We may not all be students with September holidays to look forward to, but that does not mean the rest of us can’t take a break from our hectic schedules. There’s a long list of fun things to do this September, including a fashion swap, F1 concerts, and a Batman run. Here are some activities you can look forward to:
Image credit: Swapaholic
If you’re decluttering your closet and realise that you have way too many impulse buys that are still in good condition because you’ve only worn them once, join Swapathon and trade those pieces with someone else. You’ll not only be refreshing your wardrobe, but you’re also helping to save the planet by reducing waste.
Drop off your bag of items at the start of the event for a quality control check and if it’s good to go, you’ll earn points to spend at the swap party. To earn more points, you can complete tasks at the different event booths – this includes participating in free workshops on jewellery upcycling and stitching your own cup holder for bubble tea out of old fabric.
If you don’t have enough clothes to offer or are just curious about the sustainable fashion movement, you can register for free and swap other items like plants, beauty products and books.
Date: 7th September 2019
Time: 2PM-8PM
Venue: Marina Barrage
Price: $25 for clothing swap | Free to swap other items
Website
Image credit: Blu Jaz Cafe
For this month’s Popcorn Pop-Up Cinema, they’re playing Howl’s Moving Castle at the quirky, colourful Blu Jaz Cafe. If you loved Spirited Away, you’ll have to catch this Japanese animated movie – also by Studio Ghibli – about an 18-year-old girl who befriends a strange wizard.
Date: 26th September 2019
Time: 7.30PM-9.30PM
Venue: Blu Jaz Cafe, 11 Bali Lane, Historic Kampong Glam, Singapore 189848
Price: $10
Website
Batman is celebrating his 80th anniversary since he first appeared in DC comics and we can all channel him at the Batman Run at Marina Barrage. Your race pack will not only include a tee, but also a domino mask and cape which you’re encouraged to wear during the run.
There are two categories you can sign up for. If you’re up for a challenge, go for the 8KM Competitive Run. But for a less intense session, you can register for the 4KM Fun Run. Either way, every finisher will bring home a Batman medal.
Read our article on the Batman Run here
Date: 21st September 2019
Time: 6PM
Venue: Marina Barrage
Price: 8KM competitive $60 | 4km fun run $50 – early bird registration closes 1st Sept
8KM competitive $70 | 4km fun run $60 – registration closes 8th Sept
Website
Image credit: Japan Summer Festival
Experience Japan without having to take a 6 hour flight at this year’s Japan Summer Festival at Singapore Sports Hub, where there will be game booths and street snacks like takoyaki, ramen, bottled sake, and the famous cream buns from Hattendo.
Just before the food coma hits, catch traditional Japanese performances like the Bon-Odori, a lively folk dance to honor the spirits of ancestors. Fans of Pokemon, can look forward to watching a row of Pikachus make their appearance in a dance parade.
Read our article here for more details.
Date: 7th – 8th September 2019
Time: 12PM-9PM
Venue: National Stadium
Price: $6 online, $8 at the door
Website
Image credit: Weirdandwonderfuledibles
For those of you who wish to plant your own greens at home to add into your meals, there’s an Organic Gardening Workshop conducted by Weird & Wonderful Edibles. You’ll gain insights on how to cultivate your own organic edible garden, getting the right companion plant for the veggie you intend to grow, and allowing specific types of insects to protect your plant.
Image credit: Weirdandwonderfuledibles
The workshop is free to join, but the twist here is that to earn your spot, you’ll have to first complete one of the listed nature challenges before the actual event – ranging from a coastal cleanup to volunteering at community gardens and composting drives. Click here for the full list of challenges.
Date: 14th September 2019
Time: 10AM–12PM
Venue: Sixth Avenue MRT Station
Price: Free
Website
Stand-up paddleboarding
Image credit: @supclubasia
If you’re looking for an outdoor activity that’ll keep you cool despite our hot weather, try your hand at some water sports. You don’t have to take a ferry to Batam either, because our island has places for you to try flowboarding, windsurfing and even jet packing. They might sound intimidating but most of the water activities are beginner friendly and not too pricey – starting from just $12 for kayaking and pedal boating.
Find out more in our article here.
Image credit: Sake Matsuri
Switch up your drinking game at Sake Matsuri SG. At $35, you’ll get to treat yourself to a free-flow tasting of over 200 sakes, some of which are making their first-ever appearance in Singapore. You might get a little tipsy from all the alcohol and end up impulsively buying some bottles, but it won’t be all bad because prices are at 30% off.
There are also masterclasses you can attend to learn how this traditional drink survived the years and ventured beyond Japanese borders, while sampling 4 ultra premium sakes that would usually cost over $150 per bottle. There’s a separate fee for these masterclasses and they start from $30.
Date and time: 28th September 2019
Time: 2PM-8PM
Venue: UE Square, Skylight Atrium
Price: $35 (early bird till 13 Sept); $45 (regular)
Website
Image credit: trover
Choose which side of the force to be on at this year’s Sentosa Sandsation: Star Wars Edition. No basic sandcastles here; It’s gonna be 20 epic sculptures of Star Wars characters.
Image credit: @chris141173
Aside from marvelling at the sand structures what have been submitted for the International Sand Sculpting Championship, you’ll be able to learn the tricks of the trade at free sand sculpting workshops, and catch free movie screenings of Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Star Wars: The Last Jedi by the beach.
Date: 31st August – 15th September 2019
Venue: Siloso Beach
Price: Free admission into Sentosa Island
Website
Image credit: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
Celebrate mooncake festival at Wan Qing Mid-Autumn Festival. You’ll get to watch giant LED helium balloons float into the night sky and a laser light show that’ll tell the tale of Mid-Autumn Festival through colourful projections. There’ll also be a whole carnival to explore with snack stations and game booths lined up.
Participate in their Sky Lantern Making workshop and treat your tastebuds to some mooncake and tea for free. After which, end the night by penning down your wish on a slip of paper and hanging it at the mid-autumn wishing tree.
Date and time: 7th – 8th September, 10AM-9PM
Venue: Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall
Price: Free
Website
Being vegan is not just about avoiding animal products in your diet. It’s a whole lifestyle. At Singapore Vegan Festival, you’ll get access to the best vegan food across the island and learn about brands that are dedicated in providing vegan products.
You can also attend cooking demos for tasty vegan meals which you can try out at home. One not to be missed is flavouring your own vegan cheeses and infusing them with superfoods like organic raw red maca root powder for that energy boost.
Date: 29th September 2019,
Time: 11AM-8PM
Venue: Raffles City Convention Centre (Atrium Ballroom)
Price: $10
Website
Celebrate Sentosa’s 47th birthday at Island Jamboree where Merlion Walk and Merlion Plaza will transform into a mini carnival area complete with arcade game booths. You can spend your time dancing to Dance Dance Revolution, hitting some hoops at a game of arcade basketball or relieve some stress with the all time classic of whack-a-frog. Earn game stamps to bring home a limited edition enamel pin.
By night, watch the majestic Merlion come to life with colourful lights. You can also catch performances by Msukumo, a group of roving percussionists, and circus acts like juggling three razor sharp knives while keeping balanced on top of a roller.
Date: 1st – 15th September 2019
Venue: Merlion Plaza, Sentosa
Price: Free entry into Sentosa Island
Website
Basheer Graphic Books
Image credit: @gumwy.l
More and more tech-savvy people are taking to e-books or online bookstores these days, but it’s worth considering a book haul at secondhand bookstores because prices are heavily slashed – some titles go for as low as $2.
Apart from the low prices, you can also look forward to stumbling upon titles that have gone out of print and are no longer available at modern bookstores. And if you have books collecting dust at home, you can sell them at these stores as well.
Find out more about these secondhand bookstores in Singapore in our article here.
Image credit: @lovefoodlove3
The World Food Fair is back this year with over 200 booths featuring cuisines from every corner of the globe. Get ready to taste dishes like mala fishballs from Taiwan, Hong Kong pau lou pau and even sea cucumbers from the waters of Papua New Guinea.
There are great savings to be enjoyed thanks to the promo deals at each booth. That includes treating yourself to 4 bottles of Taiwan’s Chun Cui He Milk Tea or 3 packs of Seyeon Foods’ Japchae and Topokki for just $10. There’ll also be exclusive launches such as Earl Grey flavoured Kueh Lapis from The Lapis Place.
Date: 12th – 15th September 2019
Venue: Singapore Expo Hall 6
Price: Free admission
Website
At Ground Zero Festival 2019, you’ll get to learn about how to lead a “minimal waste” lifestyle and adopt a plant-based diet through a wide range of free workshops that’ll have you learning how to make your own shoes, weaving looms and terrariums using upcycled items. There are also activities like kampung pilates and stitch meditation to help you unwind.
There’s a marketplace with booths of vegan food such as Smoocht’s r’ice-creams which are made from organic brown rice, organic evaporated sugar cane juice and real fruits. There will also be vendors like Bamboo Straw Girl selling handmade bamboo straws for you to kickstart your zero-waste lifestyle.
Image credit: Bamboo Straw Girl
For those looking for just a chill walkaround, there’ll also be music performances by local musicians including Vivien Yap and the Citizen Band and exhibitions to check out.
Date: 7th September
Time: 10AM-6PM
Venue: Kampung Kampus, 91 Lorong Chencharu (Yishun), Singapore 769201
Price: Free admission
Website
Retro arcade-bar NINETEEN80 is organising another game competition, and this time, it’s Fight For Your Right – Puzzle Bobble Tournament. If you’ve been an avid player of the classic bubble-bursting game back in the day, this might be your chance to showcase your skills and clear the walls of coloured bubbles to emerge as champion. It’s a free event and there are limited spots so be quick to register your interest here.
Date: 26th September 2019
Time: 8PM-10PM
Venue: NINETEEN80, 21 Tanjong Pagar Road, #01-05, Singapore 088446
Price: Free
Website
The Golden Harvest Awards and Short Film Festival: Singapore Showcase will be showing a series of short films from both Taiwan and Singapore. The locally-produced films include CA$H, a tale about 4 supermarket cashiers going up against the cashless payment system, and Sylvia, a psychological journey to understand one’s trauma.
After the screenings, you can join the filmmakers at panel discussions to learn about their thought processes behind their award-winning short films.
Date and time: 15th September 2019, 1PM-7PM
Venue: The Arts House
Price: ticket deposit of $5 that will be refunded
Website
Image credit: D’Resort
Take your large group gathering to the next level by hosting it at a chalet. There are many chalets across Singapore, most with large outdoor spaces for a comfortable BBQ as well as enough indoor space for quiet heart-to-heart chats. Some of these chalets even provide you with in-house gaming console and board games to play during your stay.
Check out a list of chalets we’ve put together in our article here.
You know what’s up when you start hearing the loud roar of engines revving around Marina Bay. It’s Formula 1 season again and this year, music acts like Gwen Stefani, Swedish House Mafia, Muse and Red Hot Chili Peppers amongst many others will be taking the stage.
If you’d like to heat up the race circuit too, try out the race simulators and pit stop challenges at the Singapore Airlines Fan Village at Zone 4.
Tickets to the races are pretty pricey but you can always follow the practice sessions, qualifying races and final competition from the comforts of your home.
Read our article for the full event line-up here.
Date and time: 20th – 22nd September 2019
Venue: Marina Bay Street Circuit
Price: From $98 for Grandstand/Walkabout tickets. Find the full list of ticket prices here.
Website
Image credit: @citizenfarmsg
With Singapore’s land constraints and erratic weather, you wouldn’t expect there to be a number of urban farms across the island. These farms not only grow and sell pesticide-free and organic vegetables, but also conduct workshops, tours, and allow farming opportunities for those who’d like to hone their green fingers
Image credit: @pacificagrofarm
For more information, you can read our article here.
If you’ve run out of ideas for jio-ing your friends out, well now you’ve got a whole month’s worth of activities to try this September that are sure to keep your clique occupied.
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