The best things to do in September 2026

Shanghai-based lifestyle market Common Rare makes its overseas debut at Suntec City Convention Hall with over 100 independent Asian brands. Shop clothing, homeware, toys and eco-friendly accessories from regional labels like Malaysia’s Anaabu, Thailand’s Japfac, and Indonesia’s Stooli, alongside homegrown faves including Epilogue Fragrances and Cruddy. The pet-friendly market also features live performances, interactive workshops, and plenty of local eats.

Trade your usual aquarium walkthroughs for a glowing marine adventure at Into the Glowcean, happening at Singapore Oceanarium from September 5 to November 1. Dive into a sea of neon installations, glowing marine-life sculptures and family-friendly Halloween fun, with hands-on workshops and live performances adding extra sparkle. Get up close with sea jellies, try your hand at light painting, catch an LED violin performance or take home a manta ray lantern as a luminous keepsake. 

And if you’re looking for a night out with a little more bass, don’t miss Silent Disco: Deep Blue Beats on September 19 – the Oceanarium’s first-ever silent disco. From 8pm to 11pm, slip on wireless headphones, switch between three live DJ channels and dance among marine life. 

Oceanarium tickets start from $55 for adults and $43 for children and seniors, while Silent Disco: Deep Blue Beats costs $55 separately, including access to selected zones and one complimentary drink. Get yours here.

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Spanning 48 bands over four days, Baybeats returns with a massive free lineup featuring homegrown favourites Subsonic Eye, Disco Hue and The Observatory alongside international rockers like Japan’s Boris. Genres range from rock and rap to ambient and disco. Gearheads can explore an 18-vendor marketplace for pedals and instruments, while creative heads can join a hands-on album artwork badge workshop.

Sisterhood can be beautiful, but sometimes it can get complicated – and pretty messy, too. Co-directed by Haresh Sharma and Adib Kosnan, 3 Queens navigates the chaotic realities of female friendship, adulthood and betrayal among three lifelong friends. Presented by The Necessary Stage, this moving local play stars Munah Bagharib, Siti Khalijah Zainal and Siti Hajar Gani. Don't miss the exclusive post-show dialogues on September 4 and 11, with tickets eligible for SG Culture Pass credits.

Make a night of it with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as conductor Vasily Petrenko leads a star-studded programme at Esplanade Concert Hall on September 18 and 19. Cellist Gautier Capuçon joins the orchestra for Saint-Saëns’s much-loved Cello Concerto No. 1, while the Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir brings a joyful energy to Arvo Pärt’s Our Garden, a cantata written for children’s choir and orchestra. The evening then takes a dramatic turn with Shostakovich’s powerful Fourth Symphony, closing this sweeping programme of choral, concerto and symphonic music. Tickets start from just $15 and can be redeemed with your SG Culture Pass, so you can get your classical music fix without breaking the budget. Get your tickets here.

The Nordic Film Festival returns to Filmhouse with a diverse cinematic lineup from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Highlights include an award-winning documentary on Iceland’s 1975 women’s strike and the closing film The Last Viking – a darkly comic thriller starring Mads Mikkelsen and Nikolaj Lie Kaas as estranged brothers searching for forgotten stolen loot.

The Singapore River Festival celebrates its 10th edition across three distinct riverfront zones. Catch street performances, Samba Masala percussion beats and shophouse light projections at Boat Quay, dance troupes and flash mobs at Clarke Quay, or head to Robertson Quay for movies under the stars, calming light installations, and a family-friendly social market.

Spooky season hits Resorts World Sentosa with Universal Studios Singapore's 14th Halloween Horror Nights, featuring four haunted houses including a creepy karang guni store. Beyond the scares, check out interactive F1 racing simulators at WEAVE, MAC Cosmetics' fright night pop-up, or head to Singapore Oceanarium’s first-ever silent disco party surrounded by glowing marine habitats.

Ever wondered what Singapore looks like through the eyes of those helping to care for our homes? Unspoken Life offers a rare look at Singapore through the eyes of migrant domestic workers. Presented by non-profit Aidha at Objectifs, the three-day photography exhibition shares intimate moments, quiet triumphs and personal journeys through curated images taken by the workers themselves, creating a platform for them to share their creative voices.

Need a reason to get caffeinated? Founded by coffee pioneers Leon Foo and Will Leow, Another Coffee Festival brings more than 30 speciality roasters from Asia and Europe to Guoco Tower Urban Park. Taste brews from international names like Norway’s Fuglen and Japan’s Coffee County alongside 19 local roasters, featuring limited-edition drinks, token tasting flights, and live artwork by Moonsub Shin.