With over 120 programs at this year’s Singapore Heritage Festival (SHF), there’s simply too many to check out. But you’re in luck if you’re like us (y’know, a culture vulture that appreciates local heritage as much as a night of tasteful partying), cause we’re listing down the places you’ll find us at throughout the three weeks of the festival from Apr 6-22.
Jurong Drive-in Cinema
We’re starting things chill in the westerly heartlands by catching a movie. But it’s not the usual mass market offering, mind you. Recreating the Jurong Drive-In Cinema experience once sited on Yuan Ching Road is a series of local film screenings at the Jurong Town Hall, where you’ll have to bring your own seat in the form of an automobile. Be sure to plan ahead which show to catch. Apr 6-8, 7-11pm.
Cheng Sugar Factory Tour
It’s not everyday we get a chance to enter the bowels of an actual candy factory, so we’ll gladly take this one up. At homegrown Cheng Yew Heng Candy Factory, now the only rock sugar manufacturer in Singapore, we’ll get to see how different kinds of sugars and sugar-related products are produced. We’re most interested to see how the red sugar, often served with putu mayam and huat kueh, are made. Apr 7, various times.
The Machinist – Open House of Hup Yick Engineering
The last remaining auto part machining workshop in the old car-repair district of Jalan Besar is throwing its doors open for one weekend, and you bet we’ll be there. To learn more about the machining craft, on Friday evening, editors of the book The Machinist will also be onsite to share about the creation of the book, followed by a demonstration of the lathing process by machinist Mr Yee himself. Apr 13-14, various times.
Jalan Besar Food Tour
SHF always boasts a whole bunch of awesome food tours, but this one is the one we’ll be at. Why? Because trusted Instagram foodies the likes of @syarif.ig, @sixpegs and @preetipls will be leading the tours themselves. The various tours will take us to places like Mr Malabar Cafe for halal cheap eats, Heap Seng Leong for old school butter kopi, Good Chance Popiah for a popiah supper, as well as Druggist for craft beers on tap. Apr 13-14, various times.
Growing up in Chinatown (Dai Po)
Before Keong Saik Road is the bustling food and drink haven it is today, it was bustling in a very different way (if you know what I mean). The entirety of Chinatown too, has changed so much through the decades—from a slum into today’s trendy lifestyle destination. What better way to relive that change than to hear it from the personal journey of a man who has lived there his whole life at this sharing session. Apr 14, 2-3pm.
2nd and 3rd Generation Hawkers
We’ll then be up north at the legendary Toa Payoh Dragon Playground to feast on a spread of yummy hawker cuisine prepared by second and third generation hawkers who have taken over their parents’ and grandparents’ trade. It’ll be cool to see why these young ones have chosen the path they did. Apr 21-22, 5pm-10pm.
Armenian Street Party: Balik Kampong 2.0
It’s gonna be crazy over at the Peranakan Museum as the place turns into a thumping celebration of our cultural heritage. So end SHF on a high note with food and drink in hand, and as comedic performances, traditional games and groovy music keeps the party going until it’s high time to head home (or an afterparty). Apr 20-21, 7-11pm.
Click through for a full list of SHF programs.
