDC spokeswoman said those seeking refunds can contact Mr Lau by phone on 9455-5212 and Ms Shiermie Bautista at shiermie85@gmail.com or by phone on 8424-8725.

On social media, some people likened the event to Singapore’s version of the Fyre Festival, a music festival in 2017 that was hyped as an elite luxury event on a private island in the Bahamas.

At the time, participants who forked out thousands of dollars for the festival arrived only to find no musical acts, and underwhelming accommodation and food to boot.

• Additional reporting by Sarah Koh

Correction note: In an earlier version of the story, we said those seeking refunds can contact Ms Shiermie Bautisa. This is incorrect. It should be Ms Shiermie Bautista.