The best things to do in Singapore this June

No need to keep the kids cooped up at home this school holiday, since the much awaited annual Children’s Festival is back. And this time, it’s themed to the beloved Emotions of Disney and Pixar’s Inside Out 2. Create your own “memory orbs” or make your way through a mirror maze. There's also an installation where kids can pick up a water brush, “paint” to their heart's content and watch doodles appear before their eyes. 

With free interactive installations and immersive experiences inspired by the Emotions, kids may learn about different feelings through play. Make sure to also catch a special edition of the nightly Garden Rhapsody light and sound show that's happening at 7.45pm and 8.45pm. Titled “The Medley of Emotions”, it features an illuminated display across the Supertrees and memory orbs installation, synced to the Inside Out soundtrack.

This June, head down to the Coca-Cola Food Fest located on the grounds of GastroBeats, Singapore’ annual food and music festival. Indulge in an evening of good food and company, where some 50 local food vendors will be selling all manner of festival food. Wash down all that grub with a can of ice-cold Coke, which you can get at $1.50 (originally $2.50) when you purchase a food and Coke combo. Be sure to discard your empty Coke cans in the recycling bins, before checking out the Coca-Cola Food Fest zone where the fun ensues. Participate in activities like basketball, a larger-than-life ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’ installation, a free photobooth for memories’ sake, and collect stamps for your Mission Card while at it. Here’s why: you’ll be able to win attractive gifts at the gachapon station, including exclusive Coca-Cola merchandise like hoodies and reusable bags. Find out more here.

GastroBeats — Singapore's largest food and music festival — returns this year from May 31 to June 23 at the Bayfront Event Space. The festival is in its fourth edition this year, with an exciting lineup of culinary delights, live musical performances, carnival games, and lifestyle booths. What's new is a first-ever Indonesian Zone by the Indonesian Embassy, featuring the best food, retail, and cultural showcases from the archipelago. Besides that, dig into local and international delights from 50 homegrown food vendors and jam to tunes by talented local artists (CTRL Chaos and Curren the Basil among them). There will also be bouncy castles, lifestyle booths, and participating brands like Coca-Cola, Ben and Jerry's, and Schweppes. Did we mention that this year's edition is pet-friendly too? 

Hours of fun are bubbling up at Resorts World Sentosa this school holiday season. From now till August 11, take your family and friends to Bubble Fiesta at Adventure Cove Waterpark for a romp at eight bubble-inspired zones. Bounce around giant inflatables and stand under a shower of rainbow bubbles in a giant dome. There will be DJ masterclasses, free frozen treats, and exclusive bundle deals too. Get your tickets at the link below.

It’s time again for Hong Lim Park to turn into a sea of pink. Pink Dot SG returns to the park for its 16th edition with the theme of “No One Left Behind”. The event this year shines the spotlight on the ways that the LGBTQ+ community continues to face marginalisation and discrimination despite the historic repeal of Section 377A. Expect powerful rally speeches, community tents, and rousing performances by Singapura Drag Royalty (featuring more than 40 drag queens and kings), Kiki HQ, Jean Seizure, RENE, Marian Carmel, and more. And the most iconic aspect of Pink Dot – the illuminated night formation at 7.30pm. 

In the lead-up to Pink Dot, watch three videos highlighting queer experiences in Singapore. In the first, four pairs of strangers share what it was like to grow up as LGBTQ+ individuals in Singapore. Keep your eyes on Pink Dot’s socials for two more videos which will dive into love and relationship, and ageing and dreams for the future.

Fans of Japanese culture won’t want to miss Tokyo ~the city of music and love~, a unique stage spectacular from Japan fusing song and dance. It’s a colourful mishmash of musical genres blending J-pop favourites, classic Disney tunes and Broadway hits, all curated to embody the vibrant spirit of Tokyo. Starring, produced and directed by Japanese actor and singer Yu Shirota, this spectacle involves a star-studded cast including J-pop stars miwa and RIOSKE, as well as Singapore’s very own Nathan Hartono.

June means one thing – Pride. True to form, Singapore is bursting with LGBTQ+ friendly events this month, many under the umbrella of Pink Fest. This mega celebration of love and inclusivity brings a ton of vibrant events and parties: immerse in queer perspectives at Pink Screen, let your hair down at parties and balls like Miss Homo Pride Edition and Pinky Kiki Ball: A Riot of Colours, or make friends at yoga sessions, book swaps and queer social mixers. Pink Fest is just as much about empowering the LGBTQ+ individuals to thrive. Link up with inclusive employers at Inclusive Careers Fair, plan for the future at financial planning class, or get the support you need at a gender-affirming workshop. Check out all the events at Pink Fest 2024 here.

Learn more about Chinese culture in Singapore’s local context with the two-month-long cultural festival, Cultural Extravaganza 2024. Presented by the Singapore Chinese Cultural Centre, this festival is happening from May 8 to June 30 2024 and follows the theme of (Re)presenting Our SINGAPO人 Treasures. Highlights include the free art exhibitions showcasing works by local cartoonists and students, along with musical performances featuring childhood rhymes and folk songs that will take you down memory lane. Theatre buffs shouldn't miss Essentially Macbeth, a play following the lives of ex-drama club members as they put together a production of the Shakespearean classic in Mandarin, presented with English surtitles. Find out more and book your tickets here. 

National Heritage Board’s annual programme, Children’s Season, is back with exciting events and activities across Children’s Museum Singapore (CMSG) and Museum Roundtable museums. From swashbuckling pirate adventures through the Singapore Maritime Gallery and a food trail at Armenian Street by CMSG, to traditional Indian martial art workshops at the Indian Heritage Centre and a theatrical journey through post-war Singapore at Former Ford Factory, there’s lots to ignite kids’ imaginations this June holidays. 

Running alongside Children’s Season is a new Into The Hawkerverse exhibition at CMSG, an exploration of our rich hawker heritage; and the Tiny Islands, Many Stories travelling exhibition that shines the spotlight on lesser-known narratives of Nusantara and Singapore.

Singapore-based indie artists Marian Carmel, and RENE are teaming up for The Lilypad Tour, which will see them performing in Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines, with potentially more destinations to come. 

The three are uniquely talented artists on their own, but together on The Lilypad Tour, you can expect a joyous explosion of good vibes from the three friends. Each will perform a full set: croon along to lewloh’s heartfelt and introspective tunes, channel your inner hopeless romantic with Marian’s vibrant and uplifting songs, and jam it out to RENE’s rock-influenced and ultra-relatable bops. We hear that there’s even going to be a Pride night at their Philippines stop, complete with a colourful drag show. 

Jewel Blooms is back with six captivating floral displays at Jewel Changi Airport's Canopy Park. The highlight of Jewel Blooms is Petal Garden: Super Blooms by Megumi Shinozaki. This installation features 10,000 bundles of pink hybrid starchis – a double-flowering variety of cherry blossom – and hydrangeas. Arranged on 2.8-metre-tall mountain structures, the result is a dreamy, blush-pink display to make all your Sakura dreams come true. The other five installations are just as gorgeous. Designed by award-winning local designer Andy Eng, they feature vibrant sunflower mazes, tranquil ponds filled with water plants, waterfalls of wisteria, misty trails, and a romantic walk lit by illuminated paper and flowers. 

Topping it off is Changi Experience Studio's 'An Enchanted Night in the Airport' camp. Stay overnight in a garden-like 'campsite' and participate in flora-inspired workshops and quests with your family. 

Fans of sake can look forward to sampling 300 different labels of sake sourced from prefectures all across Japan at Sake Festival Singapore. The booths will be helmed by toji (master brewers) and kurabito (brewery workers) from reputable breweries across Japan, and you’ll get to hear their tips and insights on the ancient art of sake brewing. Attendees will also get to try event-exclusive sake. 

A total of seven Japanese chefs and restaurateurs are set to attend the festival this year, and they will be preparing dishes that are specially created for the event. Look forward to sampling tasty izakaya bites from Hearth, Torso, Teppei, Kajiken and more. And for the first time this year, certified sake sommeliers will also be present at the festival to provide recommendations on sake and food pairing. 

Local dance company The Human Expression’s contemporary dance festival is back again for its 14th edition, with this year’s theme spotlighting human connection and how movement helps us to understand each other and ourselves better. This year’s festival brings together six performances and 30 classes and workshops from local and international dancers. Highlights include the free 40-minute performance Dance the Dusk showcasing the explosiveness of dance; and Elusive – a double bill, a collaborative performance with acclaimed choreographers Kim Jae Duk and Ginevra Panzetti. The performance is also paired with an excerpt of the upcoming work Hawla by Klievert Jon Mendoza, set to premiere in 2025. Look forward to workshops by international dancers like Taiwan’s Chang Chien-Hao, South Korea’s Kim Jae Duk, and Australia’s Billy Keohavong. These workshops range from beginner to advanced, so anyone interested in dance can sign up.

Asia’s first feline-exclusive event, Asia Cat Expo, is back again this year with two days of exciting cat-centric programmes and activities, as well as over 60 stalls featuring both local and international brands. Look forward to cat shows, interactive seminars, and workshops to learn more about cat grooming and safety. Don’t miss the highlight: Asia Cat Expo’s second-ever cat grooming competition, showcasing the skill and creativity of professional groomers.

Also browse feline-related products, ranging from cute enamel pins and stationery with cat motifs to supplements and wellness products by Wholesome Whiskers and CozyPaws. You can also find snazzy collars and delicious treats to spoil your little feline friend at the expo, so be sure to come with a tote bag to carry all your purchases.