There’s possibly no one in the world who loves their job more than Angelia Ang.
At least, that’s the impression we get not 10 minutes into our chat with the 46-year-old Singaporean, who heads the Fans & Community Engagement (FCE) team at The Kallang Group.
“The what team?” you may ask. Well, Angelia is more than happy to elaborate. And from the way she can’t stop smiling and gesturing animatedly, you’d think she was talking about her favourite film or last holiday, rather than what she does for a living.
In a nutshell, the FCE team focuses on connecting people with the experiences at The Kallang. Their work spans fan engagement, community outreach, event promotion, and gathering insights that help shape what visitors enjoy next.
“After 28 years of experience, I recognise that it’s no longer just about organising events, but trying to connect with the community and engage with their culture,” explains Angelia, who has worked across international sport, fashion, and lifestyle productions since her early days of helping out at her uncle’s event house.
Her colleagues, however, are quick to point out that she is far too modest to boast about her team’s impact. One tells us that without the FCE crew, Swifties wouldn’t have enjoyed the free friendship bracelet-making kiosks during Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ last year — an idea that came from Angelia and her team.
Image courtesy of The Kallang
She explains that they began studying how Swifties behaved and what they valued, which led to suggestions such as the bracelet-making stations, transforming the former Sports Hub Library into a disco-themed space, and setting up a parents’ corner so adults had a comfortable place to wait for their children.
Even those without tickets — the so-called “Cat 100 fans” who gathered outside the National Stadium — had dedicated spaces to hang out in, making the area feel safe, lively, and welcoming throughout the night.
And it’s not just concerts that get this level of attention. At last month’s Singapore Regatta WaterFest, held in collaboration with the Singapore Dragon Boat Association, the team introduced Singapore’s first-ever night dragon boat race at the Kallang Basin.
Image courtesy of The Kallang
Beyond the races, they curated a slate of engaging fringe activities from mini dragon boat craft workshops to themed photo booths, keeping families and paddlers entertained between intervals.
“At the end of the day, what makes the FCE team so essential is that we are not just working behind the scenes. We are right there with the crowd, making sure every event is something people can connect with,” she says. “Our aim is creating meaningful opportunities for people of all ages to come together and strengthen their connection with this space.”
Even on quieter days, Angelia doesn’t really ‘switch off’. After work, she’ll take a stroll around The Kallang precinct, and if she spots a club, a gathering, or even just an interesting hobby happening along the waterfront, she’ll stop to ask what they’re up to — and whether The Kallang Group can support them.
That’s how she ended up getting to know the running groups that show up like clockwork every Friday. And the mums who run kids’ flea markets, who were later given an official space at The Kallang Group events. And the youth dance crew that practises the Wotagei dance with glow-in-the-dark light sticks, who eventually found themselves performing on stage at larger showcases.
Animals aren’t left out either. Noticing the number of dog walkers — and an uncle strolling around with parrots — she began connecting with them, too. Before long, The Kallang was hosting a record-breaking gathering of pet birds in 2024, followed this year by the largest gathering of corgis and golden retrievers in Singapore.
Image courtesy of The Kallang
Her outreach also stretches beyond The Kallang itself. For Harmony Fest!, Angelia went around to community centres introducing herself to kick-start collaborations. And for the National Day event Majulah Music Hub in 2024, she connected with local artists like Benjamin Kheng and MICappella to put together a showcase that drew a solid singalong crowd.
And that enthusiasm doesn’t stop at planning. Angelia shows up to almost every event she’s worked on simply because she loves seeing how people experience the space. Her passion is so infectious that some of her team members now volunteer to run programmes outside their official work days, too.
Image courtesy of The Kallang
“My energy comes from the love for what I’m doing,” she grins.
The team’s passion naturally extends to the people they plan for: the fans themselves.
“There’s this incredible sense of pride in Singapore,” Angelia says. And it’s not just during the big moments, like global artistes’ stadium tours where fans turn up fully dressed to theme or even launch their own content channels. It shows up in the everyday ones, too, like the Experience Sports sessions that have literally made leisure runners pause mid-jog to join in.
“What continues to surprise me, in the best way, is how fans here are always finding new ways to express that pride,” she beams. “Their passion is active, and it’s contagious.”
Source: The Kallang on Facebook
The diversity of the crowd is something she cherishes as well. Three generations of a family standing shoulder to shoulder is a common sight, and just a few steps away, complete strangers might be bonding over a chant, a goal, or a burst of excitement they didn’t expect to share.
“That blend of unity and individuality is something truly special,” she says. “Fan engagement isn’t about orchestrating a crowd. It’s about honouring a community.”
One of Angelia’s biggest projects right now is Countdown 2026 at The Kallang, a massive year-end celebration that the FCE team has been working on for months.
This year, visitors can look forward to free community activations across the precinct, plus Singapore’s longest New Year’s Eve fireworks display of the year — a 35-minute spectacle unfolding across four chapters over the Kallang Basin.
Image courtesy of The Kallang
Over at Stadium Roar, the Countdown 2026 Concert will feature a heavyweight line-up, including K-pop kings Super Junior, Chinese vocalist Cheng Huan, as well as home-grown favourites like Benjamin Kheng, Tabitha Nauser, and Iman Fandi.
Image courtesy of SM Entertainment
S$10 tickets for the concert sold out almost immediately, and Beach Club tickets, which offered exclusive fireworks views and a private hospitality experience, have also been snapped up.
But there’s still plenty for everyone else. Festive picnic boxes (S$50 for two) are still available for pre-order, and the free community programming remains open to all visitors. That includes live concert screenings at OCBC Square and the Water Sports Centre, where crowds can enjoy the performances without needing a ticket.
OCBC Square is also where families can head for puppet shows, a kids’ mass dance party, and a ‘Shimmer and Shine Zone’ packed with bubble-popping fun, plus a performance by rising singer-songwriter WhyLucas.
Visitors can drop by pop-up glam bars for glitter tattoos, face painting, and hair beading to complete their countdown #OOTDs, while colourful countdown processions and roving acts add extra sparkle throughout the night.
It all circles back to what Angelia and the FCE team have been championing all along: creating moments that stay with people long after the confetti has settled. And this year, there’s an extra reason to remember the countdown.
To dial up the excitement, The Kallang Group has introduced The Kallang Pass, a coveted pass that gives two people access to a line-up of events at the National Stadium and Singapore Indoor Stadium throughout 2026. Anyone aged 18 and above who attends Countdown 2026 at The Kallang stands a chance to win.
It also arrives at a defining moment for the precinct. With its refreshed identity as The Kallang, the destination is stepping confidently into a new chapter focused on more diverse, accessible programmes for everyone, and on breathing new life into its spaces in ways that feel vibrant, inclusive, and unmistakably Singaporean.
And Countdown 2026 at The Kallang is only the start. It offers a glimpse of what The Kallang hopes to ignite in the years ahead, a place where people of all ages can gather, celebrate, and, as Angelia puts it, “feel connected”. From here on out, visitors can look forward to many more experiences they’ll rave about just as enthusiastically as Angelia talks about her work.
For more information on Countdown 2026 at The Kallang, visit the official website, and remember to follow The Kallang on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest updates.
Also read: S’pore Sports Hub is now The Kallang, with revamped mall & new sports facilities by 2028
This post was brought to you in collaboration with The Kallang Group.
Featured image by MS News. Photography by Matin Hakam.