Celebrate Love And The Arts This February
If there was an official colour for every month, February will definitely be red and its many hues. From massive Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown to Valentine’s Day, February and its short four weeks looks to be a month that’ll gonna end faster than you can say “gu ji gu ji gu ji”.
But there is more to February than just feasting and shopping for clothes that you wear only once. This month has the potential to be your most talked-about month of the year, without overdone themed-runs. Expect to be part of the few that know about how the latest and upcoming places and happenings that you will soon flock to.
-Events-
1. Spring Surprise 2017: Rise of the Golden Phoenix
There are only two things that Singaporeans will head down to the Gardens by the Bay for: Romantic tree-top walks and Christmas Markets. This February, Spring Surprise 2017 will change your mind about that, with mythical creatures descending upon the Supertrees.
A phoenix will be summoned in full LED glory right in the middle of the Supertrees – in an attempt to set a world record. You will be transported right into a children’s storybook with stilt-walkers, dragons, and lions all in the name of celebrating the Lunar New Year in extravagance.
When: 3 – 4 February 2017 (8pm), 10 – 11 February 2017 (7pm)
Where: Supertree Grove, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018953
Price: FREE
2. Speakeasy: The Valentine’s Edition
Source: @sputniked
Art doesn’t have to be all abstract with you standing in front of a piece for fifteen minutes trying to understand it before walking away and pretending to be enlightened. It can be as straight-forward as a poem about love.
Catch writers and poetry lovers at Artistry perform their favourite love poems of heartbreak, hot nights, and even burgers. Maybe there’ll even be one on cheese-crusted pizza. Get something to drink and prepare to be inspired by creative thought. To me, this is art at its rawest and perhaps most understandable – speech.
And it’s a pay-as-you-please event. The readers need to drink some water too. Check out the event page here!
When: 10 February 2017 (8pm – 11pm)
Where: Artistry, 17 Jalan Pinang, Singapore 199149
Price: FREE, or enough to quench thirst
3. Valentine’s Day 2017 @ Singapore Botanical Gardens
Source: @rosalindtai
You can do better than having “a dinner in town” to celebrate Valentine’s Day 2017. Bandstand at Singapore Botanical Gardens will evolve from a gazebo into a haven for acoustic-set lovers. Kind of like Acid Bar but instead of bar stools, you will sit on lush greenery and a picnic mat.
Impress your date by pack a bottle of wine and a cheese platter as you end your night in atas fashion.
On 11 February, the High Commission of Canada presents Canada 150 in commemoration of the Confederation’s anniversary. Held at the Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, the event features a piano recital by the acclaimed Roger Lord, samples of food, and giveaways!
Valentine’s 2017 @ Singapore Botanical Gardens
When: 10 – 12 February 2017 (6pm – 10pm daily)
Where: Bandstand, Singapore Botanical Gardens, 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569
Canada 150: Celebrating Diversity Through Music And Film
When: 11 February 2017 (5pm – 9pm)
Where: Shaw Foundation Symphony Stage, Singapore Botanical Gardens, 1 Cluny Rd, Singapore 259569
4. Grand Opening Of Dal.Komm Coffee Feat. Kang Gary
Get over your Running Man sadness by meeting Kang Gary right in the middle of town! Mr. Random Capable will be here for the grand opening of Dal.Komm Coffee at The Centrepoint on 11 February! Follow Dal.Komm Coffee Singapore and you might actually get the chance to get up close and personal with the Running Man star.
Here’s hoping this helps me get over the constant fate-teasing of our favourite variety show better than eight pints of ice-cream. ㅜ_ㅜ
When: 11 February 2017, 4pm – 5pm
Where: Dal.Komm Coffee, #01/06, The Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Rd, Singapore 238843
5. Earthfest 2017
Earthfest 2017 refutes any claims that festivals have to end up in red and white plastic bags strewn all over the place. Reusable bags will be given out and only 100% compostable materials will be used in its food fair.
This isn’t an event just for the green-fingers or hippies. With workshops, film screenings and talks throughout the venue, you will be inspired to be part of the collective that creates a sustainable future.
When: 12 February 2017 (11pm – 3:30pm)
Where: Marina Barrage, 8 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018951
Price: FREE
6. Underground Bar Crawl #1
In recent years, I realised that there are far too many people heading to my favourite hipster venues. The Library was a sanctuary for me. Whale & Cloud was the closest thing to my second home. Now they are invaded by strangers who only want a photo of latte art and a geo-tag.
With the debut of the Underground Bar Crawl, crowd-sickened us get to venture into the underbelly of Ann Siang Hill to bars only a chosen few know about. The good news is that the first drink will be on the house. You can then continue the night in fancy fashion sipping on cocktails with your newfound crowd-hating friends. Get your tickets here!
When: 17 February 2017 (8pm – 11pm)
Where: Unknown locations. Meet-Up Point will be at Ann Siang Hill Carpark.
Price: $40 early bird (tickets bought before event day), $45 (tickets bought on event day)
7. Majestic Market
Adapted from Source
Note: The New Majestic Hotel has announced it will be closing its doors on 1 June 2017 to make way for new developments.
If you have never heard of New Majestic Hotel, you can’t miss it’s Wes Anderson-ish front all over Instagram with way too many people spending the weekends there.
Source: @newmajestichotel
In celebration of the hotel’s 10 year anniversary, a curated market will be held. It will showcase local design, culture and Singapore’s rich history in the Bukit Pasoh neighbourhood. Instead of having stalls, the hotel rooms are transformed into caves peddling Made In Singapore goods.
When: 17 February – 19 February 2017
Time: 17 February (5pm – 10pm), 18 February (10am – 10pm), 19 February (10am – 6pm)
Where: New Majestic Hotel, 31 – 37 Bukit Pasoh Road, Singapore 089845
8. SingAstro
Look up into the sky on a normal Saturday night and you’ll probably see two or three stars accompanying the moon. We always lament that only in Pulau Ubin or Tekong will we get to see a sky full of stars. Not anymore.
On the weekend of 18 – 19 February, you will meet the brains behind Singapore’s biggest astronomy forum, learn about astronomical instruments and have a go at stargazing. With Singapore situated only a degree north of the equator, you will get to trace your birth horoscopes in both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
Check out the event page for more info.
When:18 February – 19 February 2017
Time: 18 February (1pm – 7pm, Stargazing at 8pm), 19 February 2017 (10am – 7pm)
Where: ArtScience Museum, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
Price: FREE
9. Holi 2017
This is Colour Run without the run-turned-jog-turned-walk. Expect heart-thumping drops from top Bollywood DJs from the region, water jets, and a landscape filled with enough colours to create a rainbow out of participants. Celebrate Holi 2017, the spring festival of colours with live performances and party the day away. With previous turnouts exceeding 6000, prepare yourself for a festival that you will be talking about for the rest of the year.
Catch the early bird rate here!
When: 25 February 2017, 9am – 6pm
Where: Casuarina Grove, East Coast Park (Area F2)
Price: Early Bird till 25 Feb ($12.50), Standard ($20)
10. Wanderlust Market
Rarely will you come across a pop-up market which doesn’t include overly-pretentious words like “bespoke, artisanal, eclectic, quirky”. Even rarer are the same pop-up markets with indie vendors from outside Singapore.
Jointly organised by Singapore Outbound Travel Agents Association and Maker’s Market, Wanderlust Market is both a travel fair and a pop-up market combined. You can get a taste of country-specific food right there so don’t miss out on any of the vendors’ offerings. Nothing screams WANDERLUST more than cheap air tickets and food that you craved so badly over for, all in one place. Check out their event page for more information!
When: 24 – 26 February 2017 (11am – 9:30pm daily)
Where: Marina Bay Sands L1 Expo Halls A & B, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
-Things To Do-
1. Drink From The Goblet Of Fire
This is a dream come true for Potterheads worldwide. Ditch being a muggle for the day and indulge in your imagination with Platform 1094’s wood-panelled walls and table-top candles. Dress up in your House colours and you can even have a photoshoot as you feast.
Butterbeer is overrated with the recipe being online. The Goblet of Fire on the other hand, is literally lit. Here’s the low-down: order it, set it ablaze and Insta-story every single moment.
Apparate here right now and check out our recommendations. Just don’t splinch like Ron.
2. Go on an Artistic Route March
Source: @gillmanbarracks
In case you are already perspiring at the thought of walking 24km for an art exhibition, let me assure you that Lock Route is nothing like the never-ending route march with nonsensical army chants that all Singaporean males experience.
You will get to walk across the grounds of Gillman Barracks and experience art on the go. Get comfortable and get as close to the pieces as you possibly can! In essence, you get to touch and have your hands all over same areas the artists did. That’s gotta be a league higher than simply looking at art from afar. Click here for more info.
When: Now till 30 June 2017
Time: Opens 24 hours daily
Where: Gillman Barracks, 9 Lock Road, Singapore 108937
Price: FREE
3. Check out a new museum at Singapore’s Gotham Tower
Singapore’s Gotham Tower now houses a museum. Only opened on 19 January this year, Parkview Museum is the next in place to get your contemporary arts fix.
The debut exhibition follows the theme of the relationship between sharks and human. Expect artworks and structures depicting the push and pull of Man and Nature. Do also check out the many Insta-worthy backdrops all over the museum and Parkview Square. You will be surprised by the number of pictures you end up with after a day there.
When: Opens from 11am – 7pm daily
Where: Parkview Museum, 600 North Bridge Road, Singapore 188778
Price: FREE
4. Blast off to space with NASA
Source: @artsciencemuseumsg
NASA – A Human Adventure is Singapore’s largest exhibition on Space, spanning across 5 galleries in the ArtScience Museum. The highlight of it all is definitely the full-sized model of the Apollo Command Module, a replica of the one that brought the first humans to the Moon.
The exhibition documents the journey of space journey from writers and artists dreaming about space to the fulfilment of those dreams by scientists and engineers. If you are game for a challenge, head to the Astronaut training ride to experience forces of up to 2Gs, far more than the Saturn V Moon Rocket after its launch.
When: Now till 19 March 2017
Where: ArtScience Museum, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
Price: Varies for entry into the ArtScience Museum
5. Head to the Botanic Gardens for brunch
Source: @thegaragesbg
Seems like the only way to stand out against the sea of café-goers is to be at the café when no one else knows about it yet. Don’t worry, we got you covered although it’s more of a garage than a café.
Previously, The Garage was more than a garage. It was also a school and even an office space. Now, it’s been reincarnated into two very specific food joints – Bee’s Knees and Botanico. The former being a café nestled right in the middle of lush greenery and the latter being an upscale restaurant and bar with its head chef trained in Michelin-starred restaurants.
Come spend the day with your friends and family away from the bustle of town and take a day to really, really, really, rest.
Address: 50 Cluny Park Road, Cluny Park Gate, Singapore 257488
Telephone: 98311106
Website
6. Join the TSL Crew For An Instawalk In The West
Source: @barcsayphotography
As an Eastie, I always believed that the West of Singapore comprises of ulu industrial parks, the Bird Park and construction sites. Time to leave this stereotype behind as we dive straight into Jurong Central and Yu Hua on our next Instawalk! Come with us as we arm ourselves with cameras and venture through both the well-known and obscure places.
And nope, the photo above wasn’t taken in Taiwan. Keep guessing!
Follow @thesmartlocalsg to find out the deets!
7. Feast At The Far East
Changi is not just about the airport, ulu military bases and ghost stories. The nasi lemak craze is not all the food that Changi Village represents. Be prepared to brave the horde of Commandos and Air Force personnel as you venture to the edge of Singapore for your makan sessions.
Other than the usual hawker fare, you will be able to find a dessert named after the elite Commandos, tummy-warming Ipoh hor fun and even a café offering 3D latte art of your favourite Pokémon.
Check out our must-eats at Changi here!
8. Step Atas Dining In Celebrity Chef Restaurants
I’ll play Cupid this Valentine’s by sharing with all you lovebirds this secret: You can impress your date with a budget as low as $18 at restaurants opened by celebrity chefs.
Comparing this with $20 eggs bennies for brunch *rolls eyes*, it is not so hard of a decision to make for 14 February 2017. You can possibly get ambience, romance and exquisite food all rolled into the price of a NARS concealer.
Even after the Lunar New Year visiting, you can still impress those kaypoh relatives with your geo-tags on Instagram, just don’t take photos of the receipt. Welcome to the fake-it-till-you-make-it club.
We, the Cupids at TSL came up with a list of celebrity chef restaurants just for you right here!
9. Go On A Self-Declared Public Holiday
Here’s the bad news amidst the festivities in February. You will not have any public holidays or long weekends in both this month and March. Don’t even try to start counting the days that you will be at work without a break.
Stop frowning because here’s the good news: A 4D3N trip to your favourite countries doesn’t have to cost a bomb with careful planning. Be quick on your keyboard this instant and start thinking about your next destination.
There are tons of countries and cities awaiting to be stamped in your memories your bank account going bust so read on here, and quell the wanderlust within you today.
Source: @lifeisajourneypty Source
Away from your 9-6 in Taiwan, you can even be Rapunzel (or Flynn) in Tangled!
10. Take a Trip Down To The (New) Old Ford Factory
We have heard about and watched documentaries on the Japanese Occupation till we are super sian of it. Even so, there is no denying the allure of history, an ulu place and crisp white walls for #ootd shots. The re-opening of the Old Ford Factory’s got them all.
Perfectly timed with the 75th anniversary of the start of the Japanese Occupation in Singapore, we expect a modern take on the age-old story to be curated. More than just going through the dark times of our nation, the new exhibitions can definitely strike a chord in the hearts of the next generation of Singaporeans.
Where: 351 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 588192
Price: FREE
Save Your Ang Pao Money This February
There are so many events and things to do this month that don’t require you to burn a hole in your hard-earned ang pao stash so grab a date, head out and let your hair down before the unending work comes in March!
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