The best things to do in Singapore this week (Aug 15-18)

Spirits Festival at Haw Par Villa is your chance to learn more about the spooky (and misunderstood) month of the Hungry Ghost Festival. Believed to be a time when the gates of hell open and ghosts roam the mortal realm, the 7th lunar month often strikes fear and trepidation in people's hearts. But Taoists and Buddhists view it as a time to commemorate the dearly departed – with attendant prayers and rituals. During the Spirits Festival, learn about the sunset paper offerings industry, take part in prayers, and attend an informative panel to gain insights into the Hungry Ghost Festival from Buddhist and Taoist experts. 

My Community Festival is back with its third edition this year. Running from August 5 to 21, the event is centred on the theme of My Home Sweet Home featuring 64 fully physical tours and experiences across eight programme series. Event goers get exclusive access to the private spaces of the different communities in Singapore such as their homes, workplaces and places of worship. The anchor programme enables tour participants to meet different groups of people ranging from foreign workers to kampung dwellers and Jalan Besar rental flat residents.

New programmes have also been added to this year’s edition – Find My Fixer, My Little Singapore and What’s for my dinner series. Find My Fixer programme show participants ways to restore broken items and give it a new lease of life while My Little Singapore invites you to visit enclaves such as Little Belgium and Little Philippines. The last series sees international families opening up their houses and serve cultural dishes to visitors.

Outdoor movie venues are all the rage this year, from Hendrick’s Sunset Cinema to Cinewav Movies in the Sky. Joining the list is Films at the Fort, presented by Casillero Del Diablo. This delightful open-air outdoor cinema experience makes a comeback to Fort Canning Park this year. Running from August 10 to 21, enjoy wine and gourmet food while watching releases in the amphitheatre. 

The 8th edition of this outdoor cinema sees new releases, old classics and even music to get the audience going. Look forward to 11 award-winning festival films from Cannes, Sundance, the Academy Awards and nostalgic classics. Some of the films include Everything Everywhere All At Once, Forrest Gump and WWII film Operation Mincemeat to name a few. 

One of our favourite things about National Day is the dazzling light-up of cultural monuments around Singapore. You can expect the same display to happen this year at the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct, where six historical and culturally significant landmarks will come alive with the National Flag colours of red and white for the third year running. 

At night from August 1 to 27, head down to catch the National Museum of Singapore, Cathedral of the Good Shepherd, Central Fire Station, The Cathay, National Design Centre, and Stamford Arts Centre come aglow. These attractions – four of which are National Monuments – were chosen for their rich heritage and significant place in our national identity. As these buildings are illuminated in red and white, you are invited to celebrate our collective dreams and aspirations as well as our hopes for the future. 

Pop by Changi Airport for its latest interactive experience that takes you down memory lane. Hello, Changi Precinct features a colourful photo gallery highlighting different estates like Tampines, East Coast Park, Bedok, encouraging you to explore the heartlands of Singapore. The nostalgic gallery sees seven themed zones that shine the fun facts about the eight districts that make up the Changi Precinct. Moreover, there are also plenty of vibrant backdrops to keep your gram going. 

Pose an old-school barbershop in Siglap, have a go at the digital arcade games or reminisce childhood memories at the watermelon playground. As you navigate the different zones, you will also discover what makes each district unique. Hello, Changi Precinct is located at the Terminal 3 Departure Hall and is available to explore until October 23. Admission is free.

As part of the initiative, Changi has also launched two exploration tours. If you have been curious about the inner workings of Changi Airport, sign up for the My Changi Airport tour, which takes you through the airport's recreational spaces, heritage businesses and artwork installations and uncover stories from staff, travellers and visitors. On the other hand, the Changi Village Heritage Tour brings you around other areas in the precinct such as Bedok, Pasir Ris, Siglap, Tampines and even Pulau Ubin. Prices for the tours start at $20. 

From August 4 to October 31, head down to The Gallery @ ARTDIS to celebrate Singapore's 57th year of independence through 44 paintings illustrating the past, present, and hopeful future of our nation. Presented by ARTDIS, a charity dedicated to empowering persons with disabilities through art, Unseen Singapore gathers the work of 16 talented artists with disabilities to capture Singapore's rich heritage and culture through paintings of its landmarks, icons, and people. The paintings on display are also up for sale in person or on the ARTDIS website. 

Pop by Changi Airport for its latest interactive experience that takes you down memory lane. Hello, Changi Precinct features a colourful photo gallery highlighting different estates like Tampines, East Coast Park, Bedok, encouraging you to explore the heartlands of Singapore. The nostalgic gallery sees seven themed zones that shine the fun facts about the eight districts that make up the Changi Precinct. Moreover, there are also plenty of vibrant backdrops to keep your gram going. 

Pose an old-school barbershop in Siglap, have a go at the digital arcade games or reminisce childhood memories at the watermelon playground. As you navigate the different zones, you will also discover what makes each district unique. Hello, Changi Precinct is located at the Terminal 3 Departure Hall and is available to explore until October 23. Admission is free.

As part of the initiative, Changi has also launched two exploration tours. If you have been curious about the inner workings of Changi Airport, sign up for the My Changi Airport tour, which takes you through the airport's recreational spaces, heritage businesses and artwork installations and uncover stories from staff, travellers and visitors. On the other hand, the Changi Village Heritage Tour brings you around other areas in the precinct such as Bedok, Pasir Ris, Siglap, Tampines and even Pulau Ubin. Prices for the tours start at $20. 

The pasar malam (translating to ‘night market’ in Malay) experience is something that every Singaporean can relate to. Young or old, many locals have fond memories of visiting at least one of these roving night markets – which periodically bring street food, carnival rides, and affordable buys to our neighbourhoods.

Now, you can trace the evolution of the pasar malam at Lelong! Lelong! Pasar Malam in Singapore, a free travelling exhibition by the National Heritage Board. It begins at Sembawang Public Library from now till July 30, before moving on to Toa Payoh Public Library (August), Ang Mo Kio Public Library (September), Sengkang Public Library (October), and Jurong West Public Library (December).

Through exhibition panels, archival photos, sourced goods and items, as well as anecdotes from patrons and stallholders, Lelong! Lelong! Pasar Malam in Singapore brings to life the history and vibrancy of night markets past and present. Go back to the complex origins of the pasar malam, trace its rising popularity and the arrival of carnival rides, explore festive bazaars, and dig into the innovations behind modern night markets. At the end of it, engage with interactive panels and leave behind your own vision of an ideal pasar malam.

“We see the pasar malam as a living heritage experience that binds all Singaporeans together, said Mr Alvin Tan, Deputy Chief Executive (Policy & Community), NHB, at the launch of Lelong! Lelong! Pasar Malam in Singapore. “Through this exhibition, we hope to share stories and memories, celebrate the unique charms, and deepen appreciation for pasar malams as they make a comeback to our neighbourhoods and estates.”

Entry to Lelong! Lelong! Pasar Malam in Singapore is free of charge. To find out more about the exhibition, visit nhb.gov.sg.

If you love to reminisce about the good ol’ days, then the National Museum of Singapore’s newest exhibition is right up your alley. Of / On: Everyday Technology that Changed Our Lives, 1970s-2000s, will bring you back to a time when nary a smartphone was in sight. Instead, explore immersive sets built around the common spaces of yesteryear and reconnect with the gadgets that shaped the lives of people in post-independence Singapore.

The experiential showcase is built around four thematic zones: Work in Progress, Hello Mobile, The Art of Living and Game On. Together, these four zones take you from the office, to shops, and to home, each anchored by technological icons of the past. And we say ‘experiential’ because you’re free to interact with the artefacts, replicas and interactives at Off / On – clack away on the typewriters, pick up the telephone receiver to listen to re-enacted conversations, take a black and white photo, try out old school video games, or play with a replica cassette player.

“Through the Off /On showcase, we invite visitors to reconnect with these technologies, while inspiring conversations and curiosity among the younger generations unfamiliar with them, says Priscilla Chua, Senior Curator, National Museum of Singapore. “As we are more ‘switched on’ now than ever before, the indispensable role of technology continues to shape and change the way we live, work and play, and we hope visitors will share their unique stories and experiences with us.”

And as much as Off / On is a blast to the past, some of these interactives also make use of unique digital and gamification elements to make the experience more engaging for visitors. Just visit go.gov.sg/offon to get a unique QR code to access exclusive digital games such as the ‘Fastest Typist’ game, pop quizzes, and bonus educational content.

Adding to the fun is an after-hours escape game on selected weekends during the exhibition’s run. Pre-register in groups of 3 to 10 participants to explore the showcase space after dark, while “journeying through time” in the gallery to complete a mission: uncovering a secret device that will help prevent a shutdown of the world’s technology. More registration details will be released soon.

Of / On: Everyday Technology that Changed Our Lives, 1970s-2000s is the second edition of the Collecting Contemporary Singapore initiative, that is working to better reflect Singapore’s national identity as it grows and evolves. The exhibition runs from June 10 to October 30 and is free to enter for Singaporeans and PRs. For more information, visit nationalmuseum.sg.  

As the sun starts to set, the spaceship buzzes to life. Multi-coloured lights flicker, warping the images of Tanjong Pagar Terminal reflected in the ship's silver panels. The crackle of a radio transmission floats through the air, blending with the distinctive sound of wayang music.

This is Wayang Spaceship, a public artwork by local artist Ming Wong. Designed as a travelling Chinese theatre, the stage now sits onsite at Singapore Art Museum. The unceasing trade and commerce of the container seaport form a backdrop to the hulking theatre-spaceship, which stands witness to technological progress and our place in the cosmos.

After the Singapore Art Museum closes each day, the Wayang Spaceship returns to its roots as a Chinese opera theatre. Bask in a symphony of light and sound – Ming Wong has creatively pieced together scenes from Chinese opera and science fiction films from the 1950s to 1970s, to tell the story of a scholar-warrior as he moves through past, present and future. The artist also worked with Liam Morgan and Wu Ju Han to design the lightboxes, projection and soundscape to express his vision of a "Chinese opera from the future".

The Wayang Spaceship will be at The Singapore Art Museum until 2024, so you have plenty of time to check it out. Before 7pm, visitors are free to board the 'spaceship' to have a look behind the scenes of a traditional Chinese opera stage. In fact, the structure is made out of a rare wood used for shipping with the help of Lee Beng Seng, whose predecessors picked up the craft of stage making in Xiamen. 

For more information on the Wayang Spaceship, visit its dedicated page on the SAM website. 

The Everyday Museum 

Wayang Spaceship was commissioned by the Singapore Art Museum for a new public art initiative The Everyday Museum. This long-term programme aims to take art beyond the gallery walls – beginning with site-specific exhibits and activations in Tanjong Pagar and radiating out to more neighbourhoods in the coming months and years. 

Besides Wayang Spaceship, earlier commissions under The Everyday Museum include The Oort Cloud and the Blue Mountain: Edition Tanjong Pagar Distripark and Creatif Compleks, both of which you can find at SAM until December 2023. 

Stay updated on all upcoming showcases under The Everyday Museum on SAM's official website. 

How about letting a machine choose a drink for you? Don’t miss out on the world’s first random cocktail generator, housed in modern izakaya restaurant Ju95. This generator ensures you get to savour algorithm-generated concoctions. Conceptualised by Tezarekt, each cocktail is infused with spirits and mixers like the Hibiki 21 Year Old, Plantation XO rum and Widges gin. The Random Cocktail Generator injects an element of play and surprise through gamification, hacking the usual bar menus to serve up random cocktail combinations created by TEZAREKT’s RNG algorithms. Players can choose from different game modes –  the EZPZ, a concoction that contains one spirit and two mixers; and Get Rekt, a cocktail containing three spirits.

Take a trip to Night Safari this month because there are new additions to the wildlife encounters that may just delight you. Say hello to two new unique nocturnal mammals, the Brazilian Porcupine and grey-handed Night Monkey and the debut of Night Safari’s first walk-in exhibit for its civets. Here, guests can also explore the Leopard Trail and watch Common Palm Civets and small-toothed palm civets in their habitat. The porcupine and night monkey are part of the new mixed-species habitat that will feature other small arboreal mammals native to South America.

Previously, we had Arts in Your Neighbourhood, now it is time for art in your parks! Look forward to a series of interactive and larger-than-life installations at three different parks - Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park, Jurong Lake Gardens and Punggol Waterway Park. The latest addition comes courtesy of As You Were, a public art showcase commissioned by the Public Art Trust (PAT) under the National Arts Council.

The showcase features works by local artists Daniel Chong, Hazel Lim, Adeline kuah, Teo Huey Ling, Ang Song Nian, Quek Jia Qi and Aaron Lim. Highlights include Daniel Chong’s quirky half-eaten biscuit and a larger-than-life paper cup telephone by Quek and Aaron Lim. These movement encourages the artists to create meaningful artworks that interact with the public as well. More details here.

The Year of the Tiger truly lives on – and you can see this in its life-sized glory at Gardens By The Bay. The park is currently hosting the largest number of life-sized tiger sculptures in Singapore as part of WWF-Singapore's AR-mazing Tiger Trail, a campaign to raise awareness of tiger conservation and environmental issues we are facing in the world today. 

Pick up a free Tiger Trail Passport from the information signboards at the Main Entrance and Canopy before you embark on your journey. Keep your eyes peeled – the tigers are located along a trail that will take you around the park from the Flower Dome all the way to The Meadow. Learn fun facts about the Gardens while searching for the tigers and make sure you collect the unique emboss stamp designs from each tiger. 

Looking for more complex LEGO builds and elaborate structures? This official LEGO store in Funan Mall is the first adult-focused concept store in Singapore. Walk up to the front of the industrial-style store where the words 'Adults Welcome' greet you and feel free to browse the wide range of sets that will see build amazing structures and things like iconic buildings from different cities, F1 cars, Star Wars paraphernalia and even replicas of popular art pieces.

Unlike the standard LEGO sets for kids, these sets are generally more complex, and take longer to build – and it is intentional! Think of it as zen in a brick – most adult (and young adult too) builders have said that LEGO set building helps them find their flow and focus singularly on a task, allowing their mind to rest. Instruction booklets are provided so don't be afraid to take up a challenge!

The concept store is also set to hold workshops and classes for hobbyists who want to challenge themselves more and improve in their craft. 

Outdoor movie venues are all the rage this year, from Hendrick’s Sunset Cinema to Cinewav Movies in the Sky. Joining the list is Films at the Fort, presented by Casillero Del Diablo. This delightful open-air outdoor cinema experience makes a comeback to Fort Canning Park this year. Running from August 10 to 21, enjoy wine and gourmet food while watching releases in the amphitheatre. 

The 8th edition of this outdoor cinema sees new releases, old classics and even music to get the audience going. Look forward to 11 award-winning festival films from Cannes, Sundance, the Academy Awards and nostalgic classics. Some of the films include Everything Everywhere All At Once, Forrest Gump and WWII film Operation Mincemeat to name a few. 

Arrive early and watch the sunset as you indulge in food and drinks with groovy tunes in the background. Enjoy dinner, snacks and desserts by The Providore and tipples that range from wine to cider. 

Tickets cost $36.50 per movie, so book fast before they’re sold out.