It’s going to be a real warm first half of March, but don’t let that stop you from heading out! Visit Gardens By The Bay to catch the cherry blossoms floral display or explore local history in one of the many heritage and culture festivals going on. Techie geeks who missed out the previous IT Show in Expo can catch the next one at Suntec this weekend too.
1. Gardens By The Bay Sakura Matsuri Floral Display 2019
Celebrating sakura season the Singapore way at Gardens By The Bay because flights to Japan are too expensive. The annual Sakura Matsuri returns this Saturday, with gorgeous bloom displays in the cooling Flower Dome and Torii gates covered in a canopy of pink and white cherry blossoms. Over 20 varieties of cherry blossoms will be on display until 31 March.
On the last weekend of March, the Anime Garden will bring your favorite characters on screen to life with performances, anime screenings, anisong artists and celebrity cosplayers. Matsuri games, a food bazaar hawking Japanese treats and a whole schedule of Japanese cultural performances will make you feel like you’re in one of those spring festivals.
Date: 9 – 31 March 2019, 9am to 9pm
Address: Flower Dome, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
Tickets: $12 for one conservatory, $20 for two conservatories
Website | Facebook
2. Bianca Del Rio: It’s Jester Jio 2019 Tour
Can’t get enough of Bianca Del Rio in RuPaul’s Drag Race? The winner of the 6th season of RuPaul’s will be bringing her latest standup comedy show to Singapore for one night only! Her straightforward views borders on comical as she recounts her travels around the world and the outrageous circus also known as her life. The comedy show will have you in stitches because life is better if you’d just lighten the f*ck up.
Date: 8 March 2019, 9am to 9pm
Address: Shine Auditorium, 100 Beach Rd, Shaw Tower, Singapore 189702
Tickets: $108, $128, $148, VIP Meet & Greet tickets at $248, available online via Sistic
3. Garden Beats Festival 2019
On a green scale, festivals probably ranks somewhere at the bottom because the amount of waste they produce is ridiculously high. Garden Beats prides itself as the most #woke music festival in Singapore that is fully carbon neutral. They’ve also put into place many recycling and green initiatives for a wholesome festival with a dope lineup to boot. As far as hipster festivals go, Garden Beats is the indie festival of the the year especially with Laneway Festival choosing to miss out Singapore this year. Even their glitter at the styling stations are biodegradable.
Festival punters can catch The Kooks, Alina Baraz, Black Coffee and Yung Bae as they entertain crowds. Classpass will be hosting a yoga session, or join a workshop to create your own unique body mist and handicrafts. You can even have a picnic spread as the festival allows you to bring in your own food. You’re only not allowed to bring beverages and alcohol, but reusable bottles and cups are encouraged – you get a $1 off every drink when you use your own cup. You can also rent a reusable tin cup at the festival for $3.
Date: 9 March 2019, 1pm to 10.30pm
Address: Fort Canning Green, Canning Rise
Tickets: $148 online, $168 at the door
Website
4. #BuySingLit 2019
This year’s literary festival focuses on ‘Love and Loss’ and everything in between, with over 40 activities around the island to show appreciation for the literary arts. The festival kicks off with the Yong Siak Street Party hosted by independent bookshop BooksActually in Tiong Bahru. Look forward to two weeks of book launches, writing workshops, panel discussions and exhibitions from Singapore’s best writers.
And if you’re still unsure what to do with all those GrabRewards points? Use them at Grab SingLit where Grab users can redeem SingLit books with GrabRewards points. Other highlights include Pesta Buku Melayu, the first-ever Malay-centric book fair in Singapore, and the roaming writer who will bestow you with a personalized flash fiction story as a cool memento if you manage to spot him!
Date: 8 – 17 March 2019
Address: Various locations
Full schedule up here
5. Pasta Bar
Helmed by Genoese chef Alessandro Giusetti of Michelin-starred Garibaldi fame, pasta takes the limelight in the newest restaurant, Pasta Bar, on Keong Saik Road. All the pasta is made freshly in-house, in various shapes and textures for an authentic pasta experience. Drawing from his family recipes, Chef Alessandro presents dishes like the Pappardelle, a rich rabbit ragu pasta, and the Lagane, a traditional Italian pasta that is made up of mini lasagne sheets drenched in a garlic and chickpea sauce.
Address: 55 Keong Saik Road, #01-05, Singapore 089158
Opening hours: Tuesday to Sundays, 6pm to 11pm
Website
6. Street Of Clans 2019
Bukit Pasoh’s rich and colorful history gets the spotlight in the latest cultural festival. Back when Singapore was part of the Straits Settlement, clans were formed to help fellow immigrants – experience the kampung spirit as six houses open their houses featuring interactive installations highlight stories or values that a clan holds in high regard. Guided tours will bring you through the history of early leaders like Tan Kah Kee (yes the MRT station was named after him), or join workshops to try your hand at one of the Strait’s time-honored crafts.
Zouk’s house DJs will be livening up the streets with their beats and local artists like Sam Driscoll and Hubbabubbas will serenade passer-bys in a street party. Other highlights include a pottery workshop by Studio Asobi, design talks by Morgan from Roger&Songs, and a tasting session by chef Malcolm Lee who heads Michelin-starred restaurant Candlenut.
Date: 8 – 10 March 2019
Address: Various locations around Bukit Pasoh
Free entry, full schedule here
7. IT Show 2019
Missed the first IT Show of the year? The next IT Show is happening this weekend at Suntec City. Expect to spend a good few hours browsing through 3 floors of discounted electronics – it’s phones, gaming consoles and laptops galore with up to 90% discounts. Repair desks are open to resuscitate your dying gadgets, and there is a $2 voucher for the first 500 people who trade-in their old tech products for recycling.
Date: 7 – 10 March 2019, 11am – 9pm
Address: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Raffles Blvd, level 3, Singapore 039593
Free entry
8. Books Box Sale
Feed your mind with this book buffet! $50 gets you a box where you can bring home as many books as you can stuff in. Fiction, romance, business, and children books are all up for grabs. If a box is too much (or too heavy to carry home), books are going for $8 each or 3 for $20. Or go for books ala carte style in the sales section, with books starting from just $1! Just ask yourself if a book will spark joy before adding it to your basket – Marie Kondo will be proud of you.
Date: 8 – 16 March 2019, Mon-Fri: 9am – 4pm, Sat & Sun: 9am – 6pm
Address: Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Raffles Blvd, level 3, Singapore 039593
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9. Future Of Our Pasts Festival
Singapore is progressing at such a quick rate that the local history and culture might be slowly slipping into non-existence. This year marks the bicentennial year of the date that Sir Stamford Raffles arrived on our tiny island, and the Future Of Our Pasts Festival aims to remember the heritage of our country through a series of art installations and exhibitions. A documentary on the much-debated JC mergers delves more into Singapore’s changing educational landscape, while performances bring our colonial legacy to life. Don’t forget to scoop up a copy of Meantime, a magazine that features a rokjak collection of love stories – see what a studio wedding shoot in the 1960s or a family day’s out at the amusement park will look like.
Date: till 17 March 2019
Address: Various venues and timings
See the full schedule here
10. Prudential Marina Bay Carnival
Thrill seekers are in for an Extreme Ride, the latest ride to join the party over at the Prudential Marina Bay Carnival. The rotating ride will spin you into oblivion at speeds of over 100km/h. Another reason to visit the carnival if you’ve been hesitating: there is a special 2-for-1 promo for rides and games! You can now bring a friend along for rides, and you get double the tries of the full price of one game. The only exceptions to this promo is the Odd Numbers and Hook The Bag game. Now you get double the tries to win that huge unicorn plushie!
Date: 22nd December 2018 – 24th March 2019 | 4PM – 11PM daily
Address: Bayfront Event Space, 12A Bayfront Avenue, S018970
Price: free to enter, games and rides require additional credits