The best things to do in Singapore this weekend (Aug 16-18)

The last time Miss Saigon graced Singapore’s stage was 23 years ago at the Kallang Theatre. The beloved tragedy will be making its return this August for a limited period of time. Miss Saigon first premiered in 1989, and tells the story of a Vietnamese bargirl, Kim, and her romance with an American Marine sergeant named Chris. The two eventually get married, with Chris promising to take Kim back to America with him, only for the two to be separated after the fall of Saigon. Don’t miss this spectacular musical – after this run, it might not be back for another 23 years.

Singapore’s biggest nightclub, Marquee Singapore, is turning up the heat this August to celebrate the Little Red Dot’s 59th birthday – and it’s all about national pride. Throughout the month, it’s hosting a series of resident DJ nights featuring local talents like Fvder, Nash.D, and Zippy, whose signature styles span across unique EDM sub-genres from psy trance to a blend of hardstyle and dark techno. Also taking the stage are three of Singapore’s hottest hip-hop artistes – Alyph, Shigga Shay, and Yung Raja – to turn the place upside down with their groovy beats and infectious energy. Find out more here.

We're always on the road to self-improvement, whether it's by learning a new language or tackling the latest AI program. With the annual SkillsFuture Festival running from July 9 to August 21, you can explore a range of activities and workshops to upskill yourself in meaningful and fulfilling ways. Not only will there be a variety of courses for your professional development, but the festival is also filled with over 50 interactive learning opportunities, including forums, workshops, and webinars. 

There are also several roadshows where you'll get to make the most of free on-site career advice, attend networking sessions, and even take part in walk-in interviews with potential employers. Head down to the SkillsFuture Roadshow @ Marina Square (August 16 to 18, 11am to 9pm) at Marina Square Atrium to deepen your existing knowledge and skills, and to also learn more about how you can transition into a new career.

If you’re heading down to the event at VivoCity or Compass One, quote “TimeOut x SFF” or present this article to the staff at the roadshow to redeem a free goodie bag.

Here's a National Day party for the cool kids – and no, it's not too late to celebrate all things Singapore. This Saturday, scoot over to Trifecta, the surf-snow-skate lifestyle zone in Somerset, to groove and jam with emerging local musicians. The 6pm to 10pm line-up is fronted by local emo band Forests and genre-crossing talent Weish, joined by rock veterans Cashew Chemists and the quintet Pleasantry. Stick around for an alternative rock party with EmoNightSG from 10pm to 1am ($10) too. Meanwhile, Trifecta's kitchen will be heaving with diner classics from Wicked Good and event-exclusive pizzas, all-day brunch dishes, and crispy sides from Yeast Side. RSVP here to stand a chance to win prizes from Yeomama Batik, Goodluck Bunch, and more. 

National Day may be over, but every day is a good day to celebrate local makers. Do so at Sentosa Festival Market – Made in Singapore, a free market at Sentosa’s Palawan Beach Walk. Check out over 25 vendors, selling beachwear, jewellery, crafts, teas, and more; there will also be workshops and activities, from jagua tattooing to light language auric painting sessions. Blackout Agency is on board to soundtrack the event, so you can bet on good vibes all day long.

Celebrate the best of Indian culture and music at Suntamed Beach Festival, billed as Southeast Asia's first Bollywood-centric sundown beach festival. It's back this weekend for its second run with bigger crowds, hot stars, and more irresistible dance jams. Headlining the event at Tipsy Unicorn is RITVIZ, an Indian singer-songwriter known for his hit song 'Udd Gaye'. Joining him is The Progressive Borthers, an Indian DJ duo from New Delhi that has shared stages with big names like Steve Aoki and David Guetta. Six local DJs, four international acts, and live performances by NUS students round out the hard-thumping party. What's a Desi party without Desi food? Suntamed Beach Festival will also bring all sorts of delicious Indian eats to fuel your partying late into the night. 

Hey Swifties, mark your calendar for August 17 because Silent Disco Asia is having a dance night dedicated to the queen of pop. As is usual at these silent disco events, there are three channels to choose from on your headphones – but fans of Miss Swift will want to tune into her dedicated channel where DJ Kid Fiesta, the mastermind behind Silent Disco Asia, will be running the beats. Non-Swifties can join the party too – just swap to one of the other two channels to find your own groove. A bonus? The party is happening fifty-six floors up at the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark Observation Deck, so you're promised 360-degrees views of the Singapore night skyline throughout. 

Great artists transport minds and challenge perceptions, and Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson is undoubtedly a master at work. Known for playing with elemental materials such as light, wind, fog, and water, he's lauded for creating unreal sensory experiences for viewers. The Southeast Asian debut of his survey exhibition brings together 17 of his works, a collection of his most renowned pieces, Singapore exclusives, and climate-centred art.

Titled Olafur Eliasson: Your curious journey, the exhibition will take you through yellow-hued halls, across enchanting rainbows dancing in the mist, and marvelous spectacles of swirling fog. You'll also witness the gradual depletion of ice, represented by a bronze cast of a segment of ice sourced from an Icelandic glacier, and be one of the first to view The seismographic testimony of distance (Berlin–Singapore, no. 1 to no. 6) (2024), an ongoing seismographic sketch series tracing the voyage of his exhibition by sea. 

Frida Kahlo, the world-renowned Mexican painter, needs no introduction. Regarded as one of the most influential female artists of the 20th century, she is celebrated for her self-portraits that delve into themes of identity and the human body.

There will be three different segments with nine spaces filled with 360-degree projections, interactive installations, photographs, and films. You’ll be able to trace her artistic journey, starting from her early years as a young girl. The show will also touch on her medical journey – one that isn’t widely discussed about. There’ll also be virtual reality experiences for you to truly step into her shoes and see the world from her point of view.

Stay tuned for the exact dates, and join the waitlist for ticket sales here.

The Asian Civilisations Museum and the Peranakan Museum have joined hands to present Fukusa, Japanese Gift Covers from the Chris Hall Collection, an exhibition that features fukusa, which are beautifully embroidered luxurious Japanese silk gift covers. You can also find kimonos and other related textiles from renowned collector Chris Hall, who holds one of the most valuable collections of Asian textiles in the world. Uncover varied ways of life that completely differ from ours, a variety of auspicious symbolic motifs such as lobsters and cranes, and how the politics of dress influence fukusa design in the late Edo period. Don’t forget to stop by the interactive station where you’ll be able to virtually design your very own fukusa.

Graffiti enthusiasts, you won't want to miss this solo exhibition by French-Vietnamese graffiti artist Cyril Kongo. Renowned for his mastery of graffiti, Kongo's work serves as a vibrant bridge between cultures. One of Kongo’s most notable collaborations includes one with Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, a project completed at Lagerfeld’s studio.

Drawing from his rich French and Vietnamese heritage, his works bridge cultures, celebrating the beauty of diversity and the strength of embracing different perspectives and experiences. 

Discover the brilliance of Helen Frankenthaler, one of the most influential American abstract expressionist artists of her time, at STPI’s annual special exhibition, Helen Frankenthaler: Prints 1977–2004, from June 29 to August 25, 2024. This exhibition is the largest display of her works in Singapore yet, featuring close to 40 of her prints from the National Collection of Singapore and the Helen Frankenthaler Foundation. It will also spotlight her exceptional woodcuts. To top it off, the show will also explore her influential partnership with master printer Kenneth Tyler – don't miss their joint work Gateway, which took seven years for them to complete. 

Find out more about the show here.

Singapore’s party scene is maturing admirably, with creative collectives bringing alternative sounds and genres to the dancefloor. Get acquainted with these left-field artists at The Party Exposure, which features DJ showcases, workshops, and talks in a unique and educational deep-dive into what the Singapore party landscape is about – and what more it has to offer. From July 6 to August 31, drop into DJ booth sessions with collectives and labels like Last Saturdays, Eatmepoptart, Midnight Shift, North East Social Club, and BlackLight Tribe. Aspiring DJs, level up your skills with Nez Sanja (chief of Revision Music) while vinyl lovers, bring your favourite records to a chill listening sesh with other collectors. And if you’re raring to make a difference, join the panel session on July 19 to ponder the future of the local party scene.

Experience the magic of the Northern Lights at Gardens by the Bay’s Supertree Grove. From May 4 onwards, a spellbinding outdoor installation called Borealis will light up the Supertrees in a display reminiscent of the polar lights you’d normally have to travel to Iceland, Sweden, or other far-flung regions to witness. It’s the work of Switzerland-based artist Dan Acher, who has ingeniously layered light beams and cloud particles to create a mesmerising dance of light and colour. Coupled with an atmospheric score by French composer Guillaume Desbois, Borealis promises to be an out-of-this-world experience. Admission is free – find out more here.

Sure, donuts and toast are great breakfast items on their own, but who would have thought that combining them would create the ultimate morning treat? Mister Donut did, which is why the Japanese donut chain is partnering with popular local brand Ya Kun Kaya Toast to launch Singapore-exclusive breakfast-inspired flavours just in time for National Day. Our favourite is the Ya Kun Kaya Cream donut, piped with Ya Kun's signature kaya infused with whipped cream. Mister Donut's signature chewy mochi pon de rings also take on a traditional twist with a coffee flavour inspired by Ya Kun's sock-brewing method, topped with a coating of coffee-flavoured chocolate. The Ya Kun Pon De Ring and Ya Kun Kaya Cream donuts are available for purchase only from August 1 to 31, so be sure to grab them quickly. 

Known as the father of Impressionism, Claude Monet’s loose and fleeting style of painting continues to resonate today. Gardens by the Bay is bringing is life and work to vivid life at a new Impressions of Monet two-part exhibition, consisting of a floral display and multi-sensory experience. 

First, visit Impressions of Monet: The Garden. This enchanting display features a replica of the artist’s iconic pink house in Giverny, France, as well as a garden filled with the water lilies that inspired one of his most famous works, Water Lilies. Then, unfold the history of French Impressionism in Impressions of Monet: The Experience. View the works of masters like Monet, Pissarro, Renoir, and Cézanne here, which have been brought to life in a vivid display of light, colour, sound, and scent. 

Whitestone Gallery presents Chinese artist duo Li Wei & Liu Zhiyin’s largest and first-ever solo exhibition in Southeast Asia, Whispers of the Wind. Find over 50 sculptures made from a range of materials such as bronze, stainless steel, to whiten marble. 10 of which are creations shown for the first time. This includes a 250-cm-tall monumental piece titled Soar to the Skies. All of the sculptures exhibit a serene hue, almost fairy-tale-like, with their agile forms providing a striking contrast to the sense of peace they initially evoke.

At its core, this exhibition is a gathering of Asia’s most prominent artists, happening alongside the debut of Tang Contemporary Art. The showcase will highlight acclaimed talents like Chinese artist Ai Weiwei, Thai painter Kitti Narod, street artist Gongkan, and Filipino artist Tiffany Lafuente. Beyond celebrating these remarkable artists, the event also shines a spotlight on Tang Contemporary Art's diverse and dynamic artistic offerings.