Five things to do this weekend (Oct 27-29)
This weekend, get spooky at Halloween offerings, hit up a library, explore the power of film, or find out more about Singapore’s plans for the future.
Here are five things to do this weekend (Oct 27-29):
1. Get your paws on comics at the Garfield x Mr Kiasu library pop-up
Comic fans can look forward to the Garfield x Mr Kiasu library pop-up, which serves as a Node to make the National Library Board’s (NLB) collection more accessible to the public.
READ: A walk through the Garfield x Mr Kiasu pop-up library
The collaboration, which opened on Oct 23 (Monday) at The Centrepoint, features the titular characters prominently throughout the space.
The pop-up’s premise lies in the idea that Mr Kiasu has invited Garfield to Singapore, where the lazy cat falls in love with laksa.
The library carries a variety of books and graphic novels – including, of course, physical copies of comics from the collaboration’s featured franchises.
There is also a curated range of e-books available to borrow via NLB’s mobile app, including cookbooks (yes, there’s lasagna) and ruminations on “the art of doing nothing.”
The Garfield x Mr Kiasu pop-up is free to visit for all. If you’re feeling kiasu, get in the door at 10am, but for the Garfield-aligned among us, visiting hours stretch until 10pm.
2. Get into the spooky spirit at Haw Par Villa
Besides being home to Singapore’s only air-conditioned version of Hell, Haw Par Villa will also run a Halloween event, Haw-Ror Villa 2!
The event, which takes place from Oct 27 to 29, is the second iteration of the Halloween celebration. This year’s edition features a puzzle hunt, art booths from local businesses, and a pop-up party.
A detailed schedule of events is available on Haw Par Villa’s website.
While some events are free, others are ticketed and require registration. Tickets to Hell’s Museum, pop-up party Blackout V9.0, and silent disco dance party Secret Sunrise can be bought via the respective sites.
3. Come as a ‘pulp’tergeist to NParks’ Bazaar in the Garden
The monthly NParks-organised Bazaar in the Garden at Jurong Lake Gardens will come with a twist – on Oct 28, the park’s events will theme itself around Halloween.
The bazaar will run a variety of events, like a free lifestyle market, workshops, tours and talks.
The lifestyle market, which supports local creators, features green products. It will take place at Mempat Hall’s Greenhouse, and opens to visitors from 8am to 4pm.
Visitors are encouraged to come dressed in Halloween costumes. Excluding the lifestyle market, kokedama demo and workshop, mobile library pop-up, and crafts set-up, all other events will require registration.
Registration links and a detailed schedule of events are available on NParks’ website.
4. Build Bridges at Love and Pride Film Festival
In its 14th edition, the Love and Pride Film Festival will celebrate the theme of ‘Building Bridges’ through its five LGBTQIA+-focused films.
The screenings, organised by Golden Village (GV), will run from Oct 27 to Nov 5. The films will be shown at GV VivoCity, GV Funan, and GV Suntec City.
The chosen films are Blue Jean (R21), Close (PG13), Lie with Me (R21), Monster (M18), and Mutt (R21).
The festival will “[delve] into personal growth within the warm embrace of acceptance among loved ones.” Through this, it will emphasise the value of connections – or “bridges” – not only within the community, but also with allies.
Tickets to the festival cost $16 for members and $18 for the public and can be bought via GV’s website.
5. Visit the Forward Singapore Festival roadshow at Gardens by the Bay
Following the announcement of seven shifts that Singapore will take under Forward Singapore (Forward SG), citizens can visit the Forward Singapore Festival roadshow that explains the exercise’s intended impact.
READ: Forward SG Report: 7 key recommendations and policy shifts
The first of these roadshows, launched on Oct 27 at Gardens by the Bay, will run from 9am to 9pm daily until Oct 29.
The interactive showcase will allow citizens to become acquainted with the key policy moves, the hoped societal impact of the shifts, and the steps Singaporeans can take to “write the next chapter of our Singapore story.”
The festival, which is currently located at Gardens by the Bay’s Silver Leaf, will subsequently move to other Heartlands locations around Singapore. The roadshows’ entire run will end on Jan 28, 2024.
More information on the Gardens by the Bay Forward SG Festival can be found on its page. Find out more about Forward SG here.
