The best things to do in Singapore this week (June 17-23)

Let your imagination run wild at StoryFest. The annual festival celebrates the various styles, repertoire and cultural arts from Singapore and around the world through the power of storytelling. See the life of Frida Kahlo unfold through a special performance, catch a theatrical retelling of the ancient epic tale about the Sumerian king Gilgamesh, and sit tight for a night of magical myths from North America, Scotland, Brazil and Italy. Families can also gather around The Storyteller's Fire, immerse in Jungle Adventures, and indulge in a musical storytelling experience.

Explore your artistic side at this family-friendly art festival held in Singapore's largest arts enclave, Goodman Arts Centre. Themed 'Music, Dance and Play', this one-day festival has over 20 different workshops ranging from music jamming programmes and interactive dance performances to storytelling sessions and chime-making workshops. There are also music and dance performances to enjoy in between workshops and an art and food marketplace to grab some bits, bobs and bites. 

Get yourself a mystery tattoo at the ink station where tattoo artists Lionel Ng, Lee Wai Leng, and Yin are inking shoppers on a first-come-first-served basis. Otherwise, get a temporary but hyper-realistic tattoo from artists at Out & Ink, and a live tattoo showcase if you're not ready to go all out. All this is soundtracked with live music performances by The Moon House, Genesis Keefer and YanHui. There is also a live mural showcase by local urban artist, ARAIKREVA, and whimsical doodles by Paintinks by Melt to amp up the atmosphere.

Brew, an original music initiative by Darker Than Wax and Papa Palheta, returns bigger than ever this June. A testament to how collaborations with arts, music and design can help drive sustainable businesses, this supersized block party edition sees quality staples of coffee, craft beers and delectable dishes on sale, as well as a visual projection of Jalan Besar's architecture by film production house Fourthree. There's also a music line-up for the day, featuring local artists, like Funk Bstrd and Rah, as well as special guest DJ Unos, hailing from Belgium. 

Featuring over 50 breweries, brands such as KOSÉ, and other F&B companies, the seventh and largest edition of Sake Festival Singapore has loads to offer. You can sample more than 460 different sake and Japanese liquors, and fill your tummy with authentic Japanese dishes cooked up on the spot by well-known Japanese restaurants in Singapore like Yatagarasu, Nirai-Kanai, Kajiken and Kamoshita. An exciting programme – Wanko Soba Eating Challenge – where participants eat as many bowls of Wanko Soba within a time limit set and the one with the highest number of bowls eaten wins, also awaits you. 

Wag the Dog Theatre's ensemble returns to stage this summer with Paula Vogel's ground-breaking and critically acclaimed play How I Learned to Drive. Directed by Warren Baumgart Jr., this Pulitzer Prize-winning drama focuses on a young woman's experience of childhood trauma and her various attempts to steer to a safer path to adulthood. It also explores taboo themes which are brought to light and life with humour and sensitivity through Vogel's writing. 

Take your loved ones to this year's Hari Raya Open House for a weekend of fun-filled activites, such as free craft workshops, cooking demonstrations, live music, and dance performances. Enjoy movie nights under the stars with the whole fam too, where a range of comedy films and Malay classics are screened.

From June 15 to 30, stretch your imagination at the world of TRANSPORTA: Gooey Oozy Madness! Embark on a multi-sensorial adventure at Gardens by the Bay where you can treat your senses to interactive light installations and jump around on trampolines.

As the saying goes – gotta catch 'em all. Close that Pokémon Go app and fulfill your dreams of being a Pokémon trainer IRL by surrounding yourself with over 400 Alola Pokémon – including a parade of dancing Pickachus – at Sentosa Cove Village. If you know your Jigglypuffs to your Wigglytuffs, this is one giant Pokémon bash you don't want to miss.

Admire and smell the roses as you stroll through this floral display set in a romantic European garden in the Flower Dome. Showcasing over 40 types that are rarely seen in this part of the world, look forward to exclusive roses brought in from English and French rose nurseries with storied histories, such as Princess Anne – a fragrant, deep pink rose named for British royalty – and Lady of Shalott, which bears the name of the classic Tennyson poem and produces stunning salmon-pink blooms. While at it, learn about the rich heritage and variety of this well-loved flower, including cultivars that do not resemble the conventional rose.

Experience the opulence and reverence of tradition and heritage as 29 stunning embroidered masterworks by China's foremost couturière, Guo Pei, awaits you at this exhibition. On display are her dramatic, sculptural gowns reflecting influences from growing up in Beijing surrounded by Chinese imperial art and mythology, as well as expressing her personal take on contemporary fashion and aesthetics. As this exhibition showcases a dialogue between historical and contemporary Chinese design, you can expect Guo Pei's creations to be juxtaposed with 20 Chinese art pieces in the Asian Civilisations Museum's collection too.

From a pop-up fragrance atelier and crafting sessions with master perfumer Douglas Little atelier to a scent-based dining experience, Sansiri is hosting something mega at Siri House Dempsey.

Calling all diehard Godzilla fans! Celebrate the return of the king of monsters on the big screen with a trip down to this special exhibition. Witness Godzilla in all his shapes and forms on display, where over 500 Godzilla Sofubi toys including rare ones like the DesuGoji series from renowned toy manufacturer, Marmit, are featured. Also, don't miss the unboxing session of exclusive items from a private collection, courtesy of Mr Jeran who owns one of the largest private Godzilla Sofubi collections in Southeast Asia. Catch special guest Kazumitsu Akamatsu, president of Marmit, gracing this event too.

Keep your little ones busy with fun educational programmes at Apple. Led by Apple Creative Pros, kids of all ages are encouraged to explore their creativity through hands-on projects ranging from coding to art and design. They can create a track with GarageBand, design a dream park with iPad, program robots, and direct their own movie. There's also a one-off event series to look forward to – the Little Big Ideas. The young 'uns can discover new skills in art, photography, coding, writing and more.

Yim Maline's first solo exhibition in Singapore sees 12 mixed media works comprising eight wall-bound cardboard and paper works, and four tissue paper sculptures. They reflect and revolve around life in motion, the cycle of birth and rebirth, living and death. Gaze at her creations as she introduces her unique 'decomposition' aesthetics of amorphous and biomorphic shapes and forms across various mediums which effectively encapsulates her reflections on the interconnectedness of all matter.

Take a gander at a series of new drawings and puppet sculptures by Indonesian artist Iwan Effendi, including faces that appear in an almost unemotional and reserved state, giving room for his characters to project and express their narratives to viewers in countless of creative ways. As a visual artist, Iwan brings puppetry characters to life with their individual narratives and emotions. Intrigued? Witness him and Ria Tri Sulistyani take the stage with their puppet characters on June 8. 

Featuring a sand-filled lounge, palm trees, canabas, food and drinks, and an outdoor cinema, Bugis Junction and Bugis+ is the place to be for all the summer vibes. Unwind with a delectable selection of party foods ranging from Western and Japanese to fusion, cooked up by highly-raved The Swag Social, Rollet, and Doughboys. Then splash some cash at retail booths Havaianas, Fresh by Grace, and Vintagewknd. Don't miss the outdoor movie screenings of Marvel Cinematic Universe blockblusters, including Avengers: Infinity War, and family-friendly films like Beauty and the Beast – note: movie passes are available on a first-come-first-served basis. And on weekend evenings, be serenaded under the stars by talented homegrown musicians Benny and Allie.

Delve further into Singapore’s past with a two-part showcase at the historic Fort Canning Park. Time Traveller is a cinematic experience that takes you through 700 years of history with five multimedia shows. While Pathfinder is a free-and-easy experience that presents Singapore’s journey from past to present through eight interactive pavilions and installations.

Beat the summer heat at Adventure Cove Waterpark's Splash Bash where a whole slew of thrilling activities – think exciting riddles and physical challenges at the Adventure River and Bluewater Bay, and participating in a water-filled battleground to win attractive prizes – await you. Need to update the 'gram with pictures to commemorate this day? Don't miss the whimsical photo zone featuring larger-than-life decorations of tantalising ice cream cones, icy popsicles and an ice-cream see-saw. 

Take the kiddos on an art adventure through National Gallery Singapore. This year’s Children’s Biennale features 11 interactive artworks by local and international artists. Let your little hitmakers create their very own tunes at Chance Operations or embark on an experiential journey across time and space at Stardust: Soaring Through the Sky’s Embrace.

It's claws-galore at Lime Restaurant as Lobsterfest returns by popular demand. Shellfish lovers can indulge in a medley of tantalising lobster dishes which features lobsters au natural – think a whole Boston lobster alongside live prawns, black mussels and golden clams – and grilled lobsters drizzled with sauces like sambal and Thai hollandaise. Look forward to lobsters cooked in a variety of Southeast Asian flavours too, such as lobster with Singapore chili sauce and baby lobster laksa noodles. If you want to try something new, get yourself a plate of the roti john with minced lobster meat and braised lobster with ginger and onion.

Curated by Zaki Razak, Repeat, Repeat, Repeat; revising the phenomenon of printing marks the second edition of The Private Museum's Guest Curator Series. This group exhibition features works of printmaking in different forms by seven artists including Miguel Chew, Weixin Chong, Mona Choo, Urich Lau, Nadiah Oh, Shin-Yong Park and Shih Yun Yeo. As you gaze at their works on display, understand how each of them revisits and redefines the history of printing through exploring an array of techniques and elements, which includes a range of topics like urban culture in the digital age, science and spirituality, robotics and ink, as well as biblical art.

Enliven your Orchard experience with an all-new roving pop-up concept, NAO (Night at Orchard). Happening every first weekend of the month along the stretch between ION Orchard and Ngee Ann City, expect a showcase of talents across fashion, arts, dining, and music. Highlights include culinary offerings by popular brands like Old Chang Kee and Michelin-starred restaurant Shisen Hanten by Chen Kentaro, shopping options with the likes of up-and-coming brands such as oasis:skin and Indigo Culture, and busking performances from NoonTalk artiste Gavin Teo, One Moment of Glory winner Jill-Marie Thomas, and popular indie acts like Codie Loh, Raphael Leong and Yeo Ming Jun.   

Stop and smell the beautiful orchids like Phalaenopsis bellina and Maxillaria tenuifolia at Gardens by the Bay's newest orchid display in the Cloud Forest, Scentsational Orchids. Learn about the different scent each type produces, and take in the sweet and intense fragrance of the massive floral display.

Delve into the world of food packaging in Singapore, dating from the early bottling and canning factories in the late 19th to early 20th centuries to the light industries in the 60's and 70's when food was manufactured in factories. Prepare to feel a sense of nostalgia as the kid-friendly exhibition showcases old-school products, tracing the evolution of packaging technologies and the design identities of local food brands. Kids can have a go at the interactive points where they can learn about eco-friendly practices. With rich artifact collections and compelling tales from key players who have helped shaped Singapore's complex food packaging history, ranging from producers and designers to retailers and consumers, the exhibition also explores the future of packaging and how we can reduce our environmental footprint.

Journey further into Southeast Asia – past and present – as the Asian Civilisations Museum opens three new permanent galleries Ancestors and Rituals, Christian Art and Islamic Art, along with new items on display in the museum's Trade galleries that explore the artistic exchanges within Asia and the rest of the world. The Ancestors and Rituals gallery shines its spotlight on a diverse range of Southeast Asian artefacts that reflect the barter of ideas and cultural interactions among various tribes and communities in the region. The Christian Art gallery exhibits intricate works of cross-cultural art created in Asia that are dedicated to the religion.  The Islamic Art showcases the wealth of artistic traditions that arise from the expansion of Islam in Southeast Asia. As part of Southeast Asia in the World, the museum is also hosting a new series of trails that provide visitors an understanding of Southeast Asia's role in the world through beautiful illustrations by local artist Muneera Malek.