The post-June lull is an all-too-familiar affair for most in Singapore. By now, the mid-year buzz has fully passed, and the second-half blues have started to creep in. But not all is lost — there’s no shortage of events in the pipeline this July to keep you feeling energised and ready to tackle the months ahead.
From art to food and fitness, Options rounds up the most exciting things to put in your calendar over the next 30 days.
For hopheads: Beerfest Asia 2024
July 11 – July 14
Kallang Outdoor Arena
Beer enthusiasts, prepare yourselves. From stouts to sours, some 600 beer varieties from all over the world are set to converge at this year’s Beerfest Asia. Organised by Constellar and Timbre Group, the four-day event also features a lineup of live entertainment, from local cover bands to EDM DJs.
Standout international beverage offerings at this year’s BeerFest Asia include Kuri Kuro by Japanese brewery Miyazaki Hideji. The usual suspects — caramel, espresso, brown sugar — come together with the unique flavour of chestnuts and barley, to produce this special spin on a classic imperial stout.
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Meanwhile, from Nevada-based Revision Brewing Company comes the fruit-forward Cloud Cuddles. A New England India Pale Ale, this brew is tropical and citrusy — think pineapple sweetness in an epic marriage with grapefruit bitterness.
Those seeking a little more familiarity can also look forward to brews from home-grown labels such as RedDot BrewHouse and Lion City Meadery, which — unsurprisingly — specialises in meads. A favourite to keep an eye out for from Lion City is the Royal Imperial Chrysanthemum Mead, a rich wine-style drink that’s a perfect balance of sweet and bitter.
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For liquor lovers: Rum & Roll Rendezvous
July 26 – July 28
InterContinental Singapore
The spirit of Havana is making a splash here with the Rum & Roll Rendezvous. With activities taking place at the InterContinental Singapore and co-hosted by The Rum Cartel private club, this promises to be an indulgent weekend filled with tastings, masterclasses and more.
Iconic brands such as Bacardi, Plantation Rum and Flor de Cana are set to appear, with lots available to try and buy. Experts leading the masterclasses, meanwhile, include Issyam As’ari of Mount Gay, Symphony Loo of Appleton Rum and Rob Scott of Flor de Cana.
If you want a little more pop and fizz on a Saturday evening, there’s a tropical pool party on the Rum & Roll Rendezvous’ second night, featuring a live DJ. For those seeking late-night tipples, after-party events start from 11pm on July 26 and 27 at the Cuban-inspired lounge El Pico.
InterContinental Singapore has also curated a one-night Rum Retreat for those looking to stay at the hotel while attending the Rum & Roll Rendezvous. The package includes a night in a Classic Room, breakfast and admission to the day’s events.
For health nuts: Wellness Festival Singapore
June 21 – July 21
Various locations
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We all know by now that health isn’t just a matter of going to the gym once or twice a week; keeping one’s mental state in tip-top shape is just as important. Wellness Festival Singapore, organised by the Singapore Tourism Board, offers a rousing lineup of activities aimed at balancing both the mind and the body.
Highlights include the newly introduced Glow Festival, which starts on July 6 at Marina Bay Sands. This festival-within-a-festival promises workouts, healing rooms and community events, among others. For foodies and shopaholics, food and beverage stands will be available alongside other retail offerings.
Also taking place at Wellness Festival Singapore is a special aqua-fitness class by The Ripple Club. Set to be held at the rooftop of Hotel Jen Orchard Gateway, this session designed for festival-goers will start with an exercise segment in the water. This will be followed by a round of cold-water immersion, which is said to reduce exercise-induced muscle damage and day-after soreness.
For art enthusiasts: Helen Frankenthaler: Prints 1977–2004
June 29 – Aug 25
STPI – Creative Workshop & Gallery
For its annual special exhibition this year, STPI presents nearly 40 prints by the late American artist Helen Frankenthaler. An icon of abstract expressionism, she pioneered the “soak stain” technique of diluting oil paints with turpentine, then applying the light, translucent washes of pigment onto raw canvas. Her works are celebrated for their bold use of colour and spontaneous yet confident aesthetic.
The STPI exhibition is somewhat of a reunion, too. In 1976, Frankenthaler embarked on a long-term collaboration with master printmaker Kenneth Tyler, from whom STPI drew its former name, the Singapore Tyler Print Institute.
Among the works on display are Madame Butterfly (2000) — pictured above — the final piece Frankenthaler created in collaboration with Tyler’s workshop. A triptych on brown-tinted handmade paper, Madame Butterfly features 102 colours printed from 46 woodblocks using the traditional “ukiyo-e” technique from Japan. Like many of Frankenthaler’s other works, the piece inspires thought and curiosity; prints appear like watercolour, prompting one to wonder if they are truly prints or a soak stains in disguise.
For foodies: Chef X — Wanting Kimchi
July 1 – Aug 26
Chef X at Clarke Quay Central
Launched in April, Chef X by Far East Organization gives home-based and private-dining chefs a space to try their hand at running a commercial operation. Following Royaley’s Smokey Boat’s stint at the Clarke Quay Central space in June, Wanting Kimchi has now taken over.
Led by home-based chef Zeng Wanting, the Korean-inspired concept is focused on presenting healthier kimchi — think low salt, low sugar, but with all the flavour. Fermented favourites include the classic cabbage kimchi, and one made from apples.
Of course, banchans alone do not make a meal. Wanting Kimchi will also offer hot food, lunch bento sets and kimchi jjim — a “hotpot-like” dish of whole-head cabbage kimchi, pork and a homemade stock base. “We will be serving up items we absolutely love but couldn’t offer to our customers as we didn’t have a restaurant setting,” says Zeng of the menu.
