May is one long month, but luckily, it is also jam-packed with events and activities that will easily fill your calendars. Highlights include Urban Ventures’ block party, a bunch of Star Wars events honoring May the 4th, a Great Gatsby-themed party and Singapore Heritage Festival taking over several districts in Singapore. There’s simply no time to be bored.
DRINK
If you thought a certain establishment’s all-day $6 French wines were off the charts, well, the open concept bar at Capitol Piazza, with their wide selection of beers, including 20 rotating international craft labels on draft and 80 different bottled craft beers, and otherwise known as Tap, has extended their generous, ongoing drink promo of pints of beers and wines going for $10 each, all day and all night long. May 1
MARKET
Flying out over the Labour Day long weekend? Stop by the Travel Essentials pop-up first, where the folks from The Local People will be putting up an enclave of art and music while you shop for various travel products. There’ll be a photo booth and carnival games too. Apr 29-May 1
CONCERT
Megadeth will be performing at Kallang Theatre as a part of their Dystopia world tour. Expect some of their well-known tracks like “Tornado of Souls” and “Hook in Mouth”, along with songs from their latest studio album (also their 15th record), Dystopia, which took the third spot when it debuted on Billboard’s top 200 albums. Tickets are priced from $108 via Sistic. May 2
Find out other gigs happening in Singapore here.
THEATER
Wild Rice has pulled all the stops for the Singapore adaptation of iconic musical, La Cage Aux Folles. Starring Ivan Heng in fabulous drag, the play is set in La Cage, a famous nightclub in Tanjong Pagar, which a conservative politician wants to shut down. Confusion and hilarity ensues when the son of the nightclub’s host decides to marry the politician’s daughter. Apr 19-May 2
FILM
Fans of Studio Ghibli need to head over to The Projector and catch director Michael Dudok De Wit’s The Red Turtle, which ostensibly tells the story of a man shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles, crabs and birds, while using that as an illustration signifying the milestones a person goes through. The May 4 screening even has a post-show Skype Q&A with the director. Apr 28-May 4
FESTIVAL
Star Wars Day is back and this time, all the action is taking place at Gardens by the Bay. It’s gonna be a big one as it’s the 40th anniversary since the release of the first film, Star Wars: A New Hope. Be sure to check out the luminescent “saber-trees”, groove to a Star Wars-themed silent disco and snap away at special appearances by Chewbacca and Kylo Ren. There’s a run going on as well. Scroll down to find out more. May 4-6
LITERARY
Local writer Balli Kaur Jaswal will be doing a reading of her third novel, Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows at BooksActually. It tells the story of Nikki, a new creative writer who takes up a job at a local temple, only to meet women who are barely literate and don’t share her ideals. May 4
THEATRE
One woman’s love story in the fuzzy technoscape of Whatsapp, Facebook and Skype takes to the stage with Love Pings, an original production performed by local theatre company I AM, in which explores the crucial question: Is love in the digital world real love? May 5-6
FOOD
Learning to cook with mummy is one fun bonding experience you can count on. Choose to do so at Dean & Deluca’s cooking workshop at Orchard Central, where head chef Nabil Tan will conduct a lesson filled with fuss-free breakfast recipes. That way, come Mother’s Day, you will be able to cook up a delightful meal for her using their bring-home starter cooking kit and ingredients—all while mum lazes in bed. May 6
PARTY
A new pool party, questionably-named Lemonade (images of a yellowed pool, anyone?), is happening at Grand Park Orchard’s Bar Canary and brought to you by cheeky party people Friends with Benefits. Let your hair down while sipping on a cool glass and as DJs Brendon P. and I.M.X helm the decks. May 6
DRINK
Tiki cocktails will be taking over Capella Singapore. Over three days, Daniele Dalla Pola from Nu Lounge Bar in Bologna, Italy will be bringing to Bob’s Bar his signature drinks like Kama’aina’ (medley of aged rums and tropical fruits) and Nu Mai Tai (Nu Lounge rum blend, aged Martinique rhum, orange curacao and passion fruit puree). May 4-7
FILM
The Singapore Chinese Film Festival returns for the fifth year bringing you 45 films ranging from documentaries to local selections. The line-up includes award-winning films like an introspective bipolar disorder film, Mad World by 53rd Golden Horse Awards Best New Director Wong Chun, Singapore short films and restored Chinese classics. Apr 28-May 7
EXHIBITION
Local artist May Oon presents Time/Out, showcasing 14 charcoal and oil paintings on sockcloth or jute that depict the life of Chinese coolies in the 1800s and early 1900s, taking place at Goshen Art Gallery. Apr 28-May 7
Check out 6 other local art exhibitions here.
FILM
Sunset Cinema Tanjong Beach, organized by the same people who do Films at the Fort, in partnership with Peroni Brewery, is having a multi-day beachside film festival over two weekends featuring blockbusters like Arrival and Jackie, alongside food by Tanjong Beach Club. May 5-14
HEALTH
If you’re a partygoer who loves running, there’s no better run than this; The Music Run combines both of your favorite things. For those who’ve always wanted to blast their music out loud while running, this is the place to do it through their five zones seperating five music genres—rock, pop, old school, hip hop and dance. After the run, shake it off at a music festival with live performances and DJs. All happening at Sentosa. May 6
HEALTH
The themed run trend continues with the launch of Star Wars Run Singapore. You’ll have 4.5km and 10km routes to choose from and you’ll also get to decide to join the dark or light side and get the corresponding T-shirt and plush toy (Darth Vader or Yoda). May 6
Check out other runs happening in Singapore here.
FILM
The long-running European Union Film Festival (EUFF) returns for its 27th edition with a snazzy new home—the National Gallery. The festival brings together 27 thought-provoking, captivating and hilarious films from across the continent. May 11-21
FILM
Part of the Alt Screen series of Asian films offering critical perspectives on global issues is Journey to the West, a movie about Chinese tourists visiting Europe for the very first time. The Singapore premiere will be followed by a post-screening talk by Assistant Professor Sin Harng Luh from National University of Singapore. May 12
FESTIVAL
Singapore’s only conscious festival Green is the New Black returns for the third year with a collaboration with Spark, Asia’s pioneer festival. Expect inspiring talks, live performances from local musicians and buskers and marketplaces where you’ll be able to meet more than 20 makers from around the region, all of whom will be displaying their mindful goods. May 12-13
EXHIBITION
Photographer Stefen has teamed up with his long-time collaborator, economist Lin Huiyi, for a project aimed at highlighting social inequality, Equivalence. Earlier versions have been done in Beijing, Tokyo and Hong Kong, and in Singapore’s edition, 1000 aluminium cans from familiar brands like 100PLUS, Coca Cola and Haywards are photographed and presented in a grid. Catch it at Chapel Gallery in Objectifs. Apr 26-May 14
FESTIVAL
The annual Singapore Heritage Festival is back this year and Caldecott Broadcast Centre is stealing the limelight as part of the festival’s Takes Over! program, where usually inaccessible areas are now open to the public to visit. A myriad of activities in other neighborhoods including Bukit Pasoh and Little India are happening too. Apr 28-May 14
FOOD
The Clifford Pier at Fullerton Bay Hotel will be playing host to eight of Tiong Bahru’s esteemed hawkers, including the likes of Tiong Bahru Jian Bo Shui Kueh, HarriAnns, Tiong Bahru Teochew Kueh and Tiong Bahru Lor Mee (no, sadly, not the one with shark meat), for two weeks before the beloved hawker center reopens. Apr 30-May 14
DRINK
Hopping (or crawling) between Singapore’s top cocktail bars is all part of the fun of cocktail culture here, but at Tippling Club, it’s the city’s best bars that will come to you. Led by Tippling Club’s head bartender Joe Schofield, Once Upon a Time in Singapore brings together Gibson’s Aki Eguchi, Operation Dagger’s Juan Yijun, 28 HongKong Street’s Joma Rivera, Employees Only’s Bai Jiawei and Manhattan’s Philip Bischoff. May 18
CONCERT
Whip out that pair of bell-bottoms you’ve kept in the back of your wardrobe all these years for the OGs that dominated the disco music era of the late ‘70s and 80s, Village People. They will be performing in Singapore for the first time as part of their 40th anniversary. Dance to their chart-toppers and crowd favorites like “Go West”, “Y.M.C.A”, and many more. Tickets are priced from $55-$155 and happening at MasterCard Theatres at Marina Bay Sands. May 18-19
PARTY
Plan ahead for this one guys. Urban Ventures is back for its sixth block party and this time, they will be taking over the Duxton Plain Park, transforming the space into a “social dining haven” filled with food, music, art, markets and lots of socializing. May 19-21
FESTIVAL
Party planners Two Queens Asia is having their annual White Party at Sentosa’s Ola Beach Club, celebrating their 10th anniversary. This year, they’ve got Orange is the New Black star Taryn Manning. Catch her live set with songs like “Send Me Your Love” along with hits like “The Wreckoning” and “What U Do 2 Me”. Expect F&B vendors around the space, game booths and workshops too. May 20
HEALTH
Singapore’s first-ever Fitness Festival is taking place at the scenic Bayfront Avenue. You’ll get to participate in mass workouts involving HIIT, parkour, boxing, barre, Pilates and more; meet celebrities like Casey Ho of the wildly successful YouTube channel Blogilates and Anabel Chew of WeBarre who’ll be leading classes. Pick up workout gears alongside food vendors. May 20-21
FESTIVAL
The first-ever Kristang Language Festival will provide a comprehensive look into the Kristang community, a creole ethnic group of Portuguese-Eurasian descent in Singapore with panel discussions, hands-on workshops, dancing and cooking. You can also learn some conversational Kristang too. May 20-21
ART
Kult takes a light jab at fancy art fairs with their own tongue-in-cheek version, The $200 Show: Actually Affordable Art. You can expect to see a variety of artworks spanning across mediums like risograph prints, art on vinyl, resin-cast sculptures and original illustrations from local and international artists like Kult’s founder Mojoko, local multidisciplinary creative agency fFurious and illustrator Mindflyer. Apr 6-May 22
CONCERT
Canadian indie-electro duo Crystal Castles (now with a new lead vocalist Edith Frances) were a friendly bunch who didn’t turn away their fans’ request to take photos with them while they were exploring the grounds in Singapore. Their low-res 8-bit melodies and pop hooks produced by Ethan Kath, paired with Frances’ haunting, altered vocals will resonate once more. Standard tickets are available for $80 (standard). They’ll be performing at Millian Singapore. May 23
PARTY
You can Party like Gatsby for the first time here in Singapore, well and Asia, at a party called Pearl of the East, thrown by a guy calling himself Jay Gatsby. From the pictures of the previous events, the party looks like it’s going to be massive, grand and flamboyant with performers and lots of dressed-up individuals. Location is not confirmed yet, after fans expressed their concern on the venue, Tanjong Beach Club. May 26
CONCERT
If for some reason you’re still listening to music by Armando Christian Perez a.k.a. Pitbull, then you’ll be glad to know that the Grammy-winning superstar is returning to Singapore with his Climate Change Tour. Tickets are priced at $138 (standard) and $188 (VIP) via ApacTix. It’s held at Suntec Convention Centre, Hall 401-402. May 27
ART
The first-ever Faber-Castell Art Festival will see a range of craft workshops take place. But the main draw (pun intended) here is the 5-meter long color marker mosaic depicting the Singapore skyline and which uses 25,000 connector pens to make. The massive artwork is set to go down in history as the biggest mosaic done using color markers in Singapore. Try spoting your favorite Singapore landmarks at this massive installation. May 27 – Jun 4
EXHIBITION
Slither over to the Singapore Zoo if you like your reptiles as they will be launching their new exhibit, Reptopia, over several weekends. Expect charm-eleon greet and meet sessions, workshops, and if you’re really into scaly fiends, go for their Camp Fest over the weekend of May 27-28 where you can snooze with nightlife of the wild kind. May 27-Jun 26
CONCERT
Multiple Grammy winner Sting returns to Singapore after five years as part of his “57th and 9th”’s tour. The former lead singer and songwriter of The Police will be playing songs from his 12th (!) solo album, his first rock/pop album in over a decade. Expect to hear different styles of music ranging from melodic tunes to high octane guitar solos. He’ll be joined by his son Joe Sumner, who’s currently the singer-songwriter and bassist for the rock outfit Fiction Plane. It’s held at Singapore Indoor Stadium. May 28
FOOD
Salon de Royal, a chocolatier cafe from Kyoto that was founded in 1935 is doing a pop-up store at Japan Food Town, bringing a limited edition pecan nut flavored ice-cream that’s specially made for Singapore and other popular sweets by them. Through May 31
PARTY
Ce La Vi‘s Diamond Life parties are back in the month of May every Wednesday and this time, they are collaborating with online retail store Style Tribute for a glamorous revelry that will see ladies stand a chance to win the grand prize comprizing $1,000 worth of private styling sessions, bubbly and Style Tribute clothing, bags and shoes of the winner’s choice. Through May 31
EXHIBTION
Eitaro Ogawa and Tamae Iwasaki, the husband and wife duo and their partner, Tomohisa Miyauchi, behind the 700-page soft cover photobook, HDB Homes Of Singapore have turned their project into a photo exhibition at SPRMRKT on 2 McCallum Street. HDB Homes Of Singapore: The Photo Exhibition will showcase selected images from their collection of photos. Through Jun 27
FOOD
Because crab parties are the best kind of parties, Ah Hoi’s Kitchen at Hotel Jen Tanglin is throwing a Festival of Crabs where you can feast on not one, not two, but 10 different styles of meaty Sri Lankan crabs. There’s no way to eat all of them (in one go at least), so be smart and get your claws on the Salted Egg and Crispy Yam Crab, Glass Noodles and Chinese Wine Crab or Claypot Crab Beehoon. Through Jul 31
