JULY
From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience Current – 15 September Singapore’s history spans over 700 years, and as the centrepiece of commemoration, The Bicentennial Experience in 2019 will highlight key moments in Singapore’s evolution from 1299.
Beginning with the ‘Time Traveller’ at the Fort Canning Centre, individuals will be guided through an audio-visual experience, which is then followed by the ‘Pathfinder’, a free and easy experience comprising of interactive pavilions among the greenery of Fort Gate. www.bicentennial.sg
Packaging Matters: Singapore’s Food Packaging Story from the Early 20th Century at the National Museum of Singapore Current – 15 September Discover the world of food packaging in Singapore; dating from the early bottling and canning factories of the late 19th to the early 20th century, to the 60s and 70s when food was manufactured in factories. Prepare to feel a sense of nostalgia as you can learn about packaging through interactive points at this kid-friendly exhibition. www.nationalmuseum.sg/our-exhibitions/exhibition-list/packaging-matters
Rainforest Lumina Season 2 at Singapore Zoo Current – 9 February 2020 As night falls, Singapore Zoo will transform into an enchanted rainforest sending you on a multisensory experience. The one-kilometre night walk consists of 12 zones that are bound to excite guests of all ages! Tickets cost SG$18 for adults and SG$14 for children, excluding zoo admission. Rainforest Lumina runs daily from 7.30pm to 12.00am. rainforestlumina.wrs.com.sg/
“Disturbing Narratives” at The Parkview Museum Current – 8 February 2020 A new contemporary art exhibition titled ‘Disturbing Narratives’, is now on at The Parkview Museum in Parkview Square on North Bridge Road (sometimes referred to as ‘Gotham City’). More than 30 international artists have come up with thought-provoking and sometimes disturbing works which span painting, drawing, photography, video, sculpture and installation. The exhibition is meant to reflect empathy, sensibility and imaginative richness towards the complexity of life and history. www.parkviewmuseum.com/currentexhibition
Wonderland at ArtScience Museum Current – 22 September Fall down the rabbit hole and into ArtScience Museum’s Wonderland. This interactive, immersive and playful exhibition is one for all ages, celebrating Lewis Carroll’s timeless tale of Alice’s adventures. Using theatrical sets, bold, interactive environments, eye-catching props and amazing audio visual artworks, Wonderland spectacularly conjures up the surprising and magical world of Alice, and how filmmakers brought her to life. www.marinabaysands.com/museum/wonderland.html
Floating Utopias at ArtScience Museum Current – 29 September With the invention of hot air balloons, humanity was able to leave the confines of the ground for the first time and experience the world above. Floating Utopias explores how this pivotal invention shaped the way we understand the world and our place in it. It is a playful and poetic exhibition showcasing the history of inflatable objects through art, architecture and social activism. www.marinabaysands.com/museum/floating-utopias.html
Floral Fantasy at Gardens by the Bay Current – 2020 Floral Fantasy is the latest thematic attraction at Gardens by the Bay, where flowers, artistry and technology have come together to create a dream-like experience for visitors. Open from 9.00am-9.00pm daily the attraction comprises of four diverse garden landscapes, each showcasing a different concept, as well as a 4D ride. www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/en/attractions/floral-fantasy.html
Singapore Food Festival 12 – 28 July If there is one thing Singaporeans are truly passionate about, it is food. The Singapore Food Festival is an annual celebration of Singapore’s best local food and culinary talents with a variety of interesting and immersive experiences on offer. There’s plenty to eat, do and see including outdoor marquee events, food trucks, tours and workshops. www.visitsingapore.com/en_au/festivals-events-singapore/annual-highlights/singapore-food-festival
The 50 Cents Fest: Hokkien-Themed (Singapore Food Festival) 27 – 28 July Part of the Singapore Food Festival, The 50 Cents Fest: Hokkien-Themed will be running for its fourth consecutive year this July. Hokkiens make up the largest Chinese dialect group in Singapore, and to date, there has not been a large scale event focusing on the community. The festival will feature traditional Hokkien dishes, performances and street activities and visitors can learn about Singapore’s Hokkien cultures through fun installations. www.chinatownfoodstreet.sg/the-50-cents-fest
Food Festival in Little India (Singapore Food Festival) 19 – 28 July Indulge in the popular local Indian cuisines during this year’s ‘Food Festival in Little India’. This 10-day programme will include street food, masterclasses, cooking competitions, food trail, film projections, cultural performances, art demonstrations, and exhibitions of Little India in the 1960s-1970s. www.visitsingapore.com/en_au/festivals-events-singapore/annual-highlights/singapore-food-festival
International Champions Cup Singapore 20 – 21 July The best of European soccer comes to Singapore as the top clubs play against one another in Singapore in their pre-season. It’s a fantastic opportunity for fans to catch their favourite clubs and players in action in the flesh. www.visitsingapore.com/en_au/festivals-events-singapore/annual-highlights/international-champions-cup/
Aliwal Arts Night Crawl 13 July Held in Kampong Glam, Aliwal Arts Night Crawl is an annual multidisciplinary arts festival. Paying homage to the rich cultural heritage of Kampong Glam, the festival will feature curated programmes that fuse tradition and heritage with a contemporary edge. This will be presented through storytelling tours, performances, exhibitions, immersive workshops and a night market. www.facebook.com/AliwalArtsCentre
AUGUST
Singapore National Day 9 August Singapore celebrates its independence with the annual National Day Parade which includes a stunning spectacle of military processions, multicultural song-and-dance performances and aerial high jinks. Keep your eye on the sky for a kaleidoscopic firework display as we celebrate Singapore’s 54th birthday at Marina Bay. Expect to see the island decked out with red and white, including the national flag flying from buildings and apartment blocks all over the island. www.ndp.org.sg
Hungry Ghost Festival 15 August One of the best times of the year to experience local culture and observe traditional rites in Singapore is during the Hungry Ghost Festival. Believers regard this as a time when the gates of the underworld are opened to allow the spirits of deceased family members to roam the realm of the living. Locals make offerings of food and other goods as well as hold concerts in local neighbourhoods to appease the spirits throughout the seventh lunar month, which falls this year from 1 to 29 August. Joss sticks of incense are also burned at altars and offerings of ‘hell money’ burned in bins to appease wandering spirits. www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/hungry-ghost-festival.html
Singapore Night Festival Night lights: 23 – 31 August Performances: 29 – 31 August Turning 12 this year, this annual festival is held over two weekends celebrating the arts and Singapore’s rich cultural heritage. The night-time extravaganza is held in Singapore’s Museum District around Bras Basah and Bugis Precinct, offering free performances, light installations and a multitude of extra activities for all to enjoy when the sun goes down. www.nightfestival.sg Hari Raya Haji 11 August A festival observed by Muslims around the world to mark the end of the annual holy pilgrimage to Mecca. In Singapore the community celebrates with prayers, reflection and offering sacrifices for the less fortunate. www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/hari-raya-haji
Baybeats 23 – 25 August When it comes to the alternative music scene in Singapore, Baybeats is one of the heavy hitters. The annual music festival has run for more than 15 years, exposing us to a new crop of the city’s very own bands, along with emerging artists from around the region, every year. www.esplanade.com/festivals-and-series/baybeats
SEPTEMBER
Music Matters September In its 13th year, Asia’s leading independent music festival spreads across five days with a mix of rock, pop and hip hop. Playing at different venues across the city including CHIJMES and CANVAS, this music festival features a stellar line-up of musicians from around the world. musicmatters.asia/
Grand Prix Season Singapore 13 – 22 September The action is not just for those by the track, Grand Prix Season Singapore offers activities for everyone to join in the festivities and high-octane energy buzz happening in the city. Blockbuster concerts, star-studded parties and pop-up stores are just some of the happenings on offer. Each year scores of partygoers get involved in the eclectic range of off-track entertainment. www.visitsingapore.com/en_au/festivals-events-singapore/annual-highlights/grand-prix-season-singapore 2019 Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 20 – 22 September Still the only Formula One night street race in the world. Watch drivers of the highest calibre race across thrilling twists and turns to take the podium in Singapore against the backdrop of the city’s civic district. www.singaporegp.sg
Mid-Autumn Festival 13 September The Mid-Autumn Festival traditionally marked the end of the Autumn harvest in China, however it is also believed to be when the moon appears at its largest and brightest, being nearest to earth on this date. Generally observed during the entire eighth lunar month (this year happening from 30 Aug to 28 Sept), this is the month you’ll see the icons of the festival – lanterns, pomelos and mooncakes – everywhere. Mooncakes commemorate the time China threw off Mongol rule through the passing of secret messages of revolt within the cakes. Chinatown is the place to be for the best atmosphere, but mooncakes are sold everywhere across the island. www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/mid-autumn-festival/
OCTOBER
Deepavali 27 October Celebrated by Hindus across the world, Deepavali marks the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. In Singapore it is best experienced in Little India, where streets are transformed into a fantasyland of colourful arches and stunning lights as part of the annual Deepavali Light Up, night markets spring up to sell everything from food and clothes to jewellery and trinkets, and concerts and general revelry abound. www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/deepavali.html
NOVEMBER
Singapore Writers Festival 1 – 10 November Singapore Writers Festival presents the world’s major literary talents to Singaporeans while shining a spotlight on homegrown and Southeast Asian creative talents. Beginning in 1986, it is one of the few multilingual literary festivals in the world, celebrating the written and spoken word in Singapore’s four official languages – English, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil. www.singaporewritersfestival.com
Christmas on a Great Street Mid November – 1 January Becoming as famous as the street it’s on, stroll along Orchard Road and take in the festive sights of Christmas, as buildings are decorated with Christmas scenes and décor and the streets are strung with thousands of fairy lights to create a magical wonderland. Christmas On A Great Street is a magical, surreal world of fun, food and fashion with colourful displays of décor, designs and lights. www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/annual-highlights/christmas-light-up/
Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) 21 November – 1 December The longest-running film festival in Singapore, the festival was founded in 1987 and focuses on showcasing international films as well as providing a global platform for Singapore cinema and the region. sgiff.com/
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2019 29 November – 1 December Whether you’re a health buff or an adrenaline lover, the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (SCSM) is a great way to push both mind and body. The main event is a whopping 42.129km track looping around the main precinct of the city, or you can opt for the half marathon of 21.1km or a 5 and 10km fun run. singaporemarathon.com/
DECEMBER
Singapore Garden Festival (SGF) Orchid Show 7 – 15 December Organised by the National Parks Board (NParks), the Singapore Garden Festival’s 2019 editions are inspired by the city’s tropical horticulture. On the heels of the inaugural SGF Horticulture Show which took place in May comes the SGF Orchid Show. Orchid landscape displays and award-winning orchid plants will be showcased at the National Orchid Garden and other parts of the Singapore Botanic Gardens. www.singaporegardenfestival.com/SGF-Orchid-Show/Show-info
ZoukOut December Although commencing way back in 2000(!), ZoukOut is one of Asia’s longest running annual dance music festivals, and it has also come to be known as Asia’s largest dusk to dawn music beach festival too. Held on Sentosa’s Siloso Beach, it’s the ultimate go-to party for the latest beats, headlined by DJs from Singapore and around the globe. www.zoukout.com
Christmas Wonderland @ Gardens by the Bay December With 2019 as its successful fifth year, Singapore’s biggest yuletide fair – Christmas Wonderland – continues to delight visitors with a combination of magnificent light sculptures, charming festive markets and carnival games at a truly iconic location. If this wonderful display doesn’t put you in a festive mood, nothing will. www.christmaswonderland.sg/
Marina Bay Singapore Countdown 31 December Usher in the New Year at Marina Bay, Singapore’s annual iconic New Year’s Eve celebration. With a magnificent firework display and a spectacular orchestral music score, the stunning countdown is something you’re sure to remember for the rest of your life. www.marinabaycountdown.sg
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