Singapore Events and Festivals January – June 2018
JANUARY
Pongal (Harvest Festival)
5 January – 4 February
Celebrated by most of Singapore’s Indian community, Pongal is a traditional harvest festival that charms with its colourful intimations of an age gone by. This year, Pongal celebrations in Singapore will continue for a month, with cultural performances, a mass cooking event and a street light-up to add to the festivities. www.littleindia.com.sg/events-calendar
M1 Singapore Fringe Festival
17 – 28 January
The M1 Singapore Fringe Festival is an annual festival of theatre, dance, music, visual arts and mixed media, presented by Singaporean and international artists. Themed differently each year, the Festival is organised by The Necessary Stage (TNS), one of Singapore’s foremost theatre companies. www.singaporefringe.com
Singapore Art Week
17 – 28 January
Singapore Art Week reinforces the Lion City’s position as Asia’s leading arts destination. This popular annual celebration of the visual arts is held at numerous venues across Singapore including museums, art precincts and non-profit creative spaces. www.artweek.sg
Art Walk Little India
18 – 27 January
Held in conjunction with Singapore Art Week, artists bring to life the history and traditions of Little India through artworks like wall murals, film, music and performances. www.artwalklittleindia.sg
Aliwal Urban Art Festival
18 January
Another event in conjunction with Singapore Art Week, this annual event organised by the Aliwal Arts Centre depicts art that is inspired by international street culture – from graffiti to graphic art, rock to afro-beat and skateboarding to breakdancing. The festival’s location in Kampong Glam, one of Singapore’s coolest neighbourhoods, definitely adds to the vibe! www.aliwalartscentre.sg/events/uaf/
KidsFest
18 January – 11 February
A four-week festival now in its seventh year, this is world-class theatre specially designed for young people in both Singapore and Hong Kong. The event presents fun for the whole family, where characters and scenes from well-loved books are enacted on stage. This year six different productions will be held at two venues in the heart of Singapore – Victoria Theatre and KC Arts Centre in Robertson Quay. www.kidsfest.com.sg
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival Singapore
27 January
This festival may have originated in Melbourne, but it has since grown into its own as a permanent fixture in Singapore’s January calendar after its inaugural appearance in the city in 2011. Experience the good vibes and chill out at Gardens by the Bay for an evening of great music, food and fun. http://singapore.lanewayfestival.com
Chinatown Light-Up
27 January – 16 March
Visitors can soak in the festive mood as locals prep for Chinese New Year. Singapore’s colourful and historical Chinatown neighbourhood will have an even more frenzied atmosphere when the streets are illuminated in the lead-up to, and throughout the 15 days following, Chinese New Year which falls on 16 and 17 February in 2018.
Thaipusam
31 January
Colourful and yet shocking to some, the annual Hindu festival Thaipusam is an awe-inspiring show of devotion and faith. A festival which honours Lord Murugan, devotees seek blessings, give thanks or fulfill vows by carrying kavadis (curved structures with body piercings) or milk pots in a procession from one temple to another in the heart of the city. www.thaipusam.sg
FEBRUARY
Singapore Air Show
6 – 11 February
Asia’s largest aerospace and defence event is open to the public on 10 and 11 February, where visitors can look forward to a range of actual aircraft on display and watch aerobatic flying displays too. www.singaporeairshow.com
River Hongbao
14 – 24 February
Usher in the Chinese New Year at the River Hongbao, a celebration of all things Chinese at Singapore’s iconic Floating Platform at Marina Bay. First held in 1987, it’s a feast for all the senses – view dazzling mural lanterns, indulge in delicious street food, enjoy the family rides and games, and don’t miss the fireworks display held every night this year to mark the event. www.visitsingapore.com/en_au/festivals-events-singapore/annual-highlights/river-hongbao
Chinese New Year
16 & 17 February
With bright colours, non-stop revelry and sheer exuberance, Chinese New Year is a festival that demands all of your attention and energy. The heart of Chinese New Year is ultimately a celebration of home and family, and the first few days are spent visiting relatives and friends, conveying blessings of good fortune for the year ahead. The best part of a festival that lasts for 15 days is the yummy food to be had throughout as a celebration and wish for successful new beginnings! www.visitsingapore.com/en_au/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/chinese-new-year
Chingay Parade
10 – 11 February
Enjoy the largest street performance and float parade in Asia! From the main parade site to the suburban heartlands, this street extravaganza epitomises the dynamism of Singapore’s vibrant and multicultural society with floats, dancing dragons, prancing lions and more, in a celebration of Chinese New Year. The 2018 parade theme is “Cultural Fantasy.” www.chingay.org.sg
MARCH
Singapore Design Week
5 – 18 March
Singapore Design Week (SDW) brings together a collection of local and international design activities in Singapore. Open to the design community, businesses and the general public, SDW consists of interactive installations, trade shows, conferences, lifestyle events and craft workshops that span across various design disciplines. https://www.designsingapore.org/en/sdw
Festival of Fun
8 – 18 March
This ‘fun-fest’ is held at Singapore’s iconic (and fun!) Clarke Quay. With activities for all ages, the festival includes a Nickelodeon Fiesta for children, international street artists and performers at StreetFest and stand-up comedians at the Magners International Comedy Festival. https://funfest.asia
SmartKids Asia
16 – 18 March
In its sixth year, Asia’s largest Educational Kids Fair is a family event where parents and children can discover and experience educational stimulation while having fun! It’s packed with three days of activities, stage performances, and classes in Hall 6 of the Singapore Expo. Admission is free. www.smartkidsasia.com
World Gourmet Summit
20 March – 16 April
World Gourmet Summit (WGS) is an international gastronomic event. The annual connoisseur festival celebrating its 22nd year this year, showcases the intricate craftsmanship of prestigious chefs and internationally acclaimed winemakers. www.worldgourmetsummit.com
i Light Marina Bay
March
i Light Marina Bay (iLMB) is a sustainable light-based festival that engages the public through unique, photo-worthy installations. Using Marina Bay as a canvas, iLMB transforms the area into the largest public art gallery set against a beautifully lit city backdrop. http://ilightmarinabay.sg
Singapore Cocktail Festival
March
Direct from world-famous bars, local and international bartending stars align once again to create cocktail experiences that one can only savour at this annual festival. Head to the best bars and restaurants in town for parties, workshops, cocktail pairing feasts and more. http://www.singaporecocktailfestival.com/
APRIL
HSBC Singapore Rugby Sevens
28 – 29 April
Watch 16 of the world’s top Rugby Sevens powerhouse teams from the flamboyant Fijians to the striving South Africans, the nimble New Zealanders to the ambitious Aussies, fight it out for the position of top team! www.singapore7s.sg
Singapore International Festival of Arts (SIFA)
27 April – 13 May
Inaugurated in 1977, the annual arts festival returned in 2014 bigger and bolder than ever after a short hiatus. Today, SIFA is the premier national performing arts festival managed by the Arts House Limited and commissioned by the National Arts Council. It aims to inspire through great international and Singapore artistic experiences in performance, theatre, dance and music. www.sifa.sg
Singapore Heritage Festival
April – May
Uncover the lesser-known stories of Singapore’s shared spaces and way of life through heritage trails, tours, open houses and performances, allowing you to hear the hidden tales of Singapore’s colourful history and heritage. www.heritagefestival.sg
MAY
Hari Raya Light Up
10 May – 28 June
The Hari Raya Light Up sets the atmosphere in Geylang Serai as Singapore’s Muslim community starts preparations in the lead up to Hari Raya Puasa on 15 June 2018, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/hari-raya-aidilfitri/
Vesak Day
29 May
Buddhists in Singapore and the world over celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha on Vesak Day; a time of joy, peace and reflection. Festivities begin at the crack of dawn with offerings of flowers, candles and joss sticks brought to temples. www.visitsingapore.com/festivals-events-singapore/cultural-festivals/vesak-day/
SAVOUR
May
One of the world’s biggest and best food festivals, SAVOUR unites foodie comrades with quality food and drinks and a wide range of accessible activities. SAVOUR offers a gourmet market with a plethora of food and drink exhibitors, celebrity chef masterclasses, a hands-on cooking studio and wine workshops. www.savour.sg
JUNE
Ultra Singapore
June
For anyone who still thinks Singapore is boring, we guarantee they’ll change their mind once they get to Ultra. This electronic dance music festival is a cannot-afford-to-miss event!
Great Singapore Sale
June – August
Everyone loves a bargain, and shoppers still mark the Great Singapore Sale (GSS) on their calendars each year to get the most from deals and bargains from fashion to watches, jewelry, toys and more. A new mobile phone app called GoSpree launched in 2017, allowing customers to get their hands on various e-coupons from different categories. www.greatsingaporesale.com.sg
Source: Read Full Article