Things To Do In Singapore: Ren Faire SG, Aliwal Urban Arts Festival & More

WEEK OF JAN 26:

STEP INTO A REAL-LIFE FAIRY TALE AT REN FAIRE SG

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Ren Faire SG is Singapore’s first-ever Renaissance fair, created for anyone who’s ever wanted to step into a world shaped by fantasy, folklore and play. Founded by Caylee Chua, the event takes inspiration from the Ren Faires popular overseas and reimagines them for a local audience.

Held at Fort Canning Park, the inaugural edition titled The Origin transforms the grounds into Xenaria, a fictional city hosting its own Renaissance celebration. Across the weekend, expect more than 100 vendors, 30 performers, and interactive experiences ranging from chainmaille workshops and Dungeons and Dragons tables to sword-fighting demos, tarot readings, roaming characters, live music, and hands-on craft stations.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
If you have ever wanted to dress as a mythical character, wander through a world built on imagination, or simply do something different from the usual weekend routine, this is it. Ren Faire SG is less about getting history right and more about leaning into curiosity, creativity, and the joy of shared make-believe.

Get your tickets here.

Jan 31 - Feb 1, 2pm - 9pm, at Fort Gate and Old Married Soldiers Quarters, 70 River Valley Road

CHECK OUT THE NEXT GENERATION OF FILMMAKERS

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
The Singapore Youth Film Festival returns with 43 shortlisted short films that reflect how young filmmakers are making sense of the world today. Now in its second edition, SYFF brings together works that explore identity, relationships, and growing up in a fast-changing society, told through live action, documentary, and animation.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
This is not about big premieres or red carpets. It is about seeing honest stories unfold on screen, often in ways that feel raw, thoughtful, and surprisingly relatable. If you are curious about where local filmmaking is headed next, this is a good place to start.

Check out the full line-up here.

Jan 29 - Feb 13, various times, at Oldham Theatre, 1 Canning Rise, and SOTA Studio Theatre, 1 Zubir Said Drive

DIVE INTO SINGAPORE’S STREET CULTURE AT ALIWAL URBAN ARTS FESTIVAL 2026

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Aliwal Urban Arts Festival is back at Kampong Gelam with a full day of art, music, dance, and skate culture, with the theme of Symbiosis this year. Highlights include immersive installations like Heart Chamber by RSCLS, Nimble Mystic’s inflatable landscapes (pictured), live graffiti sessions, music and dance performances, skateboarding competitions, and a bustling arts market with zines, handmade crafts, and local flavours. Workshops, open studios, and experimental collaborations offer hands-on experiences and a closer look at the creative process.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:

This is the kind of festival where you never know what you’ll stumble upon; skateboarders, street artists, and performers all collide in a space that feels energetic but approachable. It’s the perfect mix of discovery, play, and community, whether you are there to watch, join in, or simply soak up the atmosphere.

Jan 31, 12pm till late, at Aliwal Arts Centre, 28 Aliwal Street

CATCH CAVETOWN’S DEBUT GIG IN SINGAPORE

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

Robin Skinner, aka Cavetown, brings his lo-fi indie vibes to Pasir Panjang Power Station this February. Known for intimate, quietly comforting songs, he’s the artist behind tracks like This Is Home and Devil Town. Expect a mix of fan favourites and songs from his new album Running with Scissors.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Because it’s one of those nights where everyone just gets it. You can sing, sway, or just sit and soak it all in. There’s a weirdly comforting feeling knowing you’re not the only one who’s needed this kind of quiet escape.

Get your tickets here.

Feb 1, from 6pm, at Pasir Panjang Power Station A, 27 Pasir Panjang Road

TUCK INTO A LATE-NIGHT RAMEN SESSION

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Late-night ramen, chill vibes, and conversations that actually flow. Casual Poet Library turns into a cozy hangout where vegetarian bowls take center stage, and everyone’s welcome to just show up, slurp, and stay awhile. Proceeds go to supporting families in Gaza, so your midnight cravings come with a side of good karma.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Not all heroes wear capes, some just make ramen at 11pm. It’s the kind of night where you leave with a full belly, a few new connections, and that rare feeling of doing something small that actually matters.

 Jan 31, 9pm - midnight, at Casual Poet Library, 123 Bukit Merah Lane 1, #01-110

EXPERIENCE A LIVE BUTOH SESSION AT *SCAPE

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Experimentation Ground: Morningstar is emerging artist Elden Zachery’s live butoh performance that fuses body, sound, and space into a ritual-meets-performance experience. Glowing wires, humming machines, and deliberate movements trace humanity’s search for a higher power, questioning whether every star, every light, is just another altar. It’s part dance, part meditation, and all immersive.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
If you’re ready to be pulled into a space that feels simultaneously sacred and electric, this is your night. It’s strange, hypnotic, and quietly confronts how we worship, move, and exist.

The event is free, register here

Jan 30, 7.30pm - 8.30pm, and Jan 31, 2pm - 3pm, and 7.30pm - 8.30pm, at *SCAPE Ground Theatre, L2, 2 Orchard Link

CATCH THE FIRST BABY BOY PARTY OF THE YEAR

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
The first Baby Boy of 2026 is all about Janet Jackson bangers, big beats, and full-on nostalgia. Dance, sing along, or just vibe with the room; the energy hits from start to finish.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Nothing beats starting the year with a crowd that knows every move, every lyric, and just wants to dance. This is your chance to relive the classics and feel the music together.

Get your tickets here.

Jan 31, 10pm - 3am, at Hard Rock Cafe, 50 Cuscaden Road, #02-01 Hpl House

FIND YOUR NEXT TREASURE AT PUBLIC GARDEN

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Popular market Public Garden is back for a weekend takeover, bringing indie brands from across Asia under one roof. Think fresh drops, quirky designs, and plenty of stalls to explore.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
It’s the easiest way to discover something fresh, shop cool pieces you won’t see anywhere else, and meet the people behind your favourite new trinket.

Jan 31 - Feb 1, 1pm - 7pm at Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, Hall C, Level 1, 10 Bayfront Avenue

WEEK OF JAN 12:

HEAD INTO THE WORLD OF GIANT INSECTS AT ARTSCIENCE MUSEUM

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Making its Southeast Asian debut, Insects: Microsculptures Magnified transforms the tiny into the monumental. Featuring 37 ultra-high-resolution insect portraits by British photographer Levon Biss, the exhibition magnifies specimens from the Oxford University Museum of Natural History — some towering up to seven feet tall — revealing colours, textures, and structures invisible to the naked eye.

Created in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History, the show also weaves in cutting-edge scientific research from Singapore, spotlighting discoveries from local institutions like NTU, NUS, and A*STAR. From dung beetles that quietly keep ecosystems clean to cicada wings inspiring futuristic materials, the exhibition bridges art, science, and biodiversity in ways that feel both visually arresting and unexpectedly relevant.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Because it completely rewires how you see insects. What’s usually dismissed as creepy or forgettable becomes intricate, beautiful, and essential.

Get your tickets here.

Jan 17 - April 19, 10am - 7pm, at ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Avenue

GET ACQUAINTED WITH THIS JAPANESE AVANT GARDE ART FORM

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Secondary art platform Art Again is bringing Motif to Singapore — the first local exhibition by acclaimed artist Keiko Moriuchi, one of the last living members of the legendary Gutai Art Association. What is gutai you ask? Founded in postwar Japan, Gutai was a radical movement that broke away from traditional painting, pushing art into performance, material experimentation, and the idea that art should be an event, not just an object.

Opening just ahead of Singapore Art Week, the show features fourteen new works by the artist - Moriuchi’s paintings are built slowly and deliberately with gold leaf, geometric forms, and references to the cosmos. They’re tactile, almost sculptural, and deeply meditative — works that reward spending time with them. Across the exhibition, you’ll see threads that stretch endlessly across canvases, symbols pulled from mythology and mathematics, and surfaces that shift as light moves through the room.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Moriuchi is 83 and still experimenting, still questioning, still making work that feels alive and searching. If you’re curious about Gutai beyond the textbook version, or just want to experience something rare, thoughtful, and quietly powerful during the rush of Art Week, this is one to slow down for.

Jan 17 - Feb 1, 11am - 7pm, at Tokonoma, 16 Shaw Road, #03-10

SEE STRANGE, PLAYFUL SCULPTURES COME TO LIFE AT THIS SHOW

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Touchpoints is a playful, collaborative installation by emerging artists Hans Chew and Genevieve Leong. Think of it like a conversation in objects — each artist makes something, the other tweaks it, and the process repeats. Inspired loosely by a bouldering wall, the work moves in unexpected directions as pieces get passed, changed, and reimagined. The result? Strange, almost creature-like sculptures that feel alive, caught somewhere between finished and unsettled.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Step inside and watch ideas unfold in real time. The sculptures aren’t just objects on display — they’re records of an ongoing back-and-forth, full of surprises and little moments you won’t see coming. If you enjoy seeing creativity in action, this is a space that rewards close, curious attention.

Jan 15 - Feb 1, 10am - 6pm, at Journey East, 315 Outram Rd, #03-02 Tan Boon Liat Building

DISCOVER THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF MOONSTONE LANE ON THIS ART WALK

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
OH! Open House returns with a new artwalk set along Moonstone Lane, a quietly layered neighbourhood shaped by decades of rebuilding, improvisation, and everyday life. Titled Everything Changes, Everything Stays the Same, this edition invites you to slow down and notice what urban change often brushes past — memory, habit, and the human traces that linger beneath redevelopment.

Five site-specific works by Singaporean and international artists unfold across real, lived-in spaces. Robert Zhao Renhui brings photography into a long-occupied family home, weaving private memory with the broader story of Singapore’s urban shifts. Nearby, Milenko Prvački’s work inhabits a working carpentry atelier, where labour, repetition, and material quietly speak to time and persistence. Jarupatcha Achavasmit steps into the intensely personal world of a diecast collector, using tactility and obsessive care to explore how objects become vessels for devotion and community. Outdoors, Ang Song Nian transforms a patch of green land with a large-scale installation that mirrors how landscapes are constantly reshaped — often faster than the people who live with those changes.

As you move through the walk, places like Lau Clan House and Sin Choon Huat Temple appear not as frozen heritage sites, but as living neighbours — still used, still adapting, still part of the present.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
This is art experienced at walking pace. No gallery hush, no fixed route — just you, the neighbourhood, and the quiet realisation that cities aren’t only built by planners, but by the people who live in them. If you enjoy noticing the in-between moments and the stories hiding in plain sight, this artwalk rewards paying attention.

Get your tickets here.

Jan 18 - 25, 5pm - 8.30pm (weekdays), 10am - 8.30pm (weekends), at Moonstone Lane

DIVE INTO A NIGHT OF FLUID SOUND AND SHAPE AT RASA

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
An anonymous collective takes over Rasa with a night built on total fluidity — no fixed identity, no rigid format, just sound, mood, and instinct. Leading the charge is Bobby Beethoven, a cult favourite in the region’s underground scene known for sets that move effortlessly between emotional depth and dancefloor tension, often blurring the line between listening and losing yourself completely.
He’s joined by DJ Waste, Failtrylagi, Godkorine, and Charmicide, each bringing their own warped sensibilities into the mix — from abrasive club textures to more shadowy, experimental turns.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:

If you’re curious about how different artists approach sound without rigid rules, this is a chance to experience that up close. The night unfolds organically, with each set responding to the space and the crowd, making it less about spectacle and more about being present and seeing where things go.

Get your tickets here.

Jan 16, 10pm till late, at Rasa, 9 Raffles Place #02-01, Tower, #1 Republic Plaza

SEE HOW BATIK IS BEING REIMAGINED AT CUTURI GALLERY

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Metamorphosis looks at batik not as a fixed tradition, but as something constantly shifting. The exhibition brings contemporary artists from across the Malay Archipelago (Anniketyni Madian, Meta Enjelita and Khairulddin Wahab) into conversation with the late Jaafar Latiff — a key figure in Singapore art history who pushed batik into abstraction and experimentation, long before it was common to do so. Through new works and responses, the show traces how ideas of craft, legacy, and autonomy continue to evolve across generations.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO
This is a good entry point if you’re curious about how Southeast Asian artists today engage with tradition without being bound by it. It’s less about nostalgia, and more about seeing how materials, ideas, and influences move across time — and how one artist’s way of working can quietly shape many others.

Jan 17 - Feb 28, 12pm - 7pm (closed on Sundays and Mondays), at Cuturi Gallery, 61 Aliwal Street

CHECK INTO A HOROSCOPE-THEMED BALL

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Part of Singapore’s first-ever Ballroom weekend, the Lunar Ball 2 is a horoscope-themed night where you can come as your sun, moon, or rising sign. Expect a celebration of fashion, performance, and community energy — a theatrical, astrology-inspired evening at the heart of Ballroom culture.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
It’s a night to dress up, be seen, and enjoy the performances, music, and energy that make Ballroom culture so alive. Whether you’re a seasoned participant or just curious, it’s a fun, immersive experience not to miss.

Get your tickets here.

 Jan 17, 4pm till late, at *SCAPE Ground Theatre, L2, 2 Orchard Link

DON’T MISS THE FIRST SUN KIKI BALL IN SINGAPORE

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Following the Lunar Ball 2, the Kiki House of Sun Singapore Chapter presents the first-ever Sun Kiki Ball — part of Singapore’s inaugural Ballroom weekend. The night promises fierce fashion, unforgettable performances, and all the energy of a community coming together to celebrate Ballroom culture.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
It’s a chance to witness and be part of something historic in Singapore’s Ballroom scene. From the looks to the performances to the crowd energy, the Sun Kiki Ball is all about living in the moment and celebrating self-expression.

Get your tickets here.

Jan 18, 4pm - 10pm, at *SCAPE The Treetop, 2 Orchard Link, #04-05

WEEK OF JAN 5:

CHECK OUT THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF LIGHT TO NIGHT SINGAPORE

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Light to Night Singapore marks its 10th edition with its longest run yet, taking over the Civic District over four weekends this month. Built around the theme The Power in Us, the festival shifts focus from art as spectacle to art as something collective — experienced in public, at night, and on your own terms.

New this year is SANTAI, a series of interactive commissions that invite slowing down and gathering. Highlights include Firdaus Sani’s Rumah Laut, which draws on the histories of Singapore’s coastal communities, and Michael Lin’s Gathering on the Lawn, where batik-inspired lantern bags activate the Padang through movement and participation. Projection mappings by Fyerool Darma and Ngoc Nau light up the National Gallery façade, while Navin Rawanchaikul’s billboard-scale SINGAPORAMA brings community voices into the mix. Food, DJ sets, and performances spill into the expanded Art x Social Festival Village after dark.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Because it’s one of the few moments when art, nightlife, and public space collide — free, open, and built for wandering. No gatekeeping, no white-cube stiffness. Just show up and see how the city feels when it belongs to everyone.

More details here.

Jan 9 - 31, at National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road, and the Civic District

HIT RASA’S BIRTHDAY BASH WITH SHANTI CELESTE

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:
Rasa continues its birthday run with another edition of Celestial Seasonings, teaming up with Sivilian Affairs for a night that leans cosmic, rhythmic, and deeply dancefloor-driven. At the centre of it all is Shanti Celeste, finally making her long-awaited Singapore debut.

Rooted in a contemporary UK take on classic Detroit techno, Shanti’s sound is buoyant, emotional, and generous — music that swings as much as it lifts. Beyond the booth, she’s a familiar voice on NTS Radio and the founder of Peach Discs, a label built on trust, community, and the idea of the dancefloor as a shared space. Expect warmth, movement, and grooves that feel alive rather than mechanical. She’s joined on the Floor by Robo X and Miss Lil, while the Hall hosts a rare b3b from Sivanesh, Maurice Simon, and Daytime Dancing.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
Because nights like this don’t come around often — a debut set, a stacked local line-up, and a crowd that actually wants to move together.

Get your tickets here.

Jan 9, 6pm - 3am, at Rasa, 9 Raffles Place #02-01, Tower, #1 Republic Plaza

EXPERIENCE LITERATURE OFF THE PAGE AND INTO THE CITY

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

VERSE turns The Arts House into a month-long literary playground this January. Words collide with sound, movement, visual art, and tech across installations, performances, and late-night encounters. Highlights include brumblings by Aida Sa’ad, a tactile alphabet playground inspired by Wahidah Tambee, and Pass the Mic by Books&, pairing emerging writers and musicians like Jean Seizure and Stephanie Dogfoot for intimate, cross-disciplinary sessions. After dark, the façade lights up with projections like Larut’s Tears and Start Here: From Every Vantage Point, while other works explore neurodiversity, climate grief, and the fluidity of language.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO:
VERSE shows that literature doesn’t have to sit on a page. It’s a space to play with words, meet creators, and experience stories in motion — curious minds welcome.

More details here.

Jan 9 - 31, various times, at The Arts House, 1 Old Parliament Lane

DISCOVER HOW FIVE SOUTHEAST ASIAN WOMEN REDEFINED ART AND POWER

WHAT IT’S ABOUT:

National Gallery Singapore brings together five art icons—Amanda Heng, Dolorosa Sinaga, Imelda Cajipe Endaya, Nirmala Dutt, and Phaptawan Suwannakudt—who spent the last six decades refusing to stay in the domestic lane. With over 45 major works and a treasure trove of 110 archival items (most never seen in Singapore), the show tracks how these women used performance, sculpture, and mural painting to dismantle patriarchal norms and state power. From Amanda Heng’s critique of housework to Dolorosa Sinaga’s sculptures of human rights resistance, it’s a masterclass in using art as a weapon for collective care.

WHY YOU SHOULD GO: If you’re over “girlboss” feminism and want the real history of Southeast Asian resistance, this is the blueprint. It’s organized into three zones that move from the personal body to public refusal, ending with “Imagining Otherwise”—a look at how these women built their own communities when the mainstream ones shut them out.

More details here.

Jan 9 - Nov 15, 10am - 7pm, at National Gallery Singapore, 1 St.Andrew Road