Cheekiemonkies: Singapore Parenting & Lifestyle Blog: Survivor's Guide to Singapore Night Festival 2022: Top Picks that will De-LIGHT Everyone! Cheekie Monkies

After a hiatus of 2 years, Singapore Night Festival 2022 is BACK!

From 19 to 27 August 2022, Singapore Night Festival returns with the theme Rebirth for its 13th edition. This year’s festival will bring the Bras Basah.Bugis (BBB) precinct to life again with 55 vibrant and eclectic experiences. Everyone can look forward to a variety of activities, including four projection mapping installations, 15 Night Lights installations, and many other performances, experiential programmes, and food and retail experiences all across BBB. Entry to the festival is FREE, but certain programmes are payable.

So if you are planning to head down, here is the ultimate family-friendly Singapore Night Festival Survivor's Guide you need for this and next weekend!

Unlike previous years' editions, this year's festival isn't divided into colour-coded zones. But if you have limited time, I have divided the various installations and activities into different zones so that you can pick the ones to visit. (You're welcome)

Click to enlarge

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF SINGAPORE & FORT CANNING ZONE

STORIES FROM FORBIDDEN HILL

(Projection Mapping)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: National Museum of Singapore

Experience a visual narrative of Singapore’s mythical origins and history dating back to the 14th century with Stories from Forbidden Hill. Let the amalgamation of ancient wall murals, nature, and national treasures spark wonder as you immerse in the beauty of the past against the backdrop of the National Museum of Singapore.

The projection showcase presents significant historical locations such as the wall carvings and royal bath at Fort Canning Park, as well as the legend of Badang, of whom the earliest record can be found in the Sejarah Melayu, an important record of Malay history.

#SGNIGHTFEST

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: National Museum of Singapore

Over 7-metres long, the #SGNIGHTFEST art installation comprises 3D-printed concrete letters specially created by homegrown concrete company Pan-United. Made with sustainable low-carbon recycled raw materials, each giant letter stacks up to 18 layers of concrete weighing at least 60 kilogrammes.

STEPS (2022)

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Steps @ National Museum of Singapore

As nightfall approaches, Steps (2022) powers up to illuminate the National Museum of Singapore’s glass staircase in a welcoming white glow. The motion-responsive installation is activated by the presence and movement of visitors to materialise vibrant color changes, inviting visitors to experience the energetic bond between themselves and their surrounding space.

WE CAN NO LONGER BE STRANGERS AFTER THIS

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Grass Patch Near Banyan Tree at National Museum Singapore

In response to the festival theme of ‘Rebirth’, We can no longer be strangers after this invites us to reflect on the shifts and changes we have had to adapt to, the lessons we have learned, and what it means to transition to a post-pandemic life. Featuring two sets of texts on reflective panels, placed side by side in the green space, the work is envisioned as a ‘memorial’ of this moment in time.

TOBYATO BIRD PITSTOP

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Canning Rise, Fort Canning

Now this is one night light that the the kids will love!!!

Inspired by the William Farquhar collection of drawings, tobyato bird pitstop is an artistic, inflatable representation of birds taking a breather in Fort Canning Park. Walk along the path and spot the rare sightings of birds resting within the lush greenery.

TUNNEL GRAFFITI

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Fort Canning Tree Tunnel

In response to the Fort Canning Mural Wall, the graphics reimagine the motifs of life in old Singapura captured on the stone reliefs using contemporary expressions. This serves to catapult heritage beyond the definitions of modernity, providing a pathway to revisit Fort Canning’s history within an augmented environment. Activated by sounds captured in the space, the interactive artwork serves up a new experience within a familiar setting.

UNDER MY TREE ROOF

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Fort Canning Tree Tunnel

Right at home amidst the flora and fauna of Fort Canning Park, Under My Tree Roof curves around the park’s iconic spiral staircase and beckons visitors to experience the dichotomy between the mural’s sheer scale and the intricacy of the constructed spaces it sits in as they transit through. The interpretative artwork, which features local elements such as wild spice flowers, heritage trees and native birds, stimulates deep reflection on the perceptions of identity and rootedness within a landscape.

FĒCUNDUS

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Singapore Management University Green (opp National Museum Singapore)

Play and interact with these inflatables representing rice kernels, rings and rice plant, to squeeze and combine the shapes to form other organic sculptures based on your own imagination. Inspired by the meaning of “Bras Basah” or beras basa, which means “wet rice”, Fēcundus creates a playground of larger-than-life inflatable structures for visitors to come together to build a rice plant or construct their own creations.

GROOVY TOWN @ SMU

(Perfomances)

Dates: 19 Aug & 20 Aug, 26 Aug & 27 Aug

Times: 8pm - 10.30pm

Venue: Singapore Management University Green (opp National Museum Singapore)

Get your groove on in the musical town @ SMU with our made-in-Singapore artists while the night is still young! Find your rhythm with SMU SoundFoundry, SMU Stereometa, SMU Voix, Yongkytown and Jeyme, and catch circus artist Jonathan Goh risk it all while grooving to music.

YESTERDAY ONCE MORE: QUEEN STREET

(Perfomances)

Dates: 19 Aug & 20 Aug, 26 Aug & 27 Aug

Times: 8.30pm, 9.30pm & 10.30pm

Venue: Various locations along Queen Street, Starting point at SMU Green

Travel through time over the history of Queen Street as Yesterday Once More: Queen Street enthralls audiences with song and sonic storytelling. The stories of people who live(d) on Queen Street – the dhobies, Auntie Cecilia who lived through the Japanese occupation, a young mother who sold noodles come rain or shine, a bride who waited for her groom to turn up, and a seasoned pole dancer – will unfold before your eyes and spark imagination of the years from the 1880s to the present day. The roving theatre performance is accompanied by high-definition audio on the Cinewav mobile app, featuring soundtracks composed by Inch Chua, original music by Tim De Cotta and performances by Euphoria Pole & Aerial Studio, Chowk Productions and CJ Bubble Girl.

ARMENIAN STREET + CHIJMES ZONE

MIDNIGHT SHOW AT THE CAPITOL

(Projection Mapping)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: National Archives Singapore

Take a trip down memory lane with this hyper-colourful visual treat. Remixing images from the collections of the National Archives of Singapore and National Library, visual artist MOJOKO highlights Singapore’s cinemas of times past. Inspired by the cultural importance and rich visual history of Capitol Theatre and Cathay Picture House, MOJOKO brings a contemporary twist to the classic movie posters that were once commonplace in the area.

GLITCHES OF YOU

MADELEINE

THE MELTING POT

(Projection Mapping)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Stamford Clock Tower

Three different projection mappings done by three different artists.

Glitches of You explores the notion of a multicultural modern identity in a dance of glitch art and fractured pixels, drawing from the artist’s own personal history and experience, through her identity as product of mixed bloodlines and therefore of dual cultures.

Madeleine is a visual journey that takes the viewer through historical landmarks and cultural milestones unique to the BBB precinct. Presented in a vibrant pop art style, the animated projection depicts a curious hornbill’s flight through the precinct’s history, arts, spaces, residences and iconic religious buildings.

The Melting Pot is an ode to the multiracial communities of Chinese, Peranakans, Eurasians, Jews, Malays, Indians, Sikhs, Japanese, Armenian, Europeans, and others who lived in close proximity at the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct from the 19th century to the 1930s.

THROUGH WORLDS

(Projection Mapping)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: CHIJMES

Through Worlds is an imagination of the endless possibilities that emerging technologies can provide us, which includes traveling through parallel worlds that simultaneously exist with our current physical one. Viewers will travel through a series of virtual environments with an audio narration of multiple perspectives within the history and hypothetical, imagined future of Chijmes and the area around it, by immersing themselves in alternate environments that connects the present to other places and time through the old school building, Chijmes in 2088 or a virtual public space.

LATENT (BBB EDITION)

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Armenian Church

Exploring biological interfaces in nature, latent (BBB edition) places organic botanical forms imitating the act of breathing throughout the green space of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Highlighting the potential and energy of the precinct, the poetic movements of the mechanical flowers brings life and rhythm to the seemingly solemn location. The work reflects upon the qualities of patience and resilience rooted in the history of the Armenian community and its oldest Church in Singapore.

PALIMPSEST

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Armenian Street

Drawing inspiration from the communities, buildings, architecture and art that once was on Armenian Street, PALIMPSEST is a poetic expression of the artists’ contemporary take into the history and evolution of the now pedestrianised street. This collaborative work by William Chan and Brandon Tay combines digital images, text and sound that celebrates the pulsating energy of Armenian Street – a site steeped in discoveries, experimentation, and discourse.

PADDY FIELDS

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Stamford Walkway

Paddy Fields recalls the forgotten practice of drying cultivated rice along the banks of Sungei Brass Bassa (now Stamford Canal) in the early 19th-century. The area was close to the paddy fields that used to be located opposite today’s KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. South Asian washermen and women also laundered clothes there, laying them out to dry on an adjacent open space. Using a palette of humble materials, this installation seeks to evoke the sentiments reminiscent of these activities from a bygone era.

AN OCEAN WITHOUT THE ANCHOR

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Raffles City Shopping Centre

An Ocean Without the Anchor is inspired by the lighthouse, a sturdy structure synonymous with being a beacon of hope shining in the darkness. A guiding light for those lost at sea, the lighthouse gives a sense of comfort to seamen leaving and returning home. Aptly located at the entrance of Raffles City – which would have then been along the Singapore shoreline before land reclamation took place in 1822 – this installation is a nod to the Bugis people and their rich history as seafarers.

JAZZ’IN @ CAPITOL SINGAPORE

(Perfomances)

Dates: 19 Aug & 20 Aug, 26 Aug & 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 8.30pm, 9pm - 10pm

Venue: Capitol Singapore's Outdoor Plaza

Jazz’in @ Capitol Singapore is a series of jazz concerts at Capitol curated by SNF’s programme partner Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay. Featuring stellar homegrown jazz artists such as The Rhythmakers and Litmus Jazz Ensemble, Singapore Night Festival 2022 brings you four groovy evenings at the historic site of the Capitol exploring subgenres of jazz including swing, bop, Latin jazz, and more. Give your ears and souls a treat, and get on your feet!

WATERLOO STREET + QUEEN STREET ZONE

NOCTURNE: CONVERSATIONS WITH WATERLOO

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Waterloo Complex

NOCTURNE: Conversations with Waterloo presents two sculptures captured in a transient moment when a conversation is midway, overheard in a communal space like the coffeeshop; where possibilities of the discussion are limitless.

TERRARIUM

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: National Design Centre

TERRARIUM imagines a hybridised reality that ponders future possibilities for nature and how technology could blur the lines between what’s living and what’s truly alive.

Step into an immersive garden landscape; have a picnic amidst the gorgeous paper flora creations; and examine how game engines and 3D modelling allow nature to thrive in the digital realm through a dynamic and interactive display where you can help a digital garden grow.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE+STYLE

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Stamford Arts Centre

Celebration of Life+Style is a sculptural installation presented as a metaphor to investigate the prevailing social and cultural norms in Singapore, and is inspired by Stamford Arts Centre, a multidisciplinary arts centre with a focus on Traditional Arts.

CITY OF BOOKS

(Night Light)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Bras Basah Complex

Titled after the popular nickname of Bras Basah Complex, City of Books is a large-scale anamorphic pavement mural that features books flying into a void through a one-point 2D plane perspective. The flight of books – from old fictional novels to the nostalgic 10-year series assessment books – symbolises the transition from printed to digital media.

DISCOLOO CENTRE

(Perfomances)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 7.30pm - 12am

Venue: Waterloo Complex

Of all the perfomances at Singapore Night Festival, I feel this is the MOST FUN of the lot. That's because this disco-inspired roving perfomance will take viewers across all floors of Waterloo Complex!

As disco-goers move through Waterloo centre, get an insider glimpse of its podium-tower building typology paired with historical anecdotes of disco fever. This roving performance is a chance to relive the diverse rhythms and relationships that once existed in our precinct’s nightlife.

CATHAY GREEN + DHOBY GHAUT GREEN

CATHAY HOTEL: THE CURSE OF THE MISSING RED SHOE

(HIGHLIGHT ACT)

Dates: 19 Aug & 20 Aug, 24 Aug to 26 Aug

Times: 7.30pm and 8.45pm, with additional show at 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays (45-min duration)

Venue: Cathay Green

Price: $33 per ticket, $112 for bundle of 4 (inclusive of 10% booking fee and 7% GST)

The headliner act of Singapore Night Festival 2022, watch the past come to life at Cathay Hotel: The Curse of the Missing Red Shoe, an immersive theatre performance taking place within a re-creation of the historical Cathay complex.

The detective story begins at a hotel where a mysterious curse from more than 60 years ago led to the separation of two lovers and changed the ending of the cinderellaesque Cathay film Lion City (1960), which inspires this production.

In this anti-fairytale, the audience will encounter the reappearance of iconic characters from the Cathay universe such as Mat Bond, Orang Minyak, Pontianak, Mambo Girl and ASP Latiff. Entering into a surreal version of old Singapore, where memories are confused with cinematic imaginations, everyone helping with the investigation could be a suspect.

AFTER DARK @ DHOBY GHAUT GREEN

(Festival Village)

Dates: 19 Aug to 27 Aug

Times: 6pm – 10.30pm (Weekdays), 6pm - 11.30pm (Weekends)

Venue: Dhoby Ghaut Green

Feeling famished after all the walking? Head to the Festival Village to get your hands on finger bites and delicious food,! In the enchanting neon forest, vibe on with spectacular music, featuring local artists and DJs for company too.

TIPS TO SURVIVING SINGAPORE NIGHT FESTIVAL 2022

So you are ready to head down with the kids. But before you do so, here are some handy tips that will make your experience a better one.

1. KNOW WHERE TO GO

It is always good to prep yourself by getting familiar with the area before going down. Download the festival map HERE or head to Singapore Night Festival's website to plan your itinerary for the night.

If you only have time to head to one zone, go to the National Museum Singapore and Fort Canning zone where you can catch the bulk of the fun night lights and a massive projection mapping show.

Hungry and thristy? Head to the Festival Village at Dhoby Ghaut Green beside Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station. Or there are plenty of cafes that should be still open around the SMU campus areas.

2. DRESS COMFORTABLY

It is going to be crowded, hot and humid so be sure to dress in comfortable clothing and wear a pair of comfy shoes to prepare for the walking exercise! You may wish to bring along an umbrella (or poncho) in case it rains.

3. CARRY LIGHT

There will be a fair amount of walking if you are intending to cover most of the installations so do bring along less stuff to up the comfort level.

4. CASHLESS EXPERIENCE

The festival will be a fully CASHLESS experience to minimise physical contact so take heed!

5. HYDRATE YOURSELVES

For sure, it will be humid so remember to let the kids drink enough water throughout the night.

6. STAY MASKED AND SAFE

Even though most of the installations are located outdoors, large crowds are expected so visitors are advised to keep their masks on in large crowds. And bring along hand sanitizers too!