When it comes to the most exciting events in the year, light-up projections across Singapore make one of the highlights, literally. Photo-worthy colourful projections on the Lion City’s buildings, free performances, and food trucks? Count us in.
If you enjoyed i Light Singapore 2023, it’s time to look forward to yet another exciting event. The Singapore Night Festival 2023 is taking place from 18th-26th August 2023 and we’ve sussed out the best photo spots for the ‘Gram.
Light To Night, i Light Singapore, and now Singapore Night Festival – they’re not the same meh? We don’t blame you if you get confused between the different events, sometimes we do, too.
But unlike the i Light Singapore projections located in the Marina Bay area, and Light To Night exhibits at the Civic District near National Gallery Singapore, Singapore Night Festival takes over the Bras Basah Bugis District. This covers mainly the National Museum of Singapore (NMS), Fort Canning Park, part of the SMU campus, CHIJMES, Armenian Street, and Bugis.
Yeah, we know that’s a lot to cover, so go prepared with good walking shoes and a fan in hand.
700 Years by Zizi Majid, Muhammad Izdi, and Jérémie Bellot.
Like every year, the most impressive light projection is at the National Museum of Singapore. This year, the 6-minute video tells the story of Singapore’s progress over the last 700 years through the eyes of a little girl who complains to her mom, “Singapore is so boring”.
Inspired by a collection of paintings from various galleries in SG, the visuals bring ancient history alive as the mom narrates the story of our country’s glow-up from an island of immigrants living in kampongs to a vibrant port city.
Venue: 93 Stamford Road, National Museum of Singapore, Singapore 178897
GIFFEST III: IMPERFECT COMPILATION by EYEAH!
As you head into the museum, you’ll see this giant screen with moving GIFs on the 1st floor. Reminding us of the beauty of imperfection, the artists have distorted the images of iconic architectural elements from around our city – all in a bid to celebrate unusual ideas that can emerge from one’s creativity.
Even if you don’t get the concept behind the artwork, let’s just say it makes a colourful backdrop for your #OOTD.
Venue: 93 Stamford Road, L1 National Museum of Singapore, Singapore 178897
Strap on a pair of roller skates and get transported back to the 60s and 70s when Singapore was teeming with nightclubs and discos at Time is a Black Circle. A discotheque, much like what your parents or grandparents would have partied at, has been recreated in the basement rotunda of the museum.
Imagine psychedelic colours, famous hits from the era, and fellow skaters grooving to the tunes together. Although the artwork is free to view during the day from 10am-4pm, taking part in the skating activity requires a ticket.
Rate: $27
Date: 18th-26th August 2023
Time: 7.30pm – 11.30pm
Venue: 93 Stamford Road, B1 National Museum of Singapore, Gallery Theatre, Singapore 178897
Buy tickets for Time is a Black Circle.
The pretty and intricate designs have been inspired by batik prints and traditional wood carvings.
As you exit out of the museum, turn towards the back side, and take the escalator up towards Farquhar Garden at Fort Canning Park. It’s more light projections, but instead of walls and screens, the projections are mapped onto plants instead.
If you’ve never been to Farquhar Garden, then here’s an inside tip: look out for the large frames scattered around the compound. Stand within one with the festival lights and lush greenery as your backdrop and you’ve immediately got yourself a cool new profile pic.
Venue: Farquhar Garden, Canning Rise
As you make your way down the hill of Fort Canning Park, make sure to walk past the Peranakan Museum. Although there are no specific light displays here, the building itself will be lit up all evening in colurful hues.
It is also one of the locations of the 3 festival villages this year, so you’ll be able to catch free performances and activity booths along the street. Psst… we heard there are limited quantities of Heineken Sliver up for grabs too.
Venue: 39 Armenian Street, Peranakan Museum, Singapore 179941
Preserving Paradise by Teo Huey Ling.
Looking straight out of a sci-fi flick, this experimental botanical garden at The Bible House is washed with luminescent blue lights and a couple of interactive elements. Young ones might enjoy this artwork as their itchy fingers can have a go at the hand crank toys placed around the exhibit.
Venue: 7 Armenian Street, The Bible House, Singapore 179932
It’s not just NMS with the light projections this year, CHIJMES is in on the action too with 3 different light projection animations on loop. Set against the Cathedral, the artworks all centre around the theme of Singapore’s history as a port city. You may notice trade vessels making their way across the sea and rubber plantations, as rubber used to be a major export.
One of the scenes also depicts the evolution of the entertainment scene in Bras Basah since the 1800s. In those days, Wayang performances and Chinese opera were a common occurrence. Post-WW2, the neighbourhood was taken over by talkies – early day cinemas, tea dances, and discotheques. What a colourful way to learn our history and snap pics at the same time.
Venue: 30 Victoria Street, Singapore 187996
GIFFEST III: IMPERFECT by EYEAH!
As you reach Bugis, take respite from the warm weather inside the National Design Centre. Here, you’ll find a maze filled with over 80 weird and wonderful animated artworks centred around the theme of imperfection.
Head inside and you’ll see a couple of bean bags where you can plop yourself on to admire the artworks in comfort. Definitely a good resting point too after all that walking around the festival.
Venue: 11 Middle Road, National Design Centre, Singapore 188969
Florescence by Kristal Menon.
Walk towards the back of Bugis Street and it’ll be hard to miss the illuminated ginormous periwinkle that’s “growing out” of the multi-storey carpark. This flower might be a common sight today but it was originally brought to our shores via trade with Madagascar for its medicinal properties.
Venue: 3 New Bugis Street, Singapore 188867
X O X (two kisses and a hug) by Critical Craft Collective.
Over at Stamford Arts Centre, there’s a cute installation consisting of 3 lit-up seesaws. Couples, this is your chance to have some fun and capture some memories with bae.
Venue: 155 Waterloo Street, Stamford Arts Centre, Singapore 187962
Young ones are more than welcome to join in the fun at the Singapore Night Festival 2023. Just head towards the Children’s Museum Singapore and surrounding areas where they can look forward to kid-friendly activities, live performances, and cutesy installations.
At the museum, families can hang out after dark with characters like a postman and baker as they tell their stories.
Venue: 23-B Coleman Street, Children’s Museum Singapore, Singapore 179807
Pretty light projections aren’t all, though. This year’s lineup also includes 3 festival villages at SMU, Armenian Street, and CHIJMES where there will be live performances and F&B stalls.
All that walking is sure to build up an appetite so wherever you are, make sure to take a break and snack on some of the food offerings available at the festival villages. Some of the items you can look forward to include Creamy Laksa Udon ($15), Ondeh Ondeh Churros ($6), and Thai Milk Tea ($3).
There isn’t a lot of seating in the sheltered area with fans so it’s first come first serve. But if the weather is good, it could be fun to grab one of the barrels being used as makeshift tables to have your meal.
This year, visitors will also be able to enjoy an enhanced festival experience via Night Walk, the festival’s first gamified web app. A simple check in at 10 select checkpoints across the festival’s footprint will unlock bonus audio and digital stories on the location and artwork. Visitors who log their arrival at all 10 stops will also stand to win a grand prize at the end.
Now that you’ve got the lowdown on where to snap the best pics at the Singapore Night Festival 2023, it’s time to find out which of your kakis are available to explore the event together.
For more fun things to do in Singapore:
First published on 13th June 2023 by Dewi Nurjuwita. Last updated on 17th August 2023.
Photography by Brad Lee.
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