Best Things To Do In Singapore This Weekend (Mar 3-5)

And just like that, it’s time to March on. But you’ll hardly have time to ruminate over how time has passed so quickly, with the number of big events packing our shores. Say cheers at a beer festival or an outdoor market, or up your Instagram and TikTok game at major exhibitions that are just as interesting as they are photo-worthy. These are our weekend picks.

Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience

When: Mar 1 to Oct 1
Where: Resorts World Sentosa, B1 Forum

More than five million people worldwide have stepped into this 360-degree immersive digital art experience, and now you can too. Meander your way through over 300 Van Gogh artworks across thematic zones to discover more about the iconic artist and his life. The main highlight is The Immersive Room, a 40-minute digital projection mapping that not only mesmerises, but allows visitors to literally be part of the scenery in Van Gogh’s most famous works. Need a little time for reflection and refuelling after? There’s a thematic café serving Janice Wong’s artistic sweet treats.

Tickets from $15 (children) and $24 (adults). More info

Urban Beer Festival

When: Mar 3-4, 12pm-10pm
Where: Urban Park at Guoco Tower, 1 Wallich Street

Get set for beery hoppy times at the largest craft beer festival post-pandemic. Choose to sip and sample over 100 types of lagers, pale ales, session IPAs and more fresh brews (some have even snagged awards) from more than 20 independent craft breweries, including 13 Singapore-based small batch makers. Pair them with gourmet bites available at the event, including wagyu sandos, potato raclettes and cold cuts.

Tickets at $30. More info

Sneakertopia: Step Into Street Culture

When: Feb 25 to Jul 30
Where: ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Avenue

Singapore’s first sneaker and street culture exhibition is a shoe-in, whether you’re a die-hard sneakerhead or just want to see JJ Lin’s personal sneaker and art collection up close (above, right). Yes, in the 10 colourful, immersive zones at this exhibition that has previously made waves in Los Angeles and New York, the Singapore edition has over 100 limited edition sneakers and 70 murals and installations. All of these take you into the world of sneaker and street culture and its cross influences with the worlds of hip hop, sports, and fashion.

Tickets from $18. More info

Crossing Cultures: In Motion

When: Mar 3-4 at 4pm-11pm, Mar 5 at 4pm-9pm
Where: Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM), 1 Empress Place

Feeling restless? From belly dance performances, mass salsa dances, and even massages, this three-day festival will help get you in the swing of things, quite literally, of different cultures in the region.

Highlights include free belly dancing, LED performances and traditional Balinese dance performances at the ACM Green all weekend long. Things will get spicy at the ACM After Hours salsa dance party on Mar 3 (8.30pm-10.30pm) — salsa dancers of all levels are welcome to join the shindig for free, where two latin DJs will helm the decks. Salsa beginners can sign up for a salsa beginner workshop for pairs at 7.30pm on the same day to pick up the basics ($16 per pair, includes admission to Body & Spirit exhibition). The Singapore Association of the Visually Handicapped will also be at Level 1’s Foyer with a mobile massage station (4pm-8pm, Mar 4-5), lest you’re in knead of a head and shoulder massage after all the festivities.

Free admission unless otherwise stated. More info

Artbox 2023

When: Feb 24-26 and Mar 3-5, 12pm to 10pm (last entry 9pm)
Where: Singapore Expo Hall 6, 1 Expo Drive

After three years, Artbox is back, promising to be bigger, better, and definitely cooler now that it’s gone indoors at Singapore Expo. With almost 300 booths packed in 20 shipping containers and taking up almost a whopping 10,000 sqm, there’s no lack of things to eat, buy, and do at the creative pop-up market inspired by the original Artbox in Thailand.

Vendors from Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan will be setting up shop over two weekends, hawking a variety of delish bites and drinks (think shrimp rolls, durian puffs and more). Shop your hearts out at booths selling artisan crafts, clothes and accessories and even homewares. And if all that’s not enough, visitors can get even busier with paper marbling and acrylic pour workshops or get a crystal or aura reading.

To add to the convivial vibes of the creative pop-up market are installations and visual artworks by artists like tokidoki and JELILO, retro arcade games and live music performances by artists such as Tay Kewei and Calvert Tay. Get your furry friends in on the fun as well — pets are allowed but must be leashed. Tickets from $5.

More info

Frozen The Musical

When: Feb 5 to Mar 5
Where: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands

If the cold never bothered you anyway, be sure to catch Frozen. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions and presented by Base Entertainment Asia, the hit Broadway musical brings the popular tale (and its acclaimed songs) alive on stage, and features spectacular sets (it took about 26 shipping containers to transport everything here), exquisite costumes (Elsa’s Ice Dress alone is a stunner adorned with 14,000 crystals hand-sewn on it) and 12 new songs that’ve been written specially for the stage performance. We got a sneak peek here (watch it here). 

And for a limited time only, tickets are going at a cool promotional price — a limited number of A to F reserve tickets are going for $88 (usual price $88 to $198) for 88 hours only, from Feb 23 at 8am until Feb 26 11.59pm (or until tickets are sold out). Tickets sold are applicable to all Tuesday to Sunday performances, except matinee performances, until Mar 19.

More info

Climate Changed

When: Permanent exhibition
Where: Hall B, Singapore Science Centre, 15 Science Centre Road

The unpredictable air-con weather we had last month was not just a coincidence — it’s due to climate change, of course. “Just like every other part of the world, Singapore is a victim of the impact of climate change and wetter condition in recent decades is one of the key indicators, especially over this region,” shares Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng of Science Centre Singapore. “If this trend continues, the rising sea level in this region can pose further challenges in the coming decades.”

To find out more about the very real threats of the climate crisis, head to the Climate Changed exhibition at Singapore Science Centre. Through immersive displays, interactive gameplays and other cool ways, you’ll get to learn more about climate change, the impact of our daily habits and what we can do to help at this permanent exhibition. Admission is free with every ticket to the Singapore Science Centre (from $8 for kids, $12 for adults).

More info

Cinewav Seaside Cinema 

When: Feb 10, 11, 14, 17, 18, 24, 25 and Mar 3, 4.
Where: Marina at Keppel Bay, 2 Keppel Bay Vista, Singapore 098382

Fancy watching a movie under the stars with your loved ones, both humans and furkids? Head to Cinewav Seaside Cinema at Keppel Bay for its first-ever outdoor movie screening collab with Love, Bonito and Klook.

Attendees will get to enjoy popular romantic classics, including Pride & Prejudice on Mar 4. All you have to do is to bring your own snacks (maybe some for Scooby too) and headphones (it’s a silent cinema event), kick back on the outdoor lounge chairs provided, and enjoy. Love, Bonito has a pop-up booth at the event (portable fitting rooms included) if you fancy a spot of retail therapy. Snap a pic at their photo booth and get a free print when you follow @lovebonitosg and @klooksg on Instagram.
Tickets from $35. More info

29Rooms

When: Feb 10 to Apr 16
Where: West Lawn, Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive

29Rooms Asia — which takes up a sprawling 4,500 sqm at West Lawn at Gardens by the Bay — is the first international edition of the Insta-famous experiential funhouse. As you meander and snap your way through 29 thematic installations that are explosions of colour and creativity, you’ll realise that these aren’t merely fab for endless photo and TikTok opps. There are also thought-provoking questions peppered throughout the way, encouraging you to stop and smell the roses. Watch a video preview here.
Tix are $35 on weekdays and $42 on weekends. More info

Free Nature and Sustainability tours at Gardens by the Bay

When: Every Saturday and Sunday
Where: Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Dr, Singapore 018953

GBTB’s new Nature and Sustainability tours, which just kicked off last month, are held every Saturday and Sunday. The hour-long guided walking tours will take participants through the lesser-known sustainability features of GBTB and how our natural environment, biodiversity and climate change are intertwined. Who knows, you may even uncover hidden gems at GBTB that you may otherwise have missed without a professional guide, like, a plant that smells like root beer. Yes, really. Read more here.
Free for Singaporeans and residents; pre-registration required. More info

The Line

When: Until Apr 20, 2023
Where: Artscience Museum, VR Gallery, Level 4, 6 Bayfront Ave, S018974

This virtual reality experience has been hailed the Best VR Experience at Venice Film Festival, and snagged the 2020 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Programming. And now, you can embark on this VR experience set in 1940s Sao Paolo, and immerse yourself in the experience as a child who unlocks an enchanted world. The experience is about 15 to 20 minutes.
Tickets are $16 each. More info

Living Pictures: Photography in Southeast Asia

When: Dec 2, 2022 to Aug 20, 2023
Where: Level 3, City Hall Wing, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew's Rd, #01-01, Singapore 178957

In this age of ubiquitous selfies, it’s easy to forget the role that photography played throughout history. This exhibition at the National Gallery Singapore, which traces the history of photography in Southeast Asia, is a reminder of that. Split into five thematic zones, it features over 300 works from the mid-19th century until present day — start your journey delving into colonial and war archives, through to today’s digital age.
More info