Things To Do In March 2015

If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself racking your brains trying to come up with ideas on what to do or where to go for anything from dates to group outings. So you’ll try to shirk the responsibility of planning, contented just to tag along for fun.

But when your indignant friend goes “eh, your turn to jio leh!”, the alarm bells go off in your head. Good news – you can breathe easy, because here at TheSmartLocal, we have a list of novel fantastic outing ideas for the month of March.

 1. Singapore Jazz Festival 2015

Picture courtesy of Urban Redevelopment Authority. 

Jazz it up this March with the Singapore Jazz Festival, which will be held at the Marina Bay Sands, against the magnificent backdrop of the Singapore skyline. In appreciation of jazz-inspired music, more than 250 artists will be performing over the span of four nights, including the likes of UK pop singer Jessie J, Malaysian singer-songwriter, Yuna, and ten-time Grammy Award winner, Bobby McFerrin. 

Dates and Times: March 5 – 8. Thu 7.30 p.m., Fri – Sun 3 p.m.
Tickets: $80 – 180 from Sistic. 
Venue: Marina Bay Sands, Grand Theatre (Gala Night, 5 March)/ Event Plaza (Main Festival 6 – 8 March). 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956. 

2. Chinese Zodiac Heads: A Gift from Jackie Chan

Source: Facebook

The Asian Civilisations Museum is showcasing 12 zodiac animal head sculptures. These bronze heads, donated by Jackie Chan, were crafted specially for the 2012 movie, CZ12, which he directed.

Dates and Times: Exhibition lasts till May. 10.00 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily.
Tickets: Free.
Venue: Asian Civilisations Museum. 1 Empress Place, Singapore 179555

3. Titoudao

Picture courtesy of Toy Factory.

Watch Goh Boon Teck’s heartwarming play, Titoudao, this March. Set in a wayang style of art, Goh’s play is about how a dutiful servant accompanies his master on a search for a Degree in the Imperial examinations. 

See the full interview with Audrey Luo, who plays Madam Oon, here.

Dates and Times: March 5 – 14. Tue – Fri 3 p.m., 8 p.m., Sat & Sun, 3 p.m.
Tickets: $49 – 69 from Sistic.
Venue: Drama Centre Theatre. 100 Victoria Street Level 3, National Library Building, Singapore 188064.

4. Beauty and the Beast

Source: sistic

So what if February has come and gone?

Relive Valentine’s Day this March with this timeless Disney classic Beauty and the Beast, who is really a prince put under the curse of an enchantress. 

Dates and Times: Sat 21 March – Sun 12 April 2015. Tue – Fri 8 p.m., Sat 2 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sun 1 p.m. & 6 p.m.
Tickets: $64 – $190 from Sistic. 
Venue: Marina Bay Sands, Grand Theatre. 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956.

5. Singapore Symphony Orchestra 36th Anniversary Concert – Ode to Joy

Source: Facebook

This concert features conductor Lan Shui, the Singapore Symphony Chorus, and the highly acclaimed BBC Singers for Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Dates and Times: March 12 – 14, 7.30 p.m.
Tickets: $28 – 98 from Sistic.
Venue: Victoria Concert Hall. 11 Empress Place, Singapore 179558.

6. Great World Cabaret

Picture courtesy of Resorts World Sentosa.

Ever wanted to watch the legendary Rose Chan gyrate onstage? Or bop to Sakura Teng’s a-go-go ditties without inhibition? Well, it’s time to bask in the nostalgia this March at the Resorts World Sentosa’s Great World Cabaret! Written by Singapore’s most acclaimed enfant terribles Alfian Sa’at and the witty Benjamin “Miyagi” Lee, be prepared for a grand bonanza of glitz, glamour and glittering sequin dresses. 

Read our full review of Great World Cabaret here.

Dates and Times:Feb 19 – March 17. Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri: 8 p.m. Sat & Sun: 3 p.m. & 8 p.m.
Tickets: $48 – 128 from Sistic.
Venue: Resorts World Theatre, Resorts World Sentosa. 8 Sentosa Gateway, Singapore 098269.

7. Pioneer (Girls) Generation

Source: National Museum of Singapore

A play about feisty seniors living in an upscale retirement home, this outrageous comedy presents its audience with a critical and insightful perspective of ageing in Singapore. Pioneer (Girls) Generation is directed by Alvin Tan, and has Dwanye Lau, Thomas Lim and Audrey Luo in its cast.

Dates and Times: 26 – 29 March. Thur & Sat: 8 p.m, Fri 3 p.m. & 8 p.m., Sat & Sun 3 p.m.
Tickets: $27 from Sistic.
Venue: Gallery Theatre, National Museum of Singapore. 93 Stamford Road, 178897.

8. Ink Legacy

Source: expatliving

Whoever said that Singapore has no talent is dead wrong.

This exhibition, organised by Asia Art Collective, pays homage to the late second-generation Singaporean ink painter, Ling Cher Eng (1940 – 1995). More than 80 paintings from Ling’s extensive oeuvre will be displayed, most of which capture the bucolic tone of Malaya, rural Singapore and China.

Dates and Times: 3 – 11 March, 10.00 a.m – 10.00 p.m.
Tickets: Free.
Venue: ION Art Gallery Level 4. 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801.

9. OH! Open House

Source: Facebook

Since its inception in 2009, art walkabout OH! Open House has collaborated with artists and local residents to tell authentic stories about Singapore’s neighbourhoods. This year, OH! Open House explores the nuanced neighbourhood of Joo Chiat, where designer houses co-exist together with migrant dormitories.   

Dates and Times: March 14 – 29.
Tickets: $25 / $20 till 8 March (excludes booking fee).
Venue: Held at various venues, find out more here.

10. SingaPlural 2015

One of SingaPlural’s tour destinations – Ministry of Design. Source

Organised by the Singapore Furniture Industries Council, SingaPlural showcases the best designs from the creative domains of Advertising, Architecture, Urban Planning, Landscape Architecture and also Interior, Furniture, Graphic and Fashion Design. Immersed in such unadulterated creativity, visitors should expect to be enraptured for hours at a stretch.

Date and Times:March 10 -15 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. 
Tickets: Free.
Venue: 99 Beach Road. For list of available tours and their respective starting venues, click here for more.

11. Romancing U

Picture courtesy of NTUC U Family.

Come the 14 of March, enjoy free flow popcorn and a romantic comedy (Date Night) under the stars with your significant other at Fort Canning as part of Romancing U. Organised by NTUC U Family, this is the 7th year that Romancing U is taking place. This year’s message is exceptionally salient in the 21st century: there is a need for romance and quality bonding in marriage. 

Read our article on Romancing U here. 

Date and Time: 14 March, 6.00 p.m. – 10.00 p.m.
Tickets: $15/ couple for NTUC members, or $30/ couple for everyone else.
Venue: Fort Canning Green. Fort Canning Park, Singapore 179037. 

12. Future Music Festival Asia 2015 (18+)

Source: edmdriod

Groove to the sick bass beats of Avicii, AfroJack, Robin Schulz and more at the Future Music Festival Asia (FMFA) 2015. This year’s FMFA promises to be bigger and better than ever. Not only is the venue for 2015 twice the size of past FMFA venues, one of the stages will be located by the ocean, giving you a sea view that will take your breath away.

Dates and Times: March 13 & 14
Tickets: $178/ 228. Buy tickets online here. 
Venue: Changi Exhibition Centre. 9 Aviation Park Road, Singapore 498760.

13. Ed Sheeran Live in Singapore

Source: playbuzz

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, I’m pretty sure no one here needs an introduction to two-time Grammy nominee Ed Sheeran. His soulful, catchy songs have garnered him well-deserved critical acclaim and a large Singaporean following. Catch him live this March at the Star Theatre.

Dates and Times: March 14, 8 p.m.
Tickets: $88 – 168 from Sistic. 
Venue: The Star Theatre, The Star Performing Arts Centre. 1 Vista Exchange Green, #04-01, Singapore 138617.

14. Restaurant Week 2015

Restaurant Week is back in town again! Experience intense gastronomic delight courtesy of Singapore’s best and brightest restaurants with their special menus and affordable prices. This year’s theme is “Something Old, Something New”, and sees restaurants interpreting traditional dishes in modern, innovative ways.

Read our full article on Restaurant Week 2015 here. 

Website: http://www.restaurantweek.sg – go here to find out about participating restaurants.  
Dates: March 14 – 22. 
Price: $25 – Lunch/ $35 – Dinner

15. SINGAPURA: 700 Years – A Dig into the Past!

Source: sistic

Like the swashbuckling Indiana Jones, we can now all be intrepid archaeologists, thanks to the National Museum of Singapore’s introductory workshop to archaeology. For those who are interested in the grittier side of archaeology, you’ll get the opportunity to pick up excavating skills from professional archaeologists. 

This workshop is for participants aged 13 to 15 only.

Dates and Times: March 14 & 21, 10 a.m.
Tickets: $20 from Sistic 
Venue: National Museum Seminar Rooms, Level 2, National Museum of Singapore. 93 Stamford Road, 178897.

16. Wedding Festival 2015

Source 

The perfect wedding is not going to plan itself. You’re going to need some serious expert help, and they’re all going to be at the Wedding Festival 2015.

Read 4 Reasons Why You Should Visit Wedding Festival 2015.

Dates and Times: 5 – 8 March, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Venue: Vivocity, Level 1. 1 Harbourfront Walk, Singapore 098585

17. Tattoo in Colour

Source: Facebook

tcc – The Gallery is back this year with an unconventional theme – tattoos. Featuring the works of ten local and/or locally-based tattoo artists, Tattoo in Colour is pays tribute to the intricate technicalities behind the beauty of body ink.

Dates and Times: Jan 15 – March 30, Sundays – Thursdays and Public Holidays 11 a.m. to 12 a.m.; Saturdays and Eve of Public Holidays 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Tickets: Free. 
Venue: tcc- The Gallery, 51 Circular Road Singapore 049406.

18. Sleeping Beauty

Source: Facebook

Singapore Dance Theatre translates the magic of the fairytale, Sleeping Beauty, into an equally enchanting dance production. With music by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and more than 150 mesmerizing costumes designed by Tracy Grant Lord, Sleeping Beauty guarantees to be a splendorous event not to be missed!

Dates and Times: 12 – 15 Mar

• Thu – Fri 8pm
• Sat 1pm, 8pm
• Sun 1pm, 7pm

Tickets: $30 – 70 from Sistic
Venue: Esplanade Theatre. 1 Esplanade Drive, 038981.

19. Trapped

Source: boredinvancouver

These days, spending your time huddled with a group of friends in a eerily dark room with no visible escape route has become a valid pastime. Watch some friends completely meltdown, whilst others adopt measured and logical responses to the puzzles that hold the key to escape. Trapped offers a variety of themes including a bone-chilling World War 3, zombie-fied edition.

Dates and Times: Ongoing.

• Trapped in Wonderland: Mon – Fri 4pm & 11pm
• Trapped in Hostel: Mon 0 Fri, 3.45pm & 11pm
• Tapped in World War 3: Zombie Edition: Mon – Fri, 11.15 am
• Trapped in Superdooperz: Mon – Fri, 11am
• Trapped in Friday the 13th: Mon – Fri, 11.15am

Tickets: $20 from Sistic. Tickets are valid for 30 days from date of purchase.
Venues: 42 Kandahar Street, Singapore S198896 or *SCAPE, #02-20/ 21/ 22, 2 Orchard Link S237978 

20. St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival 2015

Source: expatliving

 Here in sunny Singapore, we love the Irish more than we care to admit. From Pierce Brosnan to the colour green, openly declare your love for all things Irish this March. Organised by Singapore River One, the St. Patrick’s Day Street Festival 2015 includes highlights like traditional Irish dancing, Irish ales and a delightful lineup of bands including The Disclaimers and The Rock Rosettes.

Dates and Times: 13 – 15 March, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. (13th), 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. (14th & 15th)

• Parade: 3.30 p.m. on 15 March

Tickets: Free. 
Venue: Boat Quay and adjacent Circular Road.

Here’s to a Super “Happening” March

You’re welcome guys! It’s not our fault if your friends go “next time you plan again hor!”

Have fun! 🙂