Celebrate all things Peranakan at Armenian Street Party: Peranakan Pasar, which returns on March 8 on an extended four-week run. This year, the festival's 8th edition will feature a unique tok panjang experience, kueh-inspired bouncy castle, and the iconic Peranakan afterparty on Armenian Street. There'll be tons of shopping and eating to do during a special night market too, so come with full wallets and empty stomachs.
For the full run of the festival, Armenian Street will be dressed up in vibrant outdoor installations. The first is Mari Kita Makan by famed muralist Yip Yew Cheong. His first foray into projection mapping, this animated illustration will light up the Peranakan Museum facade with scenes of people preparing and dining on Peranakan cuisine. Along the street, visitors will also find In-Kueh-Dibles, which are inflatable characters inspired by delicious Peranakan kuehs. Designed by the creative folks at Bunch of Monkeys, the installation is open for you to play with, bounce on, and take photos with.
During the Armenian Street Party opening weekend (March 8 to 10), dive into a world of Peranakan culture and cuisine at The Peranakan Pasar, a night market where you can sample modern and traditional Peranakan cuisine, rifle through cookbooks and home recipes, buy cultural collectibles, and watch cooking demonstrations. From 8pm onwards, roving theatrical performers from the Second Breakfast Company will take you on a journey along Armenian Street and into the Peranakan Museum – led by three lovable kuehs! Don't miss Afterparty: Peranakan Beats at 9pm, where you can immerse in the sounds of oud, the parai drum, and discover Peranakan classic songs with a group of senior singers.
There are more special programmes happening in conjunction with Armenian Street Party. Highlights include Spice Gallery Tours in collaboration with National Parks Board, which will take you through the heritage of the street – also the site of the very first botanical garden in Singapore. There is also Tok Panjang: A Communal Dining Experience, a full-blown immersion into Peranakan dining traditions that includes a specially curated menu, performances and antique dinnerware. Elsewhere, you can get hands-on at sambal-making workshops, kueh-making classes, Nyonya needlework lessons, and more.
Entry to Armenian Street Party: Peranakan Pasar is free, but selected activities and programmes require pre-registration. Find out more at nhb.gov.sg/peranakanmuseum/whatson/programmes.