Halloween weekend is upon us, and whether you’re going on a friendly trick-or-treat around your neighborhood or going all out at one of the many, many themed parties taking place in town, you’ll want to first get into the right mood at the numeral horror film fests and screenings happening. There’s also plenty to do for those planning to stay away from the spooks, including sneaker convention the Street Superior Festival, several theatre and art shows, as well as the opening weekend of The Great Moscow Circus.
Friday, Oct 26
Bar Rouge
TOUR
Our usual sanctuary, the National Library, is being transformed into a haunted house this Halloween. Come spend a Night at the Library and get the chills as you go on a 45-minute journey through quiet halls and bookshelf alleyways. Oct 26-27
COMEDY
Fakkah Fuzz (born Muhammad Fadzri Rashi), everybody’s favorite local comedian, is back with more politically-incorrect rants revolving around his life experiences (that he so often uses as cross-cultural comedic fodder). Head over to the Esplanade to catch Unmarried, where Fuzz will be poking fun at the incredibly-relatable obsession of Asian parents marrying off their children. Oct 26
FILM
In the lead up to the 29th Singapore International Film Festival happening in November, Gardens by the Bay will be hosting two nights of free cinematic goodness at the inaugural Moonlight Cinema, a late-night screening event showcasing two coming-of-age films that share the same name—My Girl (USA, 1991) and My Girl (Thailand, 2003). Oct 26-27
DRINK
Singapore Pub Crawl returns for another Halloween-inspired trail of booze; be sure to come in a costume. Oct 26-27
PARTY
All is not at it seems at Bar Rouge. Enter at your own risk as the sky-high nightspot transforms into a shadowy forest for all you Halloween revelers. In The Woods, expect the unexpected as dazzling lights, spell-bounding tunes and intoxicating concoctions haunt you till the wee hours. Oct 26-27
FILM
Catch an international line-up of exclusive horror films being screened only at Golden Village cinemas at this year’s Horrorthon. Buckle up, because you’re set to watch not just one but two horror films back-to-back. Oct 26-28, 31
MARKET
As part of Marina Barrage’s 10th Anniversary, The Local People are setting up an expansive carnival-style pop-up market featuring local and international food, quality crafts and live acts. You’ll also have the chance to take a cruise in the Marina Reservoir, on a specially arranged boat tour that will set off from the Barrage. In true Marina Bay fashion, a dazzling fireworks display will cap off the celebrations. Oct 26-28
ESCAPE GAME
A Zombie Attack pop-up event is swooping into the open-air Grange Road Car Park, smack beside 313@Somerset. In teams of four, seek out an anti-toxin cure that will contain a virus outbreak borned from an experiment gone wrong. Then slay your way through the undead with a laser gun as they clamour to catch you in the escape room. Oct 26-Nov 4
Saturday, Oct 27
NParks Parks Festival
FESTIVAL
Run away from all the ghosts and ghouls haunting the city and have a wholesome time at the Parks Festival 2018 instead. There’s plenty happening, including the return of the ever-popular Concert Series in the Park: Rockestra where local bands will be belting out their best, food trucks offering irresistible grub, a market with over 80 vendors showing off their crafts and gardening goods in a sheltered pop-up duplex, and lots more. Bring your furkids along for a free check-up at the pet lovers’ corner—the resident pet doctor is in the house. Oct 27-28
PARTY
School’s out, but keep your uniforms on and rip em up for a mad school-themed revelry at Zombie High The Upside Down: Halloween Edition. Held at Kinki restaurant and rooftop bar with the DJs from Eatmepoptart dishing out the spooky sonics all night, you know you’re bound to have a good time. Oct 27
PARTY
Come dressed to kill at a very special edition of Lavo Singapore’s Saturday Soiree, Scare Factory. Not only do you stand a chance to win a stay at the beautiful Marina Bay Sands, dining vouchers and free taxi rides are also up for grabs. Be sure to bring your guts along, lest you become an unsuspecting victim to characters from iconic horror flicks like The Conjuring, The Shining and The Ring. Oct 27
FESTIVAL/SHOPPING
Sneakerheads, the time of year has arrived once again to gather to trade, check out exclusive kicks, go sole searching, stock up on the latest streetwear, and just have an all round good time at Singapore’s largest sneaker con. This year’s Sole Superior has leveled up, becoming the Street Superior Festival, taking place at uber hip Pasir Panjang Power Station. Oct 27-28
CONCERT
Four years since his last performance here, smooth crooner Jason Mraz is back to perform singles off his latest album Know; on his only stop in Asia. Aren’t we “Lucky”? Oct 27
PARTY
It’s been 10 years since the opening of The White Rabbit and adjoining gin bar The Rabbit Hole, and what better way to celebrate than at their biggest blowout of the year, the Egyption-themed Halloween event that is the Jewel of d’Nile. Win their best dressed competition and you might find yourself whisked away on a free vacation. In this case, it does pay to have fun. Oct 27
PARTY
Face the nightmares from your favorite ’80s horror films at the first Halloween bash of arcade bar NINETEEN80. Come dressed according to theme for Fright Night and jive to tunes from DJ Ollie’des and Bobos; you might just walk away with prizes. Oct 27
DRINK
The annual iBrew Challenge returns to pit the island’s most innovative homebrewers against each other. For the regular non-homebrewing pleb, you’ll get to enjoy five hours of free-flow, grub from local restaurants, and the pleasure of being surrounded by fellow (good) beer lovers. Oct 27
PARTY
It’s murder on the dance floor this Halloween as Zouk Singapore takes you back to the ‘70s with dance floor dystopia as the theme. At Zouk’s main room, groove to resident DJs on deck duty, or head up to Capital and get down with the trio of LeNERD, Ghetto and Nash D, dishing out an all-night mayhem of open format mixes for those with a preference for EDM and bass bangers. Free and priority entry for the first 100 that come before midnight in full costume (subject to management’s discretion). Oct 27
CONCERT
Revel in good music from the region as the one-day Starker Music Carnival returns, with Taiwanese superstar A-Lin headlining, and local acts MICapella, Hubba Bubbas, and The Facade bringing up the rear. Oct 27
PARTY
Ce La Vi’s Halloween event Cirque Le Soir is back to take theatrical oddities to a new level. This year, it’s a fantasy S&M dungeon featuring acts from an alternative world—fire breathers, exotic dancers, eccentric contortionists; and the Ce La Vi DJs. Oct 27
BOOK
A nice change of pace, come listen in as authors share about the lesser known sides of themselves in a new regular series being launched by Ethos Books, Deep Cut, held at independent bookstore Littered with Books. In this first event, author Heng Siok Tian shares from books and writings about mothers, talking about how she navigates the personal relationship she had with her mum, and ultimately, how she made sense of life after her death. Oct 27
FOOD/DRINK
Head over to Botanico at The Garage for a special Tanglin Gin (the first locally-distilled commercial gin) pairing dinner with Botanico’s own Sujatha Asokan and Melbourne-based guest Chef Thi Le from Anchovy Restaurant firing things up in the kitchen. Through Oct 27
FOOD
Indulge in the best produce hailing from the Land of the Rising Sun at the seventh edition of Food Japan. Held at Suntec, expect to check out (and taste) the freshest seafood, grains, condiments, sake and more before you buy. Only Saturday is open to the public. Through Oct 27
PARTY
Clarke Quay’s Central Fountain Square is being transformed into an underwater den filled with freaky watery ghouls at their five-day Halloween blowout, Tales of the River. Come dressed the part, snap away at photo spots, party with fellow fiends, and even take part in a virtual reality zombie survival challenge. Oct 27-31
DRINK
Hopheads, gather round at Southbridge rooftop oyster bar for Top of the Hops, a showcase of craft brews from Hong Kong Beer Co. and Crossroads Brewing Company. On Oct 27 from 7-9pm, the producers themselves will be on-site to share more about their beers, so come chat over bottles and pints. Oct 27-Nov 4
Sunday, Oct 28
Halloween Horror Nights
DRINK
The battle is on between Portugal and Spain at PS. Cafe’s Sunday Wine Down monthly series. Start with a bubbly cava and end with knockout ports as you check out this showcase of the best wines the two regions have to offer. Oct 28
THEATRE
In conjunction with the Malay CultureFest 2018, Singaporean playwright Alfian Sa’at is presenting critically acclaimed double bill performance Bulan Madu. The first act, a monodrama, tells the story of the last kampung in Singapore as it gives way to modernisation, while the second, presented by two women, explores the psyche of female Malay/Muslims in a polygamous marriage. Through Oct 28
FILM
It may be a student-organized film festival, but the annual Perspectives Film Festival is not one to be overlooked—particularly given its unfailing line-up of quality films year after year. For this year’s 11th edition, look forward to seven international films curated on the theme ‘Institutions’. Through Oct 28
FESTIVAL
As part of its sixth anniversary celebrations, Gardens by the Bay will be completely transformed into a man-made Neon Jungle, filled with animal light installations, a neon night market and more. Through Oct 28
EXHIBITION
The dreamy pastel-hued shots of our city come to life in an exclusive exhibition by Nguan of his latest photobook, Singapore (2017), as part of the annual Singapore International Photography Festival. Through Oct 28
FILM
Get your fill of thrills, zombies, cannibals and serial killers at Singapore’s first horror film festival, Scream Asia Film Festival, curated by Eric Khoo and featuring 12 top horror flicks from around the globe. Through Oct 28
FILM
The National Gallery Singapore’s film festival dedicated to art, Painting with Light, is back for its second edition with more than 30 thought-provoking films by Singaporean, regional and international filmmakers. This year’s Special Focus category draws attention to the reality of transition and displacement; a clear spotlight on the global refugee crisis. Through Oct 28
FESTIVAL
Honestbee has opened a groundbreaking new lifestyle space Habitat, and everyone’s invited to take a look around. At the Festival of Fresh, taste Japanese souffle pancakes, Mediterranean grain bowls and kombucha, or shop fresh seafood at promotion prices like $9.90 for a lobster. Local musicians Joie Tan and Aarika Lee will provide the entertainment. Through Oct 28
TOUR
Dust off your scaredy-pants, because the eighth edition of Halloween Horror Nights is here and ready to terrify. Come face to face with Demogorgons, Pontianaks, and other chilling Asian ghosts, as Universal Studios Singapore is once again transformed into the creepiest place in the region. Through Oct 31
EXHIBITION
After conservation comes an interrogation of the heritage icons we hold close to our heart. The Substation’s next installment in their programme is an interactive, adventure course-type show inspired by the notorious interview process all Singapore Girl wannabes have to go through—where you too can reach for the overhead cabin stars and become a national icon. Through Nov 4
EXHIBITION
New York pop artist The Sucklord rose to fame for his cheeky bootleg toys—unlicensed action figures and toys made subversive and spanning themes of politics, porn and memes. For the first time, he’s holding a solo show in Singapore at Kult Gallery, so stop by for a hit of sleazy, hilarious art. Through Nov 10
FESTIVAL
The Singapore River Festival returns to the quays with the largest outdoor bazaar in Singapore River across Clarke Quay, outdoor circus performances, movie screenings, gameshows, and lots of prime eats. Through Nov 11
EXHIBITION
Powerful ladies step up to the plate in Objectifs’ Women in Photography photo exhibition. This year, in line with prolific collective movements such as #MeToo and #TimesUp, the exhibition will throw pertinent issues of politics, sexuality and cultural oppression into the spotlight via poignant visuals from international female photographers. Through Nov 18
CIRCUS
The Great Moscow Circus has come to town (their first time in over a decade), and you won’t want to miss catching some of the world’s most dangerous acts and high-energy performaces from the stands of the big top erected at the Bayfront. Through Nov 23
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
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
