What's On In Singapore Now: 10 Unmissable Events This Winter

Proving there is never a dull moment in Singapore, here is a list of the ten of the best events taking place this winter. From Christmas celebrations to parties on the beach, with plenty of art, film and culture in between, we see what this eclectic and multi-cultural city has to offer.

1. Thaipusam Festival

Thaipusam Festival

February 3

This Hindu festival is a hugely important event for Singapore’s large Indian population. It is a beautiful event and a feast for the senses. The focal point of Thaipusam is a parade, taking place along Tank Road and arriving at the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in the Little India neighborhood. The festivities begin at 5am and only finish late at night. In honour of Lord Subramaniam, devotees prepare themselves with strict diet and ascetic lifestyles before taking part in the parade. Some even pierce their tongues with skewers in a mark of endurance.

Around Tank Road, Singapore

New Year celebrations in Singapore | © kelvin_luffs/Flickr

2. Marina Bay Singapore Countdown

Resort

December 31

Usher in the New Year with this magnificent firework display over Singapore’s iconic downtown skyline at Marina Bay. At the stroke of midnight, the city is lit up for eight minutes by a dazzling array of light. There are few other more spectacular places to enjoy New Year’s celebrations than here. Marina Bay itself is filled with ‘wishing spheres’, inflatable buoys upon which you can write your wishes for the New Year, before lighting them and releasing them off into the sea.

The 25th Singapore International Film Festival

The Singapore International Film Festival returns after two years, showcasing a wide variety of international and local talent. There will be 147 feature and short films from 50 different countries. The opening film is Unlucky Plaza, an exploration of a man pushed to the brink in the Lion City, by celebrated Singaporean filmmaker Ken Kwek. His last film, Sex, Violence and Family Values, was banned. Other notable films include the Indonesian In the Absence of the Sun, which examines the lives of three women in Jakarta. The festival will also run a number of events, such as the Southeast Asian Film Lab writing workshop, in which talented young screenwriters will develop plot lines exploring Southeast Asian identity.

The event will be held in various locations across Singapore.

Chinese New Year

February 19 – March 5

This immense event paints Singapore red, quite literally, for over two weeks. Chinese New Year is a festival of color, music and culture that reflects Singapore’s multi-cultural heritage. The focal point of the celebrations is in Chinatown, which is transformed by non-stop food, music and culture. Another highlight is the Chingay Parade, held on February 27 and 28. Though it is not exclusively Chinese, showcasing the country’s Indian, Malaysian and Eurasian populations alike, it is the largest street performance and parade in Asia and an unmissable part of Chinese New Year in Singapore. This is also a great time to delve into the festive Chinese cuisine on offer.

The event will be held in various locations across Singapore.

Christmas at Orchard Road

December 18 – December 25

Soak up the Christmas spirit by indulging in the shamelessly Christmassy events on offer around Singapore’s main boulevard, Orchard Road. With the Christmas lights already switched on, watch special performances every night from December 18, including mass carol singing at the Tong Building on Christmas Eve. A final grand event will take place on Christmas Day itself from Scotts Road to Bideford Road.

Various locations along Orchard Road,

3. Da Vinci: Shaping the Future

Museum, Bridge

Crows are Chased and the Chasing Crows are Destined to be Chased as well, Transcending Space (Credit to teamLab)

November 14 – May

You don’t have to travel to Europe see the best work of Leonardo da Vinci, thanks to this exhibition at the ArtScience Museum. The show brings together original sketches from the work of the legendary Renaissance artist, designer and inventor, along with contemporary installations and interpretations of his work. Drawing largely on his Codex Atlanticus, the exhibition features sketches highlighting his creativity and genius: from his blueprints for a giant crossbow to his mechanical wings. What’s more, some of his sketches are accompanied by contemporary models, such as Flying Machine, a design for a functioning helicopter, and Mobile Bridge.

4. Signature Art Prize

Art Gallery, Museum

November 14 – March 15

Now in its third year, the Signature Art Prize selects Asia and the Pacific’s best contemporary art from both upcoming and established artists and exhibits it in the Singapore Art Museum. 105 long-listed artworks are narrowed down to 15 finalists. As well as a grand prize selected by judges, the public are able to vote online for the ‘People’s Choice Award’. This year, finalists include multi-media installations such as New Zealander Lisa Reihana’s In Pursuit of Venus, a video loop showing pastoral life in the Pacific Islands, an exploration of their beauty and a critique of the colonial legacy. Singaporean artist Zhao Renhui features with his Eskimo wolf trap often quoted in sermons, a minimalist installation reflecting his personal experience of traveling in the Artic.

Singapore Art Week

January 17 – 25

This is arguably the most important event in Singapore’s artistic calendar, with the city packed full of exhibitions, art fairs, gallery openings, talks and seminars. There is plenty to casually dip your toes into. Among the highlights is the Art Stage Singapore event, held from 22 to 25 of January at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre. This art fair will showcase galleries and their work from across the region. The colonial-era Gillman Barracks has also been transformed into 17 contemporary art galleries and will be in full swing during the week.

This event will be held in various locations across Singapore.

5. St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival

St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival

24 January

An indie music festival that began in Melbourne, Australia in 2004, St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival soon expanded across Australia and finally to Singapore. Now in its fifth year, its waterfront location at The Gardens by the Bay, Laneway is bringing bands and artists from across the world. Its highlights include St Vincent, Lykke Li, Chet Faker and Little Dragon, while local Singaporeans Hanging Up the Moon get a show in too in this action packed day of music.

Gardens by the Bay, Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore, +65 6420 6848

6. ZoukOut Festival

Resort

ZoukOut Festival

December 12- 13

ZoukOut is a dance music festival held on the island of Sentosa and, running since 2000, is one of Asia’s biggest beach festivals. The two-day party will feature a wide selection of renowned international and local DJs: dubstep sensation Skrillex, Grammy-winner Dubfire, UK group Above & Beyond, German Loco Dice, as well as numerous up-and-coming acts such as Dannic, Mano Le Tough and Martin Garrix. For those who enjoy parties and dance music, this is surely one of the highlights of the year. ZoukOut rightly enjoys its popularity after 14 years of success, having previously featured international stars such as David Guetta, Armin van Buuren and Avicii.

ZoukOut, Siloso Beach, Sentosa, Singapore
By Benjamin Parkin
After graduating from university in the UK, Benjamin Parkin moved to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he worked as a freelance journalist. Now back in the cold and the rain, he wonders what on earth he was thinking in returning. He loves exploring culture, history and politics, in Brazil and beyond. Follow him on Twitter.

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