Had a heady weekend drinking and partying? Don’t worry, it’s gonna be a slower-paced week this time, that is, until the next weekend rolls around. A warehouse party at Brass Lion Distillery awaits, plus the start of the annual Durian Fiesta (no marrying of daughters required here), the yearly Singapore Festival of Fun at Clarke Quay, and more to take things at your own pace.
FILM
Your annual dose of French culture is back again. Alliance Francaise’s staple event Francophonie Festival is ever-ready to celebrate the diversity of the French language and intercultural dialogue on our sunny island. See some of our picks here. Mar 11-30
DRINK
In case you haven’t heard, there’s a Guinness van going around town giving away free pints of creamy stout and beer-infused ice cream as part of the lead up to St. Patrick’s Day. There are only two stops left, so check them out while you can. Mar 12-13
FESTIVAL
The annual Singapore Festival of Fun returns to Clarke Quay for its third edition, this time featuring a total of 108 shows—making it the biggest installment yet. There will be street acts, music performances and more, and of course the return of the Magners International Comedy Festival to look forward to. Mar 14-24
PARTY
When Blackout Agency throws a party, you know it’s gonna be good. And on Friday, in a collab with German fashion brand Hugo, they’re taking over the warehouse space of Brass Lion Distillery for a night filled with infectious tunes, unbridled self-expression, and of course, lots of locally-made gin. Tickets to the Hugo X Blackout Party are limited, so act fast. Mar 15
FOOD
There never needs to be a reason to gorge on durian, but Goodwood Park Hotel gives a mighty good one every year regardless. Come celebrate their annual Durian Fiesta, this time with six new exquisite D24 durian desserts, four perennial favourites, and a majestic appearance from the Mao Shan Wang in the form of a cheesecake. Mar 15-Jul 14
BOOK/FESTIVAL
#BuySingLit 2019 is here, with this third edition bumped up to take place over two weekends. From kopi sessions with local authors to interactive storytelling, the line-up of more than 50 programmes is set to make SingLit more accessible than ever. Start stockpiling your GrabRewards points too—you’ll be able to use them to redeem local lit titles at partner bookstores as part of the festival. Through Mar 17
FESTIVAL
Annual international break-dancing competition and pioneering street dance festival in Singapore *Scape Radikal Forze Jam returns for two eclectic weeks of workshops, dance battles and even a beach party to end it all with a bang. Get ready to let loose. Through Mar 17
FESTIVAL
It’s the start of Singapore Design Week 2019—that actually takes place over two weeks—and this mighty sixth edition once again brings the various design industries and public sector organisations together to advance the use of design for good. There are lots happening for the public, from exhibitions big and small to talks and fairs and even a block party. Through Mar 17
EXHIBITION
Local art gallery Utterly Art is throwing its own party in recognition of International Women’s Day. The space on Mosque Street is bringing together 10 of its best female artists for an art show aptly titled Utterly Woman, that’s as empowering as it is often lacking in the scene here. Through Mar 17
ART/FESTIVAL
A brand new arts festival, The Future of Our Pasts Festival, hopes to bring Singapore’s micro-narratives to life, reimagining communities and places of the past and present. Nothing is off the table; the festival will explore various facets of Singapore history—from more well-worn icons like the Sungei Road Thieves Market, to lesser-known stories like the history of classical composition by Singaporean composers. Through Mar 17
EXHIBITION
Tampines gets to be the focal point for the latest edition of Arts in Your Neighbourhood, and this 12th edition of the programme is paying homage to the booming New Town’s roots. Over 50 activities have been planned to take place at 16 locations islandwide, spanning the genres of dance, literary arts, music, theatre and visual arts. Through Mar 24
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. Through Mar 24
FESTIVAL
It’s cherry blossom season, and the Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay is blooming with beautiful pink petals for Sakura Matsuri 2019. Throughout the month, the different weekends will offer different fringe activities too (like carnival games, anime concerts and more), so you got reasons to go back more than once. Through Mar 31
TALK
Leading ladies in their field—the likes of Rita Ora, Pooja Nansi and Inch Chua—are making an appearance at the month-long Made by Women series happening at Apple Orchard Road. All sessions are free to attend, with registration required. Through Mar 31
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
EXHIBITION
What do national service, shamans and an apocalyptic Singapore have in common? They’re all tied to some form of mythic tradition—and are each explored in this year’s edition of Stories That Matter. Look out for the highlight of the programme—four feature-length documentaries from Brazil to Singapore that interrogate the role both traditional and contemporary myths play in our lives today. Through Apr 14
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
EXHIBITION
Asian Civilisations Museum and London’s British Museum are coming together to present Raffles in Southeast Asia: Revisiting the Scholar and Statesman, to illuminate the different sides of founding father Sir Stamford Raffles himself. Peer into the historic Raffles Collection on loan from the British Museum, that comprises largely Javanese and Sumatran objects Raffles personally collected during his time in the region. Through Apr 28
FOOD
In need of good steak at reasonable prices? Pop-up steakhouse The Feather Blade is where you need to be. The London’s Flat Iron-inspired restaurant will be setting up shop at where Club Street stalwart Zui Hong Lou operates, dishing out quality cuts for just $21 every weekend for a limited time; chow down while you can. Through Apr 29
EXHIBITION
One of Singapore’s smallest minority communities is finally having their moment in the spotlight at Chetti Melaka of the Straits: Rediscovering Peranakan Indian Communities. Come hear the lesser-known stories of the Chetti Melaka, also known as Peranakan Indians—descendants of early South Indian migrants who to Singapore in the 15th and 16th centuries, and married local Chinese or Malay women. Through May 5
