Massive countdown celebrations, full-blown Christmas revelries and abundant year-end markets await this last month of the year. It’s gonna be fast and furious as we race through festive feasts, thumping parties, fun-filled carnivals and more, before gathering together in unison to ring in 2019 on a high. See you on the other side.
PARTY 
Asia’s biggest beachfront music festival is back for its 18th edition and you know it’s gonna be a wild one. Themed The Interplanetary Voyage, your ride into a future of sick beats and an out-of-this-world lineup awaits at ZoukOut Singapore 2018, with Belgian DJ and recording producing duo Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike headlining the event, alongside Dutch duo W&W and Swedish dance maestros Galantis. See you from dawn till dusk. Dec 1
PARTY
It’s the biggest Council Weekender yet. Expect a two-day shindig set to keep you reeling all weekend, where electronic music artists the likes of Headless Horseman, HAAi and Myle will set the dance floor ablaze at eclectics haunts such as Headquarters and pop-up night spot Tuff Club. Through Dec 1
THEATRE
After being murdered earlier this year in Shakespeare in the Park’s Julius Caesar, Jo Kukathas will see more blood at the Singapore premiere of Guards At The Taj, staged by the Singapore Repertory Theatre. The award-winning play by American dramatist Rajiv Joseph is a dark comedy revolving around a myth behind the Taj Mahal’s legendary construction—one that may or may not diminish its rep as a Seventh Wonder of the World. Through Dec 1
MARKET
All you Etsy addicts, the Etsy Craftivist SG market is back. This is the highly-anticipated, third edition, and remains an encouraging space for our burgeoning local creatives and crafters. The emphasis is on bespoke products, so don’t be shy to request for more than a little customization (that the vendors will gladly deliver). Merch you can snap up include paper crafts with embroidery, personalized engraving on metals, and totebags with hand-drawn designs—all handmade and #MadeinSingapore. Through Dec 1
MARKET
Clear your belly for feasting and shopping affair Foods and Goods by the RedMart folk and The Working Capitol. The weekend marketplace will offer a huge selection of artisanal foods, specialty goods and gifts, bringing together some of the island’s best brands. Get your grub from the likes of Sasha’s Fine Foods, Agora Products, and Sidecar Sausages, and wines from Straits Wine Company and Oak & Barrel; there will even be a beer garden by Pacific Beverages and pop-up cocktail bars by EC Proof and Diageo. Dec 1-2
BOOK/MARKET
Dive headfirst into Ethos Books’ annual festive book sale, which will feature best-selling titles, local classics, and their newest pocket-sized series orbit—at prices from $2 to $30. The room will be stocked with books, fresh coffee from Kaki Kopi Geng, and literary programmes including a special After Dark segment. It’s the perfect time to plan your 2019 reading list, or pick up a meaningful present for a bookworm friend. Dec 1-2
Find out where are the best markets to drop your cash this holidays.
FESTIVAL
The very first Culture Cartel, a festival dedicated to street culture, is taking place at the F1 Pit Building. It’ll be a medley of more than 100 international street artists, designers, tattooists and urban brands coming together to form a massive convention. Explore the nuances of street culture through bold visual street art installations, voguish urban fash brands and the works of acclaimed creators from all over the world. Dec 1-2
FOOD/MARKET
The 12 signature restaurants at Marina Bay Sands are banding together for their very first Pop-up Christmas Market, offering festive gourmet eats and groceries all in one convenient location. Buy homemade pastas from Nostra Cucina, foie gras terrine from db Bistro & Oyster Bar, sweet treats from Bread Street Kitchen, and more, all under one roof. Dec 1-2
FESTIVAL
While indulging in some festive shopping is no cardinal sin, why not do so more consciously at this plastic-free, sustainability-focused event that seeks to enrich your life at the same time. Held for the whole month, Loop is the first event of its kind here, where makers, crafters and growers alike gather to celebrate the pursuit of sustainability. Dec 1-31
FESTIVAL
Quayside Isle @ Sentosa Cove is the place to be this Christmas with plenty to keep one and all thrilled throughout the month. Catch an interactive light display and show every evening from 7-9pm (every 30mins) as you work your way through the many festive offerings available at the marina-front restaurants and bars. Dec 1-31
MUSIC
Not just a concert, the very first Tropika is a music party underscoring larger-than-life messages about mindfulness, sustainability and inclusivity, with a smashing selection of acts and eats in the lush surrounds of Fort Canning Park. Headlining this one-day affair is Berlin-based DJ Daniel Haaksman and Italian multi-instrumentalist Gabriele Poso. Dec 2
CONVENTION
It’s the 10th anniversary of the C3 Anime Festival Asia Singapore 2018 and you know they’re going to make it epic. Indulge in Japanese pop culture in this three-day celebration of anime, cosplay and gaming filled with Singapore exclusive product premieres as well as a stellar artist line-up at the I Love Anisong Concerts. Through Dec 2
CONCERT
He’s gon’ and made it come true, y’all. Canadian R&B superstar and our homeboy The Weeknd is finally making his Asian debut at the end of the year, with stops in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Bangkok Seoul, Manila, Bali, Taipei and of course, Singapore. Abel Tesfaye, how could you have forgotten us all these years? Fret not, Starboy singer came through and he’ll be before the year ends. Dec 5
DRINK/FOOD
In this next edition of PS. Cafe’s wine dinner series, head over to their Palais Renaissance branch for a five-course wine pairing meal done in collaboration with one of Italy’s finest houses, Cordero di Montezemolo. Dec 5
FOOD
Everyone’s fav hangout spot Read Bridge will be the site for the inaugural Great Clarke Quay Feastival, a pop-up dining event where some of Clarke Quay’s best restaurants will be offering their signatures in a vibrant street food format. Over the four days, 15 outlets will set up shop on the bridge from 6pm-11pm offering dishes ranging from $10-$32. Dec 5-9
PARTY
Ever wanted to skate under the moonlit sky while grooving to tunes based on themed nights like movies, Kpop and electro? The first floor Outdoor Plaza outside VivoCity is turning into a giant skating rink this festive season for Viesta, where you get to skate to the music till you drop. Dec 7-25
THEATRE
A box-office hit in South Korea, Mandarin production Musical TARU features life-sized dinosaur skeletons, an impressive museum set and a catchy soundtrack that will have you singing along. You’ll find many familiar faces among the cast that is set to bring you on a big adventure promising plenty of laughs, tears and drama. Dec 7-Jan 13, 2019
THEATRE
If your words were the only thing a little girl could hang on to in this maddening world, what would you say to her? Find out in Charlie, a one-on-one interactive performance piece by artist Victoria Chen, where you, the audience, is the only one who will know the outcome of your words. Through Dec 7
MARKETS
Winestone and The Expat Fairs are coming together for a sustainable shopping extravaganza, spotlighting small businesses, artisans and social enterprises who prioritise sustainable living. Stock up on environmentally responsible gifts for Christmas—from fair-trade organic produce and chocolates (Luvcacao) to artisanal, slow fashion pieces (The Maker Journal), to toxin-free, hand-poured soy wax candles (Diadem Candles) and even eco-friendly cleaning products (ETL No.9). Afterwards, grab a drink at Winestone, which is granting a 25% meal voucher for every dine-in visitor on the day. Dec 8
DRINK/PARTY
Asia’s premier gin festival, the East Imperial Gin Jubilee, will be making its triumphant return to Singapore. For nine days, bartenders from participating bars will be concocting their best versions of G&Ts, where you then get to vote via social media which one is most deserving to be crowned the best. We’re most looking forward to the real highlight of the annual festival, Gin Lane, where gin brands and bars will banding together for a pop-up street party along one of Singapore’s alleyways. Through Dec 8
HEALTH
Marquee running event the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 2018 is back. Kicking-off from the F1 Pit Building, the runs will take you through the city, including Orchard Road, where you’ll be able to gaze at the Christmas lights as you go about your route. Dec 8-9
SHOPPING
If you haven’t checked out the super cool habitat by honestbee yet, this festive season is the time to do so. Besides plenty of hampers, treats and Yuletide eats on sale, they’re throwing a Lobsters, Oysters, Wines & Spirits Festival where affordable fresh seafood meets wine and spirits masterclasses. Trust us, you won’t leave empty-handed. Dec 8-26
FILM
The island’s undisputed film event of the year, the Singapore International Film Festival, returns with another 100 or so critically acclaimed films—including Singapore’s own A Land Imagined by local filmmaker Yeo Siew Hua, which won the top prize at Switzerland’s Locarno Film Festival 2018. Through Dec 9
DRAG
RuPaul’s Drag Race’s Shangela is bringing her brand new show Shangela is Shook to the Shine Auditorium, in her debut performance in Singapore. When we first came to know her in the hit Netflix series’ Season 2, she was still an unseasoned queen. We’ve seen Shangela come a long way since her shaky beginnings, and can’t wait to see her own that stage live and in the flesh. Dec 12
THEATRE
Hard to believe it’s been 15 years since Wild Rice first blessed us with Christmas pantomimes. This year, the theater company is taking a step back from Chinese folk stories, and putting a local spin on a hallmark Christmas tale instead with A $ingapore Carol, a reinvented take on A Christmas Carol, complete with laughs, love, and some obvious cha-ching. Through Dec 15
Make a date with the local plays and productions happening till the end of the year.
PARTY
We’ve seen them grow (and grown along with them) through nights spent partying among friends, some of whom we’ve only met a couple minutes before on the dance floor. Hard Luck Club: 13 Years of EATMEPOPTART is gonna be a gathering of comrades making shapes to tunes we all love to hate. Be there, live large, and make it yet another night to remember. Dec 22
CARNIVAL
The second coming of the Prudential Marina Bay Carnival is here, set to transform the Marina waterfront into a colossal fairground filled with rides, games, food, and of course, plenty of pretty lights. This time, entry is free, and with more rides to check out than before. Dec 22-Mar 24, 2019
FESTIVAL
The definitive way to get into the festive mood is a trip to Christmas Wonderland, now back for its fifth edition bigger and better. The European-style festival once again features giant luminaire structures, giant Christmas trees, Yuletide performances, markets, rides and more. Be sure to get lost in the 22-metre high luminarie mirror maze, making its debut appearance here. Through Dec 26
FESTIVAL
The massive Christmas Village at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza is back for the second time, and this year, they’re running it for longer. Over 42 days, there’ll be plenty to do, eat and drink thanks to a collab with Timbre. The homegrown F&B and music group will be in charge of the Food Village, where food kiosks by the likes of New Ubin Seafood and Two Wings will be set up. There’ll also be a Craft Beer Bar and performances from Timbre’s musicians too, naturally. Take a ride on the beautiful duplex carousel before you head home. Through Dec 26
MARKET
Bugis Junction’s very own TommorowLand Christmas Market is landing along the mall’s level 1 event spaces, bringing with them over 20 food and drink stalls, retail booths and carnival game booths. Feel free to snap away at the pretty lights and decor. Through Dec 30
PARTY
This year’s NYE countdown just got a whole lot sexier. If you’ve always abhorred the Marina Bay festivities the Star Island Singapore Countdown Edition is here to change your mind. It’s no ordinary fireworks display—six chapters, each choreographed to a unique soundtrack, will introduce six differently themed shows of fireworks throughout the night, accompanied by 3D surround sound technology. Dec 31
PARTY
There ain’t no countdown party like a beach party, and at Coastes, get the full works with all-you-can-eat live BBQ accompanied with a sumptuous spread, plus live pop, rock, funk and soul courtesy of SF-Xpress. Irresistible drink promos go on all night long, so never party with an empty glass in hand. Dec 31
EXHIBITION
Get some sand beneath your feet while putting some art on your Insta feeds at Island Lights 2018, where massive neon light art installations are taking over sandy Palawan Beach till the end of the year. While you’re there, get snacks from the food kiosks and throw some shapes as live bands bring the tunes. Through Dec 31
EXHIBITION
This Christmas, the S.E.A. Aquarium is getting a glow-up, literally, as it gets transformed into a luminescent underwater world filled with glowing animals, stunning light art installations, and a first-of-its kind underwater LED dive appearance. Check out five different zones and interact with the displays while going oooh and ahhh as illuminated sea creatures swim by. Through Jan 6
THEATRE/FOOD
Remember how the toys all came to life in the story of The Nutcracker? Now you too can play a part in the magical Christmastime tale, as immersive theatre company Andsoforth brings the classic story to life in their latest theatrical feast, Marie and The Nutcracker. Journey through four rooms in a secret location with The Nutcracker himself, defeat the Mouse King, and reap your sweet rewards in the Kingdom of Sweets at the end. Through Jan 6
EXHIBITION
Diner/bar/community space Telok Ayer Arts Club’s next showcase, tell me how they kiss you, tell me how you kiss, is gonna be a raunchy one. Spanning multiple mediums, the eight-week exhibition features three local artists who will be presenting ceramic sculptures, paper drawings and photography accompanied by artist-led events and live music. Go for a sex toy workshop, listen in on an artist talk, or just chill with a themed cocktail (like the cheeky A Whole Lot of Head, a creamy, frothy take on the classic Ramos Gin Fizz) in hand. Through Jan 12, 2019
EXHIBITION
Local artist John Toh is showcasing watercolour pieces of iconic Singapore landmarks old and new, such as Temple Street, Keong Saik and the Supertrees, in a new solo exhibition titled Cityscapes, Ancient and Present. Held at Pan Pacific Singapore‘s public art space. Through Jan 28, 2019
EXHIBITION
Celebrating our hawker culture and protecting the men and women toiling behind each stall has never been more pertinent. Pledge your support to induct this beloved part of our everyday life into the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage at the travelling Our SG Hawker Culture Exhibition popping up at various hawker centres and community venues around Singapore. Through Jan 31, 2019
EXHIBITION
Peranakan Museum’s latest exhibition, Amek Gambar: Peranakans and Photography, delves into the Southeast Asian history of photography through the pictured lives of the Peranakan community in the region. Through Feb 3, 2019
EXHIBITION
From Cold Storage to Tiger Balm, come chart the evolution of print advertising in Singapore from the 1830s to 1960s at Selling Dreams: Early Advertising in Singapore. Aside from just print advertisements, the exhibition at the National Library also includes interactive multimedia stations for you to experience life as a consumer in early Singapore. Through Feb 24, 2019
EXHIBITION
Trace the Polaroid camera’s fascinating history at the National Museum of Singapore’s latest exhibition, In an Instant: Polaroid at the Intersection of Art and Technology, featuring over 200 Polaroid artefacts and artworks from the original collection. Through Mar 31, 2019
EXHIBITION
The ground-breaking Minimalism: Space. Light. Object exhibition spanning National Gallery Singapore and ArtScience Museum traces the origins and evolutions of the Minimalist art movement, in more than 150 works loaned from all over the world. Check out our quick picks here. Through Apr 14, 2019
