Emcee - Sea Sports Heritage Fest 2026

Emcee Ivan
Sep 16, 2022
3 min read

Date - 2nd May 2026

Event - Sea Sports Heritage Fest 2026

Venue - Kallang Wave Mall

Emcee - Ivan

Emcee - On 2nd May 2026, the Sea Sports Heritage Fest 2026 took place at Kallang Wave Mall Stadium Riverside, helmed by Emcee Ivan, who skilfully guided the audience through a meaningful morning of discovery and celebration. This event was jointly organised by Sport Singapore and the Singapore Heritage Fest to honour Singapore’s rich maritime legacy, recognising that sea sports such as sailing, rowing, canoeing and dragon boating have long shaped the nation’s identity as a vibrant island state. By spotlighting these waterborne traditions, the two organisations aimed to reconnect Singaporeans with their coastal roots, inspire greater participation in sea sports, and preserve the collective memory of the country’s journey from a fishing village to a global maritime hub. Emcee Ivan opened the programme by warmly welcoming all attendees, emphasising the festival’s dual purpose of heritage education and active community engagement.

Sport Singapore is the national authority driving the vision of “Sport for Life”, working to make sport accessible to all and leveraging it to build social cohesion and national pride. Meanwhile, the Singapore Heritage Fest is an annual celebration that showcases the nation’s diverse cultural and historical narratives, encouraging citizens to explore and appreciate their shared heritage through immersive experiences. Emcee Ivan explained that the Sea Sports Heritage Fest 2026 was a natural collaboration between the two, blending Sport Singapore’s commitment to active living with the Heritage Fest’s mission of storytelling. He noted that this year’s edition was particularly significant as it invited participants to “discover, engage and celebrate” maritime heritage, bridging the past with present-day sea sports activities. Emcee Ivan also reminded the audience of key logistical details, including the location of the SSHF2026 exhibition at Stadium Riverside Walk and the fun water games at the Beach Volleyball court, encouraging everyone to collect two stamps for an ice cream redemption.

Distinguished guests included Mr Toh Boon Yi, Deputy Chief Executive of Sport Singapore, along with speakers Dr Nick Aplin, Deputy Director of Sport Heritage at Sport Singapore, and Dr Benedict Tan. Emcee Ivan formally greeted these VIPs as well as the talk panel guests – Dr Cheryl Tay, Ms Joan Poh Xue Hua, Mr Mohamad Haikal bin Abdullah, and Mr Jason Leong – before inviting Mr Toh Boon Yi to deliver opening remarks. Thereafter, Emcee Ivan introduced Dr Nick Aplin, who presented on “Sea Sports in Singapore 1826 to 1956: Wetting Your Appetite”, followed by Dr Benedict Tan speaking on “Charting Horizons, Sailing Through Singapore’s Maritime Legacy”. Emcee Ivan thanked Dr Tan and requested that he remain on stage for the subsequent book presentation, where Mr Toh Boon Yi and author Dr Nick Aplin presented a commemorative book to Dr Benedict Tan. A lucky draw was also conducted during the programme; Emcee Ivan announced the winners and maintained the festive spirit throughout the proceedings.

Following the speeches, Emcee Ivan invited moderator Dr Cheryl Tay and the panel guests to join the speakers on stage for an engaging Q&A session, which lasted twenty minutes and covered topics ranging from personal sea sports journeys to the preservation of maritime traditions. After the session, Emcee Ivan thanked the panel guests and facilitated a group photo, after which Mr Toh Boon Yi presented books to the guests. Emcee Ivan then directed attendees to the feedback forms, reminded everyone to thank the partners once again, and encouraged them to mingle over refreshments while browsing the heritage publications on display. He also highlighted that the canoe try-out, dragon boat try-out, and the guided walks along the Kallang Waterfront Trail (both morning and afternoon sessions) were fully booked, urging those who had secured slots to enjoy the experiences. Emcee Ivan concluded the indoor segment by inviting speakers, panel guests, and all participants to visit the outdoor boat display and visual exhibition titled “Sea Crafts: Blast from the Past!” and “A Visual Exhibition of Sea Sports in Singapore” at Stadium Riverside, before refreshments ended at 1pm. Through every stage of the festival, Emcee Ivan ensured a seamless flow, leaving the audience with a deeper appreciation of Singapore’s sea sports heritage and the enduring partnership between Sport Singapore and the Singapore Heritage Fest.