The best things to do in Singapore this weekend (Jul 19-22)
Make the best of your weekend with our top picks of things to do, see and more in Singapore
Need ideas on what to do or where to go this weekend? Fill up your itinerary with our guide to the best parties, shows, art exhibitions and more happening around town this Thursday through Sunday.
Singapore Garden Festival
Guess what? Looks do matter, even if you’re not competing in a beauty pageant. The biennial Singapore Garden Festival is proof of that, with top local and international designers congregating to show off their green thumbs. Prepare to be floored by a variety of horticultural masterpieces. The main highlight of this floral festival is the impressive orchid showcase in the Flower Dome and a ‘secret garden of edibles’ – whatever that means. Pick up a wide variety of gardening tools and some grub at the marketplace too.
Sephora Playhouse
Gather your beauty squad and head down to the Civic Plaza at Ngee Ann City for the biggest beauty playground in Singapore. To celebrate Sephora's 10th birthday, they're throwing a 10-day-long birthday bash right in the heart of the city with an Insta-ready funhouse brimming with immersive activities and hands-on workshops with makeup artists and educators. Open exclusively to Sephora Beauty Pass members, the Playhouse also houses thematic rooms that range from a prismatic mirror maze through a girly pink ice cream parlour to a Harlem-esque graffiti room with a palette-inspired trampoline.Â
Blind Spots
Aligned with their vision of fostering inclusivity and improving the lives of migrant workers, the folks from the non-profit organisation Labour Arty bring us an eye-opening photography exhibition – Blind Spots. By offering us a glimpse into the oft-unseen facets of their daily lives, the exhibition fundamentally aims to establish rapport between attendees and these sometimes misunderstood migrant workers. Â
Here and Beyond
Brought to you by the folks behind Toy Factory, see the anthological novel edited by Cyril Wong, Here and Beyond: 12 stories, come to live on-stage. The theatrical adaptation is directed by Stanley Seah, backed with a stellar cast set to retell stories of the city through the eyes of 12 Singaporeans including S. Rajaratnam, Yeo Wei Wei, Goh Sin Tub, Stephanie Ye, Alfian Sa’at, and more. Feast your eyes for a visual storytelling – think shadow puppetry and stunning installations – that cleverly takes the literature text out of its pages. Â
Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow 2018
No stranger to Singapore’s light-entertainment scene, Australia’s massive comedy festival returns with a diverse line-up of comics including Cal Wilson, Nick Cody, Mel Buttle and Dilruk Jayasinha. From stand-up and sketch to satire and song, you can bet a night full of belly laughs with this one.
NTCP8: A Look Back at Films by Anticipate Pictures
Film buffs and dedicated cinephiles, make a note in your diary: Anticipate Pictures is digging through its extensive collection of indie film reels to bring back all your favourites to the big screen from July 19 to 22. From Berlin and Toronto to the Cannes Film Festival, there's absolutely no reason not to check out a list of under-the-radar titles such as Happy End, Paterson, Oh Lucy!, The Square, City of Ghosts and Tony Erdmann. You might even find a new favourite.
House Of Football
If simply watching the beautiful game of football isn't enough to get your adrenaline going, lace up your boots and get in on the action at House of Football. In line with the 2018 International Champions Cup set to take place in Singapore, the nightlife destination entices with activities like Panna, foosball and themed nights hosted by La Liga and Paris Saint-Germain. When the hunger kicks in, go all out with finger food and booze by Harry’s and McGettigan’s Irish Pub.
Tree of Life: Knowledge in Material
The NTU Centre for Contemporary Art delves into the study of natural materials – in a biological, social, geo-political and historical context – with their upcoming exhibition. Placing an emphasis on plants that are endemic to Asia (like mulberry and the lacquer tree), Trees of Life explores the characteristics, properties and diverse usages of these intriguing species. Beyond the exhibition itself, there'll also be complementary talks and seminars that expand on the complex issues surrounding these seemingly unassuming plants – guaranteeing an all-encompassing experience.Â
Ice Cream Run 2018
Remember the days when you ran downstairs once you heard the ice cream uncle's bell? Consider this the upgraded adult version. Or maybe not. The family-friendly 5km run is fuelled by an unlimited amount of old-school potong ice cream and Uncle Tan, the official ice cream man, who's hawking his homemade flavours of chocolate, mango, durian, atap seed and coconut.
Peaches & Cream
Known to keep things peachy, Peaches is throwing one mega drag soiree not to be missed. In support of Pink Dot, party with your favourite drag queens and the LGBTQ community, along with a deck takeover by DJs Fasha Anderson and Electrokat and a dazzling performance by MC Nara and Dancer Debbie. Â
Singapore Theatre Festival
Media freedom, surveillance, racism and the value of our national heritage and history – these are some of the social themes explored in the eight plays staged during this year’s edition of the Singapore Theatre Festival. Presented by local theatre company Wild Rice, the annual festival spotlights established, emerging and undiscovered homegrown playwrights.
Happy Ever Laughter
Get this: twelve of Singapore’s biggest comics are getting together to give you a happy ever laughter like no other. Up for its fourth season, the biggest live stand-up comedy event returns from 11 to 29 July at Capitol Theatre. Book tickets to see your favourite funny man (or woman) roast each other for the ultimate comedic showdown. This year’s cast includes Kumar, Suhaimi Yusof, Sebastian Tan, Irene Ang, Koh Chieng Mun, Selena Tan, Preetipls, Fakkah Fuzz, Alaric Tay, Sharul Channa, Rishi Budhrani and Judee Tan.
Out In Singapore Exhibition
We're all in when it comes to championing Singapore's creative makers and shakers. Celebrating queerness, local photographer Leslie Kee's Out In Singapore exhibition displays portraits of 150 faces of the LGBTQ community in the city, a continuation of the photo series which started out in Japan with 1600 portraits. The photographer is known for his shooting the likes of megastars Madonna, Beyonce and Kate Moss. Â
The Lion King
The wait is finally over as The Lion King is finally gracing our shores once again after its last successful staging in 2011. The classic Disney story has been totally reimagined for the stage with mind-blowing results – this time with a talented international cast performing all the well-loved hits such as Hakuna Matata and Shadowland. Are you feeling the love tonight?
Composition - Rules within Objects
Not your average lifestyle retailer, no-frills Japanese giant Muji is rolling out an exhibition specially curated by Japanese artist Motohiro Tomii at its Plaza Singapura flagship store. The exhibition explores the possibilities of modifying sculptures and creating something new by adding lifestyle products in various colours and forms, ditching the instruction sheets and using the imagination entirely. Â
Evocation of Space by Tan Rui Rong
Merging the worlds of East meets West, artist Tan Rui Rong displays 18 of his acrylic-painted canvases exploring life in Singapore up at the UOB Art Gallery. The award-winning artist is known to use tradition Chinese ink calligraphy and visual metaphors in his artwork. If you have an eye for such intricacies, Tan Rui Rong's stunning masterpieces will leave you in awe.
Wind Walkers: Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests
When art, science, engineering and performance meet, nothing short of a ‘new species on Earth’ happens. Witness 13 large-scale Strandbeests – which translates to ‘beach animals’ in Dutch – move in a startlingly like-life fashion in the galleries. These wind-powered machines, made from everyday materials, are the brainchild of Theo Jansen, a sculptor from the Netherlands who has spent the last 28 years developing these unique kinetics sculptures. The largest of them all is Animaris Siamesis which measures 10m in length and weighs over 240kg.
The Cathay Ink & Cut
Get your dapper on this weekend at The Cathay’s tattoo studio pop-up Ink & Cut. Catch live tattoo showcases by Traditions Tattoo Collective and get inked by the folks from The Golden Rule Barber co when you spend a minimum of $50 at the mall over the two days.
Chinatown Crossings
Drama lovers, strap in for a theatre performance that takes you back to the streets of Kreta Ayer. The stage production by Drama Box tells that of a man who spent his childhood between 1960s and 1970s in Chinatown, and the memories that follow him. Through its storytelling, you can experience the insides of a shophouse, as well as a revisit of old Singapore.
Singapore Sports Hub Festival of Football
It's full-on football frenzy at Singapore Sports Hub this World Cup season. Catch live screenings for most matches including knockout stages and final match, meet the Singapore Lions football team, try your hand – or shall we say, foot – at football-related workshops and tournaments. Expect live entertainment, music performances, food and beverage stalls and daily prizes to be won. The festival rounds off with the International Champions Cup.
Beyond The Surface
New exhibition alert! Beyond The Surface takes over Taksu in Holland Village with brand new artworks by 10 of the contemporary gallery’s abstract artists. Lining the walls are specially curated creations, experimented with paints, found objects and textured surface to explore means beyond the 2D space of their canvases.
The Little Prince: Behind the Story
The Little Prince is probably one of the world's most widely read books – we all know the famous, oft quoted phrases from this French book published in 1943 from our childhood that has since been translated into 300 languages. Throwback to your salad days (or introduce your kids to this book) with this exhibition dedicated to this iconic book through rare philatelic materials, hand-drawn illustrations and artefacts – some of which have never been exhibited outside of France.
Building History: Monuments in Bricks and Blocks
Lego fans, here's one for you. Building History: Monuments in Bricks and Blocks is a travelling exhibition that features eight models of Singapore national monuments, constructed using over 110,000 LEGO bricks. Iconic landmarks include the National Museum of Singapore, Jurong Town Hall, Sultan Mosque, and St Andrew’s Cathedral – with the tallest model standing at 1.1m high and the heaviest at 40kg.Â
Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes
Marvel fans, get your superhero fix at ArtScience Museum. This exhibition brings 19 Marvel movies from the past decade together – showcasing the art, tech and sets behind the films. From Iron Man to Black Panther, chart the evolution of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and find out how it’s become a worldwide phenomenon.
STPI Annual Special Exhibition - Handmade Readymades
If American Modern artists Jasper Johns, Roy Lichtenstein, Robert Rauschenberg and James Rosenquist ignite the artistic fire in you, STPI has something up its sleeves. From June 9 to September 8, feast your eyes as you take a trip down said artists' remarkable ventures in printmaking. Also, learn more about printmaking, the ideas behind it, and the visual language of The Readymades.
Children’s Festival: Small Big Dreamers
You’re never too young to dream big. This interactive exhibition lets the little ones put on their creative hats to compose their own tunes and maneuver around an obstacle course made of ribbons. Journey through five immersive installations including the Yellow Man, a piece by Singaporean Cultural Medallion recipient Lee Wen.
Jurassic World: Explore & Roar
From June 2 to August 22, immerse yourself in Jurassic World: Explore & Roar at Universal Studios Singapore. Embark on a prehistoric adventure where dinosaurs roam the earth and plunge into prehysteria when Velociraptors, Pteranodons and the mighty T-Rex escape containment and wreak havoc in an all-new live action show. You can also interact with incredibly realistic animated dinosaurs on the big screen with cutting-edge augmented reality. Marvel up-close at a baby dinosaur as it hatches out of its egg in an incubator or join an all-new raptor training programme to learn the necessary handling skills to work with these prehistoric predators. Guests are in for a good time as dinosaurs take over the streets of Hollywood and New York, perfect for creating those epic Instagram moments. In addition, guests can continue to enjoy the adrenaline-filled rides and world-class attractions at the theme park such as Jurassic Park Rapids Adventure, Canopy Flyer, Dino-Soarin’ and more.
You, Other; I, Another
In collaboration with Guest Curators, The Private Museum launches You, Other; I, Another – an exhibition showcasing artwork based on the realities lived by nine artists. It features works by Vincent Twardzik Ching, Regia De Rozario, Victor Emmanuel, amongst others. See their visions come to life from now until 22 July at The Private Museum.
Playeum's 'Going Play-ces'
What devasting effect does plastic pollution have on our seas and marine life? Can we live without light from the sun? Explore new places through various landscapes such as the sea, jungle and city in this hands-on exhibition for kids aged one to 12 at Playeum's Children Centre for Creativity.
You can try visiting Haji Lane. Great instagram worthy spot. A great variety of shops, cafes and restuarants. Recently a new store opened for customised flipflops. You could customise your own flipflops and best of all they could be collected on the spot. Check out their Instagram and Facebook@ FickleStore
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