The best things to do in Singapore in July

Singapore’s going green, and the youth are leading the charge. Happening on October 24 and 25 at Dhoby Ghaut Green, Earthopia Fest is the city’s first-ever youth-led sustainability festival – and it’s anything but preachy. Instead, you'll find a variety of fun hands-on workshops on climate action and circular living, from upcycling old threads and reducing kitchen waste to crafting digital content that actually makes people care. Between wellness sessions, live gigs featuring local stars like Benjamin Kheng, Island Voices, Estelle Fly, and DJ Hammy, and a feel-good market of local eco-brands, Earthopia turns sustainability into a proper lifestyle flex. It’s free to enter, but you’ll want to grab that $30 coupon book (worth $50) to eat, shop, and do good all weekend long.

With the sad closure of The Projector, it's become more important than ever to engage with independent films in Singapore. That's just one reason to attend the Perspectives Film Festival, Singapore's longest-running student-led film festival. Other reasons? Seven great international films cohering to the theme of "Tradition and Modernity", featuring gems like The Wiz (1978), a reimagining of the Tony award-winning musical based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; and icons like Farewell My Concubine (1993), a lush 4K restoration that journeys into the lives of two Peking opera performers amidst the politics of 20th-century China. From landmark Japanese techno-horror to documentaries on repatriation, this edition of Perspectives will tickle your brain like no other. 

Love Parasite and Train to Busan? Discover more Korean films at the Korean Film Festival, taking place at Golden Village Suntec City and *Scape from October 16 to 26.

This year’s edition marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Korea, inviting audiences to experience the creativity and depth of Korean storytelling through a curated line-up of films. Screenings are free with registration, with featured titles including No Other Choice, Hear Me: Our Summer, Victory, Three Sisters, One Win, Yadang: The Snitch, Somebody, By The Stream and Victory. There’ll also be a special outdoor screening of The Classic at *Scape, great for enjoying a film under the open sky. 

Heartware Store & Gallery is back with another delightful exhibition, Souvenirs by Dutch artist duo We Are Out of Office. Comprised of Winneke de Groot and Felix van Dam, We Are Out of Office is known for turning familiar, everyday objects into colourful collectibles: think vibrant riso prints, sculptures, and objects.

For Souvenirs, they've made things more engaging, crafting interactive machines, such a gachapon machine, ramen vending machine, and even a new piece called "Joo Chiat Road" as an homage to Heartware Store & Gallery's neighbourhood. These sit alongside limited-edition silkscreen prints, charming risograph postcards of packaging designs, and wooden blocks inspired by vintage goods. In the spirit of the exhibition, take home a souvenir to share with loved ones: custom car fresheners, cups, pins, keychains and more.

Turn up the volume, because W Singapore – Sentosa Cove is bringing the brand’s global live music series W Presents to Singapore for the very first time on October 25 – and it’s about to be electric. In celebration of the resort’s dazzling transformation, including 240 newly redesigned rooms and suites, it's set to morph into a pulsating stage where global beats meet island vibes, headlined by Pippi Ciez. The Bali-based DJ and producer is famed for his soulful, tribal-infused house sets – think deep grooves, live drums, and serious dancefloor magic. He’ll be joined by homegrown favourites Mintea and RPDM, plus DJ Aslan, who’ll keep the party going till the early hours. Consider this your sign to swap the city skyline for Sentosa sands, and dance till the sun comes up.

Come chill out with friends, family, and furkids at East Coast Commune's 5th Anniversary Pop-Up, featuring charming local brands, delicious food and coffee, and exciting giveaways. Shop for pet goods, ceramics, handmade jewellery, ice cream, and delicious bakes from brands like TOTTO&CO., Indoor Outdoor, Frikin Guds, and Allpress Espresso Singapore; or chill out at the picnic area with menu specials from East Coast Commune's booth. Become an indelible part of East Coast Commune's special day by contributing to its birthday mural, too, or take home a special memento from the day at a photo booth set-up by Standard Photo Studio. There'll be special birthday giveaways throughout the day, so stick around.  

India's Pink City, Jaipur, comes alive amidst a field of sunflowers at Sunflower Surprise, a dazzling new showcase at Gardens by the Bay's Flower Dome. Walk through rows and rows of these cheery flowers, featuring common yellow varieties and unique red and brown blooms, some reaching up to 1.8 metres tall. Spot the marigolds filling out the display – that is, if you can tear your eyes away from three installations: a recreation of the red-and-pink Hawa Mahal palace, the ancient Amer Stepwell, and the colourful Patrika Gate. Presented in collaboration with the High Commission of India in Singapore, this showcase will make you want to book a ticket to the UNESCO World Heritage City asap. 

Fans of The Little Prince and French animation in general will be delighted by the Animation Nation, running from October 10 to 19. Presented by the Singapore Film Society and the Institut Francais, this celebration of animated storytelling features screenings of A Magnificent Life, Songbird’s Secret, Ernest and Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia, Maya, Give Me a Title, and Heart of Darkness. 

While these films are great for the little ones, their imaginative stories and beautiful visuals will charm adults too, making it a great outing for the whole family. After selected screenings, there’ll also be hands-on workshops where you can create your own artwork inspired by the films and bring home a one-of-a-kind keepsake.

Presented by local wellness platform Half, the Museum of Hidden Objects and Feelings invites you to pause and reconnect with the quieter parts of yourself. The exhibition unfolds across eight interactive booths, showcasing personal items like sketchbooks and childhood keepsakes – each carrying the emotions and memories of its owner. Through these everyday objects, the museum highlights how things can anchor meaning and spark connection, whether you relate to someone else’s story or see your own experiences in a new light. Visitors can also contribute: upload a photo and short write-up of your chosen object, anonymously if you wish.

Back for its eighth edition, Women in Film and Photography at Objectifs takes on the theme What We Carry – unpacking self-identity, belonging and the memories we hold (or need to let go of). Artists from across Asia bring intimate works drawn from lived experiences, inviting audiences to reflect on the weight of personal histories. Screenings include A Quiet Load, Camp! Along the Mekong River, and Carnival of Solitude: The World of Qiu Miaojin. Beyond film, dive into workshops on paper-crafting and map-making, or join masterclasses in visual storytelling where you can even develop your own photo book.

Step into the world of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) at Healing Heritage, an exhibition tracing its roots from 19th-century medical halls to its role in everyday Singapore life today. Split across five thematic zones, it spotlights milestones in TCM’s history – from community-run clinics to charitable institutions offering affordable care. It looks into the present and future too, exploring how digital diagnostic tools and halal-certified products are modernising this age-old practice. With archival materials, recreated settings and immersive displays, the exhibition celebrates TCM as both a cultural legacy and a living, evolving tradition that continues to heal and connect communities.

For the fourth edition of Crack the Case, The Dreamcatcher follows Kamil Noor, a scientist in the fictional city of Ikanpura, who becomes a prime suspect after a device he planted at an undisclosed location.

This immersive mystery experience is a fun way to bond with your friends while racing against the clock, as it fuses theatre with escape-room elements, inviting audiences to solve puzzles, uncover clues and piece together Kamil’s plans before time runs out. Don’t expect to sit back and watch the action unfold onstage, as everyone is encouraged to move around the theatrical set, explore the cinematic space and interact with the environment.

Step into a radical vision of the future at the ArtScience Museum, where Another World Is Possible is on display from September 13, 2025 to February 22, 2026. The exhibition presents a distinctly Singaporean perspective on what lies ahead, emphasising environmental pragmatism, careful planning and a sense of responsibility for the world to come. This ethos is reflected throughout the exhibition’s architecture, design and artworks.

Highlights include pieces by filmmaker and speculative architect Liam Young, alongside works from both international and local creatives such as Björk, Torlarp Larpjaroensook, Osbourne Macharia, Ong Kian Peng, Jakob Kudsk Steensen, Ming Wong and others, offering a thought-provoking exploration of how art and design imagine possible futures.

Mahjong, congkak, Go...there innumerable Asian games we're sure are part of your fondest childhood memories. This September, the Asian Civilisations Museum is exhibiting Let's Play! The Art and Design of Asian Games, which takes a look at how these games, whether sporty or strategic, have evolved and shaped communities and traditions over time. Explore more than 150 games, and actually try them out at interactive installations. There'll be fun outdoor set-ups and talks and programmes throughout the exhibitions long run, too (until June 7, 2026). 

In the Ether: A Festival of Quantum Science and Technology invites visitors to dive into the fascinating world of quantum mechanics and explore how this invisible science shapes the future. Held at the ArtScience Museum, the exhibition combines installations, performances, talks and interactive programmes to make this complex field accessible to all.

Visitors can discover real artefacts from research labs that reveal the behaviours of light and matter, watch immersive audio-visual presentations that narrate experimental particle physics, and experience animations exploring different perceptions of time. With its blend of science and art, the exhibition offers a rare chance to see quantum science come to life in various artistic ways.

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.