It’s gonna be a short four-day work week guys, so hang in there with a couple of exciting happenings while waiting for Good Friday to come around. Start your Monday by enjoying fine natural vino at the very first festival here dedicated to natural wines, then check out Jewel Changi Airport as it opens fully to the public midweek (our guide to the best things to eat, shop and see), before partying hard at some of the best revelries taking place this month.
FESTIVAL/DRINK
In celebration of the vino void of nasty chemicals and full of good living microbes, the very first Vivent Les Vins Libre Festival is set to take place in Singapore, and at where else but newly opened travelling pop-up natural wine bar Drunken Farmer. First go slow with a weekend of natural wine pairing dinners, then chase away the Monday blues with glasses of red, white and orange with fellow natural wine enthusiasts. Through Apr 15
SHOPPING
The world’s first Pokemon Center outside of Japan, the Pokemon Center Singapore, is set to open on the same day as the much-anticipated Jewel Changi Airport. Details are scant (we know there’ll be Singapore exclusives), but if it’s anything like the ones in Japan, you can expect plenty of merch, collectibles and cards to be on sale. Apr 17
EXHIBITION
Take a step back and introspect on the negative spaces purposefully left behind on art pieces in Elegance of Absence, a group exhibition by six contemporary Chinese artists taking place at Ion Art Gallery. Apr 17-28
PARTY
Hop till you drop at Bang Bang’s wacky Psychedelic Bunnies blowout, where Alice in Wonderland gets a twisted turn and the tea party isn’t what it seems to be. Let this Good Friday eve be one to remember. Apr 18
FOOD/MARKET
What better way to spend the long weekend than with your best pals over lots of food and drink? Food Fiesta 2019 brings together over 100 vendors for four consecutive days of feasting, where you’ll be spoilt for choice deciding what gets to fill your stomach space. Apr 18-21
GAME
The whole of Sentosa, from the Boardwalk near VivoCity all the way to Tanjong Beach, will be turning into a Pokemon Go! Safari Zone, where AR sprites of rare, shiny and never-before-seen Pokemon will roam the island for the first time. Expect players of the hit mobile game to throng the resort island; so stay away if you’re not catching ’em all. Apr 18-22
PARTY
Missed the opening weekend of Marquee Singapore? This weekend is still set to be thumping with legends Above & Beyond and Steve Aoki keeping the dancefloor lit with their addictive brand of trance and electro house hits. Try and keep your dancing shoes on. Apr 19-20
MUSIC/FESTIVAL
Expect a full-blown line-up of over 50 bands, vocalists and musicians from the region at the biggie 10th edition of Skechers Sundown Festival. Besides music, you’ll be kept entertained by art and film content, a marketplace, and even a camping ground so there’s no need to worry about heading home after. Apr 19-21
MARKET
For two consecutive weekends, TheGrounds@Kranji will be buzzing with a multitude of stalls inspired by the original Shilin Night Market in Taiwan, boasting a highly anticipated maze of street delicacies and creative eats. Consume your weight in Taiwanese favourites such as crispy-skinned Taiwanese fried chicken and of course, bubble tea. Also, look forward to arcade games, carnival kiosks, life-sized claw machines, as well as eight KTV booths to get your inner Jay Chou on. Apr 19-21, 26-28
THEATRE
The Singapore Repertory Theatre is dissecting the uncomfortable topic of partners cheating on each other to excavate fresh gags, in a translated staging of French playwright Florian Zeller’s The Truth. Not all farce, the play will set out to balance the laughs with important themes like fragile masculinity, unhappiness in one’s life, infidelity and deceit. Held at KC Arts Centre. Through Apr 20
THEATRE
Theatregoers rejoice, for The Esplanade’s inspiring developmental programme is back. The Studios will be presenting Singaporean works—both old and new—that have been developing under keen mentorship for the last year, all unifying under the theme of ‘The Weight of a Stone in a Pocket’. Through Apr 27
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
EXHIBITION
As part of ION Orchard’s 10th anniversary celebrations, the mall is setting up Orchard Road’s first-ever mermaid tank installation—complete with live mermaid. Every weekend, feel free to stop by the glittering mirror-paneled facade for selfies and meet-and-greets with the mermaid. 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
FOOD
The annual World Gourmet Summit returns, this time, spotlighting the evergreen theme of sustainability for its 23rd running. Keep a lookout for masterchef dining experiences, special celebratory menus at participating restaurants, and the produce-forward Gastro-Market taking over the Chijmes Lawn once again. Through May 12
EXHIBITION
Held poignantly at CBD gallery Hatch Art Project, I Would Prefer Not To Do Anything is a look at deep-rooted fatigue in today’s society. See artist Iqi Qoror’s surrealist works curated to give an intimate look into our universal state of burnout, worsened by an overwhelming culture or need to constantly project positivity. Through May 16
EXHIBITION
Not your average gallery showcase, Rewild Our Planet is a social augmented reality experience held at ArtScience Museum that uses technology to bring to life planet Earth’s many beautiful landscapes. Go on a journey that’s out of this world, and arrive (hopefully) with a greater inward appreciation for our bountiful world. Through Jun 2
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. Through Jul 14
EXHIBITION
Food packaging—beautifully crafted plastic wraps, carton boxes, tin cans and more that inform, entice and make you wanna fork out dough you don’t have. But is that all there is to it? Journey through the history of modern day food packaging in Singapore at the National Museum’s Packaging Matters exhibit, and you just might find a renewed appreciation for all them compelling coverings. Through Sep 15
EXHIBITION
The ArtScience Museum’s next big showcase is a whimsical one sure to be a hit with all audiences. Leading us all through the rabbit hole is Wonderland, which celebrates all the intrigue of Lewis Carroll’s timeless universe, and invites you to step through the looking glass for an immersive museum experience. Through Sep 22
