Chingay Parade
January/February
Part of the annual Chinese New Year celebrations, this procession features clowns, jugglers, lion dancers, drummers and acrobats, resulting in a hugely colourful parade which covers much of the centre of Singapore. There are some 2,000 performers involved.
Mosaic Music Festival
March
Bringing ‘a world of music’ to Singapore over a 10-day period, this festival showcases everything from jazz, fusion funk and folk-rock to ska, tango and R&B. Many of the events take place in the Esplanade Theatres on the Bay.
Great Singapore Sale
May-July
The Great Singapore Sale is the main event on Singapore’s shopping calendar, with prices cut by up to 70% in many of the malls. The festival usually attracts considerable interest from overseas visitors – expect to find bargains on local and international brands for the duration of the eight-week event.
Singapore Grand Prix
September
The razzmatazz of Formula One Grand Prix comes to Singapore each year for a night race, which sees the world’s best drivers negotiating the streets of the city after sundown. It makes for a spectacular – if noisy – occasion.
ZoukOut
December
South East Asia’s biggest dance festival draws world-famous DJs to Singapore for a long weekend of heavy beats and outdoor partying. It usually takes place at one of the sandy beaches on Sentosa Island, and has been running for more than 10 years.