Welcome to the most exciting weekend of August: Friday starts on a high with the opening of the Asian Restored Classics and the tail-end of the Singapore Night Festival. Then brace yourself for a jam-packed Saturday, with a mind-boggling selection of one-day-only markets, parties, concerts and exhibitions to choose from. Whatever you decide, we’re sure it involves a hangover on Sunday, so enjoy a chill end to your weekend with food and more exhibitions.
Friday, Aug 24
Photo credit: Centre 42
THEATER
Ground-up, local favorite Centre 42, whose series of text-based performances Late-Night Texting, is back for its third edition. Head down to the little blue house at Waterloo Street to catch over 30 bite-sized performances staged by up-and-coming local theater groups. Aug 24-25
PARTY
UK techno don Perc has been a mainstay on leading labels like CLR, Kopakt and Drumcode for over a decade now, producing industrial-strength beats and high-intensity rhythms that transform dance floors across the globe. He’s making his Singapore debut in a special guest set at Headquarters. Aug 24
FESTIVAL
It’s that time of the year again—when the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct lights up after the sun goes down for a full week of nocturnal revelry. The Singapore Night Festival is officially back. This year, they’ve gone beyond just local and international artists to include contributions from pretty unexpected individuals too. Through Aug 25
MARKET
Join the August edition of So Gelam Market for a laid-back street festival filled with food and lifestyle stores, kampong games like chateh and five stones, all while chilling on lawn mats without worry of passing traffic thanks to the closure of Baghdad Street throughout the weekend just for this event. Aug 24-26
CHARITY
Marina Bay Sands’ annual Sands for Singapore Charity Festival returns to support and shine a spotlight on the skills and talents of the underprivileged community in Singapore. Try art jamming with social enterprise Art for Good, watch live performances from local bands, and grab award-winning bites from MBS’s signature restaurants such as LAVO, The Bird Southern Table & Bar, and Bread Street Kitchen Singapore—supported by beneficiaries from social enterprise Dignity Kitchen. All proceeds will go to Community Chest Singapore. Aug 24-26
MARKET
Support Singapore’s fiercest ladypreneurs when you shop the homegrown, women-led businesses at Beauty & the Biz. The three-day boutique sale brings together beauty, fashion, accessories and more (featuring brands like Moxie, K.Blu Swim, By Invite Only and Oh Happy Fry); a portion of the sales will go to HCSA Dayspring Program. Aug 24-26
FILM
Film festival fever comes in hot and heavy with the annual Asian Restored Classics, which this year features nine restored films across Asia from the ‘20s to the ‘90s. Aug 24-Sep 2
MUSICAL
We’re just as excited as you are about the return of The Lion King to our shore for its 20th anniversary It’s been more than two decades since the epic musical film about lions in Africa first came into our lives, and again in 2011 when the musical made its Southeast Asian debut. Immerse yourself in the magnificent world of Simba, Nala, Rafiki, Mufasa, Timon, Pumba and company when it returns for a two-month run. Through Sep 23
EXHIBITION
Before It All Goes: Architecture from Singapore’s Early Independence Years is local photographer Darren Soh’s latest solo exhibition, which showcases his long-term documentation of sites in Singapore slated to disappear, or that already have. Through Sep 29
Saturday, Aug 25
PARTY
In celebration of turning two, Silent Disco Asia is pulling out all the stops with their biggest bash ever, at none other than the MBS Observation Deck at Ce La Vi. 57 floors above ground, dance to panoramic views of the city skyline with your choice of the three DJs on your LED headphone. Just be sure not to accidentally lose one over the side of the hotel. Aug 25
CONCERT
2017 was definitely the biggest year for Chance The Rapper. That year alone, he took home numerous big awards, including the BET Award for Best New Artist and Best Collaboration, and Grammy Awards for Best New Artist, Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Album. And now, he’ll be taking the stage at Zepp @ Big Box for an electrifying performance. Aug 25
MARKET
Get ready for another night of shopping till the sun goes down at the yearly Singapore Night Festival Art Market outside the Singapore Art Museum. From 7pm till midnight, shop the 100 booths of art, retail, food and beverages from local makers. If you start to get antsy, there’s a movie screening, live music performances, and of course the surrounding installations themselves to poke around. Aug 25
MARKET
The Urban Farm & Feast Market brings together a farmers’ market of organic produce, urban farming workshops, and the chance to taste fresh culinary delights from local farmers. You can also learn more about sustainable food sources in Singapore, from vendors like The Sustainability Project and The Tender Gardener. Aug 25
PARTY
Get jiggy at Hopheads with a nostalgic line-up of the best tunes from the ‘90s and ‘00s, at the second edition of their ‘90s Boom Boom Party. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly hear High School Musical. Aug 25
CONCERT/CHARITY
Homegrown artists Inch Chua, Discohue, Dru Chen, M1LDL1FE and more are coming together to sing for the love of animals. At Rock for Noah’s Ark, all proceeds from the concert go to helping to feed more than 1000 rescued animals at Noah’s Ark Natural Animal Shelter. Aug 25
HEALTH
The inaugural Brave Walk is a 6.5km walk along East Coast Park for women, by women; to raise awareness for women’s equity, health and self-care and create positive spaces for diverse women in Singapore. All proceeds and donations will go towards initiatives from the organizer, local women’s non-profit Brave Spaces. Aug 25
FILM
Pixar fans won’t want to miss this special Pixar Short Films Collection edition of Pop-Up Cinema. In 12 heartwarming shorts, relive the best of the award-winning animation studio, including spin-offs from the classics like Your Friend the Rat (2007), BURN-E (2008) and Partly Cloudy (2009), as well as the original and now iconic Academy Award-nominated flick Presto (2008). Aug 25
EXHIBITION
Singaporean watercolor artist Ong Kim Seng was recently named as one of the Top 25 Watercolour Artists in the World, at the Watercolour Festival in Greece last November. He’ll be presenting 25 of his works from between 2009 and 2018 at The Arts House, depicting serene tableaus of his journeys across Southeast Asia. Aug 25
PARTY
Sling on your bikinis and sarongs for another Barefoot Tiki Night at Tanjong Beach Club. Come for the gorgeous sunset dinner of fresh coastal cuisine, and stay for Fat Fish Familia Orio Leshem’s tropical beats that will keep you dancing through the night—against a backdrop of swaying palm trees and slick neon lights. Aug 25
HEALTH
Fitness buffs, be sure to check out the inaugural Singapore edition of Fitness Super Star, held at the Resorts World Theatre. The live reality contest will see contestants and guess fitness stars from Japan, Korea and Singapore show off their style and bodybuilding best. Aug 25
CONCERT
Catch a medley of Dick Lee’s best musicals in Singapopera, starring an all-Singaporean cast belting well-loved tunes from Fried Rice Paradise, Beauty World and more. Aug 25-26
EXHIBITION
The Substation kicks off the next installment of its 2018 exploration of the topic ‘Heritage’. En Bloc, or Buildings Must Die will feature art exhibitions, talks and panels discussing the hot-button topic of conservation in Singapore. Through Sep 23
EXHIBITION
2018 has shaped up to be a fantastic year for Marvel. Besides the two epic movies releasing to staggering global success, they’re also presenting Marvel Studios: Ten Years of Heroes at ArtScience Museum, which delves into the science and tech behind the whole Marvel Cinematic Universe. Through Sep 30
Sunday, Aug 26
EXHIBITION
The eighth edition of Singapore Art Museum’s annual family-friendly contemporary art exhibition explores the concept of time. Ten artists and art collectives from around the world have taken over SAM at 8Q for Imaginarium: Into the Space of Time, presenting immersive and interactive installations exploring the tales and theories that shape our memories and future. Through Aug 26
FOOD
It’s a bonafide vegan bonanza at Vegan Day Out this Sunday, and everyone (even carnivores) is invited. Camp Kilo is bringing together a bevy of the island’s best and only vegan vendors—think HRVST, Unpakt, Smooched, Citizen Farm and Cakedbyseraphina; so come hungry. Aug 26
HEALTH
One of the largest annual runs in Singapore organized by SAFRA and the Singapore Army, the SAFRA Singapore Bay Run & Army Half Marathon 2018 isn’t just for SAF active servicemen and NSmen—but for anyone who enjoys views of the Marina Bay skyline and the city as you go about your route. Aug 26
Get fit and check out the rest of the runs happening in 2018 here.
DRINK
Whether you know exactly how to describe its taste (without using the word smooth), or fancy something that’s just easy to drink, Wine Lust 2018 promises to have a little something for everyone. Returning for the second time, Wine Lust presents an outstanding selection of 15 award-winning restaurants, 40 specialist wine events and 500 wine varietals. Through Sep 10
EXHIBITION
Dutch artist Theo Jansen is sending his prized Strandbeests to our shores. In fact entirely non-living, his world-renowned creatures made of PVC and wood are powered by wind, and spend their days moving gracefully across beaches (hence their name, which translates to “beach animal” in Dutch). Head to the ArtScience Museum for an exclusive look at this new species, where you can look at “fossils” of past beests, and even walk alongside 13 original Strandbeests. Through Sep 30
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
TOUR
The Singapore Zoo will be transformed into a lush and luminous universe to mark the attraction’s 45th anniversary this year. Experience Rainforest Lumina for yourself, where a whole stretch of tropical rainforest will be lit with multimedia visual effects come nighttime. You can even spend your night there by a campfire, if you so wish. Jul 1 onwards
