Festivals and events in Singapore
There’s no need to wait till Christmas to have some fun – get the ball rolling this weekend at a massive outdoor skating rink inspired by the iconic one at NYC’s Rockefeller Centre, an augmented reality One Piece puzzle hunt across Sentosa, and of course, the highly-anticipated Prudential Marina Bay Carnival!
1. Prudential Marina Bay Carnival
Source:@trippingtroopers
Singapore’s largest funfair is back for its 2nd edition! Occupying the Bayfront Event Space once more, the Prudential Marina Bay Carnival will feature plenty of photo-worthy street food, up to 50 different types of plushies to bag home, and more than 40 rides and games, which consists of both crowd-favourites and new additions.
Source:Prudential Marina Bay Carnival
Some of the popular attractions include the 35m-tall Star Flyer, heart-stopping Mach 5, and the Das Fun Schiff Viking ship, and the brand new centrepiece of this round’s carnival is the Wave Swinger, a giant carousel swing!
Source:Prudential Marina Bay Carnival
Admission to the carnival is completely free-of-charge so you can pop in and snap away with the many photo ops, but do take note that you’ll have to pay for the rides!
Source:Prudential Marina Bay Carnival
Note: Opening hours are extended till 2AM on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
Address: Bayfront Event Space, 12A Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018970
Date & Time: 22nd December 2018 – 24th March 2019 | 4PM – 11PM Daily
Website
2. Skate Under The Moonlight
Source:VivoCity
Head down to Skate Under The Moonlight for a romantic night out at VivoCity’s first-ever outdoor skating rink pop-up! Inspired by the iconic skating rink at New York City’s Rockefeller Centre, VivoCity’s is equally impressive at a whopping 35m by 10m, and is beautifully decked out with festive decor like fairy lights and an 8m-tall Christmas tree.
Source:@lindsayvoitton
Each day is also uniquely themed with a curated selection of music for you to groove to from 7PM onwards, which includes Movie Mondays, Kpop Tuesdays, Throwback Thursdays, Top Hits Friday, and more.
Tickets are available here from just $12 for a 30-minute session inclusive of skates and socks, and admission to the viewing gallery costs only $2!
Address: VivoCity, Outdoor Plaza Level 1, 1 Harbourfront Walk, Singapore 098585
Date & Time: 7th – 25th December | Mon – Thurs: 4.30PM – 10PM, Fri – Sun: 4.30PM – 11PM
Ticketing Price: From $2
Website
3. Petit Marché de Noël (A Christmas Market)
Source:Eventbrite for Organizers
Perfect for those who are planning to whip up their very own Christmas feast this holiday, Petit Marché is the first traditional French market to be held in Singapore with a wide array of fresh European produce for you to shop from!
Source:eventbrite
Boasting fresh seafood, meat, cheese, fruits, and vegetables imported directly from France and other parts of Europe, the market has limited entry to prevent overcrowding, which is based on a first-come, first-served basis.
Source:Petit Marché
Some of the goods to snag include hand-churned Mont d’Or and Comté cheeses, French and Irish oysters, Mirabelle Plum jam and honey from Corsica Island, and black Périgord truffle native to Southern Europe, which is also one of the most expensive in the world!
Note: An entry fee of $1 per person is required as a token of contribution to the Salvation Army.
Address: The Salvation Army, 356 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247674
Date & Time: 2nd December | 8AM – 12PM
Website
4. IKEA Christmas Buffet
Source:IKEA
Feast to your heart’s content on free-flow meatballs and smoked salmon at IKEA’s annual Christmas Buffet Dinner! For just $40 per pax, you’ll be treated to an extensive selection of cold dishes, mains, and desserts, which includes their signature Marinated Salmon and Swedish Meatballs & Mashed Potato.
Of course, festive treats like Christmas Ham, traditional Swedish Ginger Thins, and mulled wine are also part of the buffet, and diners get unlimited access to their soda and coffee bar!
Just make sure that you sign up as a pair, and at least one of you have an IKEA FAMILY membership – become a member for free here.
Note: The buffet queue will close 15 minutes before it officially starts.
Address: IKEA Alexander & IKEA Tampines
Date & Time: 21st December | 5.30PM – 7.30PM, 8PM – 10PM
Website
5. Hello, ONE PIECE Exhibition
Source:Resorts World Sentosa
One Piece fans, this one’s for you – Singapore’s first-ever One Piece exhibition is finally opening its doors at Resorts World Sentosa! Hailing from Japan, visitors can get up close and personal with manga creator Eiichiro Oda in this exhibition. Explore a gallery of illustrations by Eiichiro, view an intricate replica of his work desk, peer into his mind with a unique virtual reality experience, and shop for original merchandise!
The puzzle hunt map and collectible cards! Source: One Piece Puzzle Hunt
Besides that, there’ll be an augmented reality puzzle hunt taking place across the entire Sentosa Island with an accompanying storyline that starts with you being shipwrecked. Players will have to track down the stations via an app (iOS and Android) or a Supplement Board located at every checkpoint, and then solve their puzzles to move on to the next location!
As an added bonus, all players will receive an exclusive set of Straw Hat Pirate cards as a souvenir. The game will take approximately 2 hours or more to complete, and registration can be made in front of iFly at Beach Station.
Purchase your tickets here!
One Piece Puzzle Hunt
Address: Sentosa Island
Date & Time: 14th December 2018 – 13th February 2019 | 10AM – 7PM (Last registration at 5PM)
Ticket Pricing: $30
Website
ONE PIECE Exhibition
Address: Resorts World Sentosa, 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269
Date & Time: 27th – 30th November: 10AM – 7PM (Mon – Fri) | 1st December 2018 – 1st January 2019: 9.30AM – 7PM (Mon – Sun)
Ticket Pricing: From $15
Website
6. Lobsters, Oysters, Wines & Spirits Festival
Source:habitat by honestbee
Live it up at the Lobsters, Oysters, Wines & Spirits Festival happening at habitat by honestbee this December as you shop from over 10 different types of fresh oysters, live Boston lobsters, and 300 wine and spirit labels!
Source:habitat by honestbee
Each lobster ($19.90) is freshly grilled-to-order and can be enjoyed either on its own or as a lobster thermidor, and to cater to true-blue oyster connoisseurs, oyster variants ($1.70 each) featured aren’t just the usual milder, sweeter Canadian ones, but also their stronger-tasting Irish counterparts.
Source:habitat by honestbee
These include the meaty Gillardeau oyster, which has a distinctly crunchy texture with a briny, nutty taste, the Fine de Claire oyster, easily identified by its elongated shell and slightly salty flesh, and the Pacific oyster, which are smaller and sweeter than most.
To go with your grub, unique brews like coffee gin and apple pie whisky from indie distilleries like Melbourne Moonshine Company, Paper Lantern Distilling, Brass Lion Distillery, Rebel Yell Bourbon, and more are also available!
Address: habitat by honestbee, 34 Boon Leat Terrace, Singapore 119866
Date & Time: 8th – 26th December | 11AM – 9PM
Website
7. BookFest@Singapore 2018
Source:@when.in.singapore
If books are your thing, rejoice – Singapore’s largest book festival BookFest@Singapore is back once more for its biggest edition yet! Covering a whopping 130,000 sq ft, hunt for new reads from various themes like Health and Wellness, Literature, For The Fans, Home & Self Improvement, Food Glorious Food, and more.
Source:Bookfest@Singapore
There’ll also be plenty of other activities for you to participate in, ranging from meet-and-greet sessions with authors and celebrities like Emeritus Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong himself, to a special Pokemon stage with Pikachu and live workout parties!
As an added bonus, minimum spendings of $60, $120, and $280 in a single receipt will be generously rewarded with vouchers, so don’t hesitate to snag all the good deals.
Find out more about the programme schedule here.
Address: Suntec Convention Centre, Hall 401 – 406, Singapore 039593
Date & Time: 14th – 23rd December | 10AM – 10PM
Website
8. Andsoforth presents: Marie & The Nutcracker
Source:@shout.sg
For those of you who are bored of the usual dinner dates, spice up your night and dine in an interactive play at Andsoforth’s Marie & The Nutcracker, a one-of-a-kind theatrical dining experience!
Source:@shout.sg
Hidden away in a secret location that’s only revealed to guests the night before the show, diners take on the role of “toys” accompanying Marie on her journey to defeat the Mouse King and break the Nutcracker’s curse. Expect beautifully-designed sets, intricate costumes, amazing actors, and a delicious 4-course meal with specially concocted “liquid courage”!
Source:@shout.sg
Address: Secret
Date: Till 6th January 2019
Website
9. Christmas Wonderland 2018
Last year’s Christmas Wonderland. Source:Christmas Wonderland at Gardens By The Bay
Celebrate the festive season at Christmas Wonderland in Gardens by the Bay once more! Back with its 5th edition, the Christmas extravaganza features dazzling Italian light sculptures such as a 7-storey high luminarie mirror maze and Asia’s tallest luminarie Christmas tree, a live performance by world-class illusionist Rob Lake, a Santa’s Grotto bigger than last year’s, and an outdoor skating rink to get your blood pumping.
Source:Christmas Wonderland
Apart from that, gourmet treats as affordable as $6 by Slice of SAVOUR will also be available for you to munch on, and a charming Festive Market made up of 24 specially-designed wooden huts will be open for you to shop for handmade crafts, boutique goods, and vintage gems!
Source:Christmas Wonderland at Gardens By The Bay
Book your tickets here.
Address: Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
Date & Time: 30th November – 26th December | 4PM – 11PM Daily
Ticket Pricing: From $4
Website
10. Island Lights 2018
Source:Sentosa (Official)
Get your cameras ready for a magical stroll down the Palawan Beach because large illuminating art installations will be lining the shore for Island Lights 2018! Featuring 10 Instagrammable masterpieces by local artists, you’ll be able to enjoy live band performances while you’re exploring, and snack on tasty bites when you get peckish at the Chill N’ Cheers area.
Source:Sentosa
Plus, if you’re a Pokemon fan, make sure to mark your calendars for 14th – 16th December and 21st – 23rd December – the very first Pikachu night parade outside of Japan will be happening along a 100-metre route, and they’ll be dressed adorably in LED lights!
Address: Palawan Beach, Sentosa
Date & Time: 16th November – 31st December | 7PM – 11PM
Website
Pikachu Parade
Address: Palawan Beach Walk, Sentosa
Date & Time: 14th – 16th & 21st – 23rd December | Friday: 7.30PM, Saturday: 7.30PM & 9PM, Sunday: 7.30PM
11. A Wizarding World Holiday at Changi
Source:Changi Airport
Potterheads, rejoice – the Wizarding World of Harry Potter is coming to Changi Airport with life-sized mock-ups of the iconic Hogsmeade Village, Diagon Alley, Whomping Willow, and Newt’s Menagerie!
Source:Changi Airport
Some of these setups will even have daily snow and light shows, and avid fans can try on Hogwarts robes and take GIFs in front of a Magical Photo-Taking Mirror. There’ll be games for you to try your hand at too, such as the Wand Challenge where you’ll learn spell-casting movements, the Quaffle Toss, where you can challenge your friends to a game of Quidditch, and the Niffler Challenge Game, where you’re supposed to stack as many coins as possible atop a giant Niffler replica!
Source:Changi Airport
As an added bonus, there’ll be exclusive Harry Potter merchandise to bag home as well, including Wizarding World-inspired plush toys, scarves, and travel pillows. The best part of all? Admission is free!
Source:Changi Airport
Address: Terminal 3, Departure Hall, Public Area
Date & Time: 16th November 2018 – mid-February 2019
Website
12. The Great Christmas Village
Source:@tower76
Following the success of its first edition last year, The Great Christmas Village is back again at Ngee Ann City’s Civic Plaza! Soak in the festivities with amusement rides, a gourmet feast by Timbre’s tenants, and a free meet-and-greet with Santa himself.
Source:@theatingmama
Some of the rides include a 52-seater duplex carousel, the staple Viking Ship, and a carousel swing, and food choices at the Timbre X Food Village & Bar consist of juicy lobsters from Pince and Pints, Salted Egg Yolk Wings from Two Wings, and even BBQ Stingray from Jiao Cai BBQ Hotplate!
Source:@qiyunz
Santa will be residing at the Hitachi Santa House, which will also have complimentary craft activities for the younger kids. On top of that, there’ll be live music performances for you to groove to as well, with the likes of local bands like 53A, SuperSonic, and Sweatshop Jam.
Check out the Village Map here! Source: Christmas On A Great Street
Address: Ngee Ann City, Civic Plaza
Date & Time: 15th November – 26th December | Sun – Thurs: 11.30AM – 10PM | Fri & Sat: 11.30AM – 11PM
Website
13. Poinsettia Wishes Featuring Disney Tsum Tsum
Source:Gardens by the Bay
Great news for those who missed the adorable Disney Tsum Tsum installations during the Mid-Autumn Festival – they’re back again this time at Gardens by the Bay for the floral Christmas display “Poinsettia Wishes”!
Source: @christinehll
Expect plenty of magical light installations, festive baubles, beautiful “snowy” landscape, and a giant Christmas tree adorned with Mickey and his Tsum Tsum buddies! Other Disney characters that will be present include Chip and Dale, Olaf, Dumbo, and more.
Address: Gardens by the Bay Flower Dome, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953
Date & Time: 2nd November 2018 – 6th January 2019 | 9AM – 9PM Daily
Ticket Pricing: Adult: $12, Senior Citizen (≥60 years old): $8, Child (3-12 years old): $8
Website
