The best things to do in Singapore this week (July 7-13)

Ready to feel good, inside and out? Glow Festival is lighting up Marina Bay Sands Event Plaza for nine days from July 5 to 13 with a jam-packed lineup of all things wellness. Think sunrise yoga sessions with a stunning view, high-energy barre and HIIT classes, soothing sound baths, craft workshops and even ice baths if you’re daring enough to take the plunge. Back for its fourth edition, this year’s Glow Festival is bigger than ever, with over 70 experiences curated by 26 wellness partners and 64 hosts, including folks like running queen Ling Er Choo, acclaimed yogi Dylan Werner and Australian sprinter Olivia May. Check out the Glow Festival website and event schedule to find out about ticket prices for classes. 

Singapore’s biggest booze bash is back with a bang and a pop. From July 11 to 13, CellarFiesta takes over Suntec Convention Centre with over 160 local and international brands, as well as more than 600 varieties of wine, sake and spirits to sample your way through. The best part? Entry is totally free – just be of legal drinking age and remember to drink responsibly. Look forward to fun, interactive booths, and a brand-new beer garden. And if you’re feeling peckish, refuel on fusion street eats like gourmet Korean corndogs and sushi tacos. Pro tip: arrive early – the first 500 guests each day get a goodie bag and whisky glass. Find out more here.

Over at Esplanade, all eyes and ears are on Singapore’s longest-running jazz affair, happening from July 1 to 31. This year’s edition pulls out all the stops for everyone to indulge in one of the smoothest, sexiest genres around. We’re talking over 120 performances by jazz legends and new-school cool cats alike, with everything from big band and swing to sultry fusion and contemporary grooves. New York maestro Johnny O’Neal brings classic swing and blues, while the award-winning Immanuel Wilkins Quartet keeps things fresh and fiery. And don't sleep on the dreamy duo Vuyo Sotashe and Chris Pattishall – these two are blurring lines with velvety vocals in the best way. These jazz geniuses are also running workshops, so you can pick up a few tricks of the trade. Whether you're a diehard jazzhead or just curious, there’s something for every mood, tempo, and taste.

Buy tickets here

The eighth edition of Sentosa GrillFest is firing things up once again from July 17 to August 10 (Fridays to Sundays only), bringing together over 35 sizzling F&B concepts, including 2024's People's Choice Award winners. Explore five themed zones: Local Grills, International Grills, Beachside Grills, GrillHouse, and Marketplace. Sink your teeth into flame-grilled Boston lobsters doused in garlic butter, juicy beef burgers, smoky steaks, tacos with a local twist, and even charred desserts. And while your taste buds are having a party, your eyes get a treat too – think golden seaside sunsets, groovy live tunes, and all-around good vibes served on the side. Entry is free – just bring your appetite and your beach best.

Ready to explore what’s next for you? Whether you’re planning a career switch, picking up new skills, or just curious about the options out there, SkillsFuture Festival is the perfect launchpad. From July 7 to August 18, the six-week festival brings over 100 events to locations across Singapore, from CBD roadshows to heartland pop-ups. Expect buzzing career fairs, hands-on workshops, immersive learning journeys, and one-on-one consults with the pros.  

The festival kicks off with the SkillsFuture Roadshow at VivoCity, followed by Skills Ignited: The AI & Digital Security Roadshow at Suntec, and Unlocking Opportunities in Cybersecurity at SMU. Interested in healthcare or early childhood? Swing by the Care Economy Jobs and Skills Fair at Toa Payoh Hub. You can also catch SFF@CDC events popping up across the heartlands. Explore the full list of programmes here.

Calling all footbal fans – Arsenal are up against Italian giants AC Milan and fellow Premier League side Newcastle United for what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest sporting events in Singapore this year: the Singapore Festival of Football. It all goes down at the iconic National Stadium, with two match days set for July 23 and 27.

Bonus for Gooners: Arsenal fans can get even closer to the action with an open training session on 25 July at the National Stadium – a rare behind-the-scenes peek at Mikel Arteta’s squad in full prep mode. Think drills, warm-ups, and maybe even a cheeky wave from your favourite player.

This July, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra is setting the stage for an unforgettable musical experience with not one, but two exciting concerts at the Esplanade Concert Hall. Expect soaring strings, world-class soloists, and the kind of spine-tingling moments you’ll be thinking about for weeks. 

First up on July 18 and 19, experience An Alpine Symphony In Images + Korngold Violin Concerto with violin wunderkind Daniel Lozakovich and a lush rendition of Strauss’ Alpine Symphony, complete with stunning visuals projected on screen. Then, on July 24 and 25, piano powerhouse Alexei Volodin takes the spotlight in Tchaikovsky’s thunderous Piano Concerto No. 1. Following which, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra performs Bruckner's richly layered Symphony No. 9 under Quantedge Music Director Hans Graf. Settle in and let the music carry you away.  

Get your tickets for An Alpine Symphony In Images + Korngold Violin Concerto here and Hans Graf & Alexei Volodin here.

You've listened to his music, including the hottest collaborations with some of the biggest names in the game, and now, alternative R&B singer, songwriter, and record producer James Blake is about to make his first-ever headline debut in Singapore on July 22 at The Star Theatre. The UK’s boundary-pushing artiste is renowned for blending soulful electronics with raw emotion, crafting a sound that’s uniquely his own. From the Mercury Prize-winning Overgrown to the Grammy-nominated Assume Form and Playing Robots Into Heaven, Blake’s artistry defies genres and expectations. Behind the scenes, he’s shaped iconic albums by Frank Ocean, Kendrick Lamar, and Beyoncé. This is your rare chance to witness one of music’s most magnetic outliers live. 

Enjoy the beauty of nature at the Sentosa Sunset Watch Party. Held at Palawan Beach, this free event invites sunset enthusiasts to admire the golden hues as the sun sets over the horizon. Visitors can also take part in wellness activities, and there will also be a sunset-themed photo exhibition and free photo printouts for guests.

The event runs every Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 8pm. 

What if we told you that you could walk among dinosaurs – all without a time machine? After touring the world in cities like Berlin and Toronto, the immersive dinosaur-themed exhibition Jurassic World: The Experience is roaring its way into Singapore and taking over Gardens by the Bay’s Cloud Forest with life-like dinosaur animatronics and interactive snippets throughout. We’re talking towering 8.5-metre-tall Brachiosaurus, a thrashing Tyrannosaurus Rex, and a petting zoo where you can interact with adorable baby dinosaurs.

Alliance Française de Singapour presents Ocean: Diving into the Unknown from now to August 30, 2025, showcasing the transformative journey beneath the sea’s surface. The exhibition explores France’s historical and scientific connections to the marine world, aiming to deepen awareness of the oceans’ fragile ecosystems and humanity’s collective responsibility for their protection. More details can be found here.

Set to open on July 23, 2025, the refreshed Singapore Oceanarium – the rebranded version of the former S.E.A. Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa – is three times larger than before, with 22 themed zones spotlighting different aspects of marine life. Visitors can explore everything from shallow waters to deep-sea habitats, as well as travel through time from prehistoric oceans to present-day waters. Other features include life-sized models of prehistoric sea creatures, a reconstruction of the whale fall ecosystem, and a massive 36-metre-wide screen projecting reef manta rays and zebra sharks gliding through.

Standard Bun, known for its fluffy dessert buns, is holding its first pop-up in Singapore at two locations: Suntec City and Bugis Junction. Expect to find over 25 flavours of dessert buns and the bakery’s famed house-aged maple butter ($2.90). Sounds delicious? Simply head down to Suntec City from June 4 to August 3, or Bugis Junction from June 10 to July 14.

If you missed the previous Wiggle Wiggle pop-up at Plaza Singapura, here’s your second chance to dive back into its colourful world. The South Korean lifestyle brand has teamed up with the Singapore Flyer from now till September 28, 2025, transforming five capsules with vibrant retro colours and Wiggle Wiggle’s signature motifs – think whimsical flowers and cute bears. Don’t forget to stop by the pop-up store at Level 1 to snag merchandise like stationery, accessories and apparel. More details can be found here.

Pop Air – Art is Inflatable by The Balloon Museum is set to blow us away, transforming Marina Bay Sands into a playground of giant inflatables, trippy lights, and interactive installations from June 7 to August 31, 2025. Hailing all the way from Rome, this immersive exhibition is packed with jaw-dropping installations, from towering inflatables that fill the space to delicate sculptures that redefine what air can do. Expect interactive and digital pieces that blur the lines between reality and imagination, proving that inflatable art is anything but full of hot air. Tickets are now available for purchase here.

The Gallery Children's Biennale returns to National Gallery Singapore from May 31, 2025 to March 29, 2026 for its fifth edition, themed Tomorrow We'll Be.... Coinciding with the Gallery’s 10th anniversary and Singapore’s 60th birthday, this year’s event invites visitors to explore the possibilities of their future through the values of joy, kindness, dream and love. Families can look forward to eight immersive and multi-sensory installations by local and international artists, alongside a series of engaging programmes designed to inspire creativity and reflection.

Local creative community GOFY presents Melting Thresholds, a group exhibition spotlighting four emerging Southeast Asian artists – Shu and Money Wang from Malaysia, Nina Sach from Thailand, and Jaeyyelle from Singapore. Running from May 17 to September 14, 2025 at Sweet Cheeks, the show explores dreamlike spaces through a series of quirky artworks that reflect on identity, memory, and transformation. The exhibition also features limited-edition gelato flavours by Sweet Cheeks, and all artworks are available for purchase on-site. 

Step through a vine-covered entrance and into the realm of Wonders of Nature, the New Art Museum Singapore's newest kid-friendly exhibition that highlights the significance of the natural world. Featuring works by eight international artists including Yayoi Kusama and Go Yayanagi, the exhibition unfolds across five sections, each offering interactive artworks and immersive projections that bring the beauty of nature to life through art.

National Gallery Singapore’s latest show highlights the journeys of influential Asian artists like Foujita Tsuguharu, Georgette Chen, and Liu Kang, who brought their unique cultural backgrounds to Paris at the height of its modern art movement. The exhibition uncovers how their personal stories and heritage shaped their work, leaving a lasting mark on Paris’s art scene and influencing the course of modern art. 

The stunning Gardens by the Bay is set to get even more magical this festive season. For the first time in Singapore, all your Disney and Pixar favourites are coming to life at the floral wonderland’s new Garden of Wonder showcase. As you stroll through Gardens by the Bay’s Floral Fantasy, you’ll be greeted by eight stunning themed topiaries featuring lovable characters like Winnie the Pooh, Ariel and Flounder from The Little Mermaid, and Mike and Sulley from Monsters, Inc. Get in on the magic here.

Held at Resorts World Sentosa, the Singapore edition of Harry Potter: Visions of Magic promises to be even bigger and better, with an additional 10,000 square feet of space for even more magical moments to unfold. Step into familiar scenes from the Potterverse including the Room of Requirement, Newt’s Menagerie, Ministry of Magic, and more, as special interactive technology and multimedia elements are weaved with captivating soundscapes to bring enchantment to us muggles. With realistic replicas of what you see in the movies, along with eye-catching illuminations, there are sure to be a ton of photo-worthy opportunities. Find out more here.

Batik, a timeless art form and symbol of Southeast Asian heritage, takes centre stage at the Peranakan Museum. This captivating exhibition shines a spotlight on the creative and entrepreneurial journeys of three remarkable Peranakan women from the bustling port city of Pekalongan, Indonesia. Meet Nyonya Oeij Soen King, her daughter-in-law Nyonya Oeij Kok Sing, and granddaughter Jane Hendromartono, each a batik master in her own right. Discover their inspiring stories through about 200 objects, including cherished family heirlooms and 60 stunning batik pieces from the 1890s to the 1980s. You can also explore batik’s evolution through time at the interactive stations. Then take a fun mobile quiz to uncover your personal batik style and score an exclusive bookmark to take home. Keep an eye out for exciting pop-up performances, hands-on craft activities, and engaging curator tours during your visit.