USS is upping the ante for Halloween Horror Nights with a haunted house specially created by the renowned Thai filmmakers behind cinematic scare-fests like Shutter and 4bia. This is USS’ first-ever regional collaboration in the nine-year history of HHN. Curse of the Naga will transport visitors from bustling Bangkok to a lost village in the jungle, cursed by the spell of a snake spirit called Naga, a fusion of a Thai traditional dancer and a mysterious serpentine spirit.

Halloween Horror Nights 9 will feature five haunted houses, two scare zones and two live shows in total. Joining Naga and chalet spirits in this edition are clowns, dolls and tortured prisoners in a dingy, cramped prison. Basically, everything that’s a nightmare come true for a horror fan. Read our full review of HHN9 here.

Halloween Horror Nights 9 is on for select nights from Sep 27 to Oct 31 at Resorts World Sentosa. Tix are $70 for peak nights and $60 for non-peak nights. Early bird tickets are priced at $65 (peak) and $55 (non-peak), and is available until Sep 1. More info at https://www.halloweenhorrornights.com.sg/.

Bonjour! If you’re planning on visiting France or just learning more about its culture, then why not pay Singapore’s signature French festival a visit? There are over 50 programmes spanning a wide array of topics, including food, tourism, science and sport. You’ll be spoilt for choice with a string of concerts, exhibitions, foodie events, and more. The festival opens with a one-night only performance by renowned French cellist Gautier Capucon alongside the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and the well-loved French Film Festival makes its return with more than 25 French box office hits. Foodies will have a field day with the sumptuous line-up of champagne and cognac masterclasses, dinners and wine and cheese appreciation sessions in store.

Oct 3 to Nov 17, various timings and locations. Ticket prices vary. More info at http://www.voilah.sg/

So you think you can dance? Then you’ll be busy this month with Got to Move, the nationwide dance movement that has over 300 free (yes, free!) activities lined up in various spots around Singapore, from sport centres to community centres, and malls to dance studios. There’s something for everyone — from workshops for couples who want to impress their partners on the dancefloor, to an interactive dance game to encourage social interaction, and even a four-week dance fitness programme for seniors.

Oct 4-27, various locations. Free admission. More info at www.nac.gov.sg/GotToMoveSG.

You’ve heard about pairing wine with food, but what about pairing wine with classical music? Find out how award-winning wines from New Zealand family-owned vineyard Mount Brown Estates complement some of the greatest melodies from virtuosos like Mozart, Ravel, Beethoven and more — performed by violinist Loh Jun Hong and pianist Abigail Sin, who want to redefine the stereotypical classical music concert experience.

Oct 4, 8pm onwards, The Arts House Blue Room, 1 Old Parliament Ln, S179429. Tickets from $60. More info at https://musicandwine.peatix.com/

Get set for a bangin’ street carnival at Keong Saik with Urban Ventures returning to where it all began for its 12th edition. Expect an array of mouth-watering nosh from Keong Saik and Jiak Chuan’s best restaurants, including Neon Pigeon, Don Ho and Kafe Utu. Fitness buffs will be delighted to know that there’s a range of social workout sessions (Pilates and HIIT, anyone?) in store. Plus, a line-up of homegrown talents like hip-hop artists Yung Parents and DJ Submerge are in charge of the music for the day, so you don’t have to worry about hitting your daily step count. On top of that, there’s a social enterprise market, and when the sun sets, get your phone ready for light installations and projections that'll get you trigger-happy.

Oct 5, 3pm-10.30pm, Keong Saik Road, Jiak Chuan Road. Admission is free. More info at https://www.urbanventures.co/

Have your fill of awesome hawker food from Malaysia and Singapore in one place? You bet. Available at this two-day food fest are 12 dishes from celebrated Singaporean and Malaysian hawkers, priced reasonably at $4, $8 and $12. Fuel up on Penang-style char kway teow from Robert’s Char Kway Teow (Petaling Jaya), char siew from Roasted Chef House (Subang), bak kut teh from Samy & Min Bak Kut Teh (Kuala Lumpur) and artisanal chendol from Kwong Wah Cendol (Petaling Jaya). Prefer Singaporean hawker grub? Dig into putu piring from the popular Haig Road Putu Piring and soy sauce chicken rice from Hawker Chan. There will be a lunch session from 11.30am to 3.30pm, and a dinner session from 5.30pm to 9.30pm. This is a cashless event and only Visa, MasterCard and Amex credit and debit cards are accepted.

From Oct 5 to Oct 6, 2010, 11.30am-3.30pm & 5.30pm-9.30pm, Flower Field Hall, Gardens by the Bay, 18 Marina Gardens Drive, S018953. Tickets at $20. More info at https://www.hapz.com/festivals/hawker-culture-2019-tickets

Anime fans, rejoice. This ongoing exhibition embraces the culture that has taken the world by storm since the 80s. Sift through anime-inspired artworks, toys and comics, all by people who have been inspired by favourites like Pokémon, Astro Boy Dragon Ball and many more. Get together with your otaku buddies and get a close-up look at how Anime has inspired artists and creators all over the world.

Gaming enthusiasts, it’s that time of the year for you to majorly geek out. For two days, anything and everything game-related will be taking over Suntec Convention Centre at Singapore’s largest gaming event. Get exclusive previews of up and coming blockbuster games, test your skills in an escape room experience, challenge your friends to different tabletop games, hang with cosplayers and more.

Oct 12-13, 11am-9pm, Suntec Convention Centre Halls 401 – 403, 1 Raffles Blvd, S039593. Tickets from $12. More info at www.gamestart.asia

What’s touted as Singapore’s largest rum festival is about to take over Keong Saik Road. Rum enthusiasts will have a blast sampling nearly 30 brands of rum from all over the world at Keong Saik bars like Neon Pigeon, Taki Taki, Limehouse and Bula Café and Bar. The bars will also host guest shifts by bartenders from renowned bars worldwide, including The Sea by The Old Man from Hongkong, Bangkok’s Tropic City and Baba Au Rum from Athens. Hungry? Tuck in to kebabs from Fat Prince, hot dogs from Fung Kee Hotdogs, a rum-infused Jamaican curry from Taki Taki and Bula Café, and then some. To amp up the fun at this Caribbean-style carnival, there’ll be a market, an on-site tattoo artist and face painters. Pre-sale coupons are on sale right now — $120 for 12 drink coupons (it’s $12 per drink on the day of the event).

Oct 13, 3pm onwards, Keong Saik Road. Admission is free; separate drink charges apply. Drink coupons from $12. More info at http://www.rumbellionsg.com/

With a dark sense of humour and a penchant for tackling taboo topics, everything is free game for Daniel Sloss, one of Scotland’s breakthrough comedians. The 29-year-old's career gained traction in 2010 and he started appearing on Conan (he’s been on the show 10 times so far), and eventually starred in two Netflix speicals, Dark and Jigsaw. Save Netflix and chilling for another day and catch the funnyman that’s been dubbed “dirty, sweet and clever” by New York Times. Rated R21 till further notice.

Oct 16, 8pm-9.30pm, SCAPE The Ground Theatre, 2 Orchard Link, S237978. Tickets from $98. More info at http://www.livenation.sg/

You’ll have to fork out upwards of $1,000 to stay and eat at the newly-restored Raffles Hotel. But what if we told you that for a fraction of that price, you could frolic at the beautiful colonial hotel, sample fine dining nosh, and watch Kit Chan and a whole host of homegrown artists perform? And all for a good cause, too. At $300, tix for the Raffles Reopening Festival ain’t cheap, but all proceeds from this elegant soiree go to the Community Chest Singapore. Tasting portions of gourmet nosh from La Dame de Pic, Tiffin Room, BBR by Alain Ducasse, Raffles Courtyard, and Burger and Lobster will be served throughout the night. Wash it down with complimentary Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve. Entertaining visitors through the night are Kit Chan, The Sam Willows, Alemay Fernandez and Hossan Leong who will perform at various spaces in the hotel. And if you’re planning your next staycay, you’re in luck — ticket holders get to suss out the suites, while a storyteller enthralls the young ones with immersive storytelling adventures in the suites.

Oct 18, 7-11pm, Raffles Hotel Singapore, 1 Beach Rd, S189673. Tix are $300. More info at www.rafflesfestival.com.sg.

Sure, Boyce Avenue, Charlie Lim and more artistes are set to take the stage at the inaugural ChillFest. But this isn’t your regular music festival — it’s one with an eco-cause. Besides the music, there are talks, panels and workshops about sustainability and food waste management happening, and a pop-up market that’ll delight any green warrior. Fancy a workout in between gigs? Mosey over to one of the complimentary HIIT and yoga sessions happening onsite.

Oct 19, 1-10pm, Fort Green, Fort Canning Park, River Valley Road, S179037. Tix from $138. More info at www.chill-fest.com.

Rapper, singer and son of Will Smith will be making his way to our shores for the first time and will take the stage at Zouk. The 20-year-old star, who recently performed at Coachella, will bring his brand of trippy hip-hop tunes to Zouk’s Mainroom. Expect tunes from his sophomore album, Erys, as well as older hits ‘Icon’ and ‘Fallen’.

MMA fans are in for a treat. Two of the world’s best grapplers in MMA history — Demian Maia, ranked 10, and Ben Askren, ranked 11 — will duke it out in the main event at UFC Fight Night Singapore. Other bouts include lightweight veterans Michael Johnson vs Stevie Ray, heavyweight newcomers Ciryl Gane vs Don’Tale Mayes, and heavyweight finishers Sergei Pavlovich vs Maurice Greene, so get set for a night of solid fight action.

Oct 26, 5pm-10.30pm, Singapore Indoor Stadium, 2 Stadium Walk, S397691. Tickets from $58 from Sports Hub Tix. More info at https://www.ufc.com/singapore.

This must be what Left 4 Dead and World War Z would look like in real life. Zombies are set to invade this year’s Zedtown, a zombie survival game where hopeful survivors (yes, you), armed with Nerf guns, battle it out against the undead in a series of missions. The live-action role-playing game has seen success in America and Australia (over 1,300 players battled it out in Sydney in their last game Down Under). It’ll land here at the National Stadium, where a simulated State of Emergency is happening in dystopian Singapore. And to really get you in the mood for Zedtown, each ticket comes with zombie make-up, though more expensive packages give you more game privileges and merch.

Oct 26, 12pm-4pm & 6pm-10pm, National Stadium, 1 Stadium Dr, S397629. Tickets from $40. More info at https://sg.zedtown.com/

Even if you have a bloomin’ difficult time trying to pronounce rhododendron, you’ll still be awestruck by Gardens by the Bay’s latest display at the Flower Dome. For the first time in Singapore, you get to be up close with over 80 varieties of rhododendrons (flown in from New Zealand), and 10 varieties of its close cousin, the azaleas. And in the glorious sea of blooms, you’ll spot bear mascots having a beary good time camping, fishing and even hot-air ballooning. A bonus for the ’gram.

Sep 27 to Oct 28, 9am-9pm, Flower Dome at Gardens by the Bay. Admission charges to the conservatory apply. More info at www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/rhododendron.

This Halloween just got more fabulous with RuPaul’s Drag Race stars Nina West (left), Season 11’s Miss Congeniality, and RPDR All-Star Thorgy Thor (right) strutting to our shores for the inaugural Halloween-themed drag extravaganza. Expect nothing less than complete mayhem, shocking performances, the fiercest wigs and fab costumes from two drag queens who are among New York Magazine’s list of top 100 most powerful drag queens in America.

Oct 29, 8pm-9.15pm, Shine Auditorium, 100 Beach Road, #03-01 Shaw Tower, S189702. Tickets from $88. More info at http://www.la-comedylive.com/

Discover how Disney magic comes to life for the first time in Singapore at ArtScience Museum’s latest exhibition which reveals behind-the-scenes secrets behind 90 years of animation history. Pore over 500 art pieces—original drawings and concept art included — curated by the Walt Disney Animation Research Library. The exhibition also features interactive features such as projections, audio-visual displays that will take you on a walk down memory lane. The icing on the cake is the debut of original artwork from the upcoming, highly-anticipated Frozen 2.

Oct 26 to Mar 29, 2020, ArtScience Museum, 6 Bayfront Ave, S018974. Tickets from $12. More info at https://www.marinabaysands.com/museum/disney-magic-of-animation.html

What better way to escape the haze than to duck into a hipster cocktail bar that has fashioned itself after an alpine ski lodge? Junior, the rotating bar concept tucked away in a back alley in Tanjong Pagar, has just launched its new concept, Petite Chalet. You’re teleported to the Alps by way of its refreshed décor, whimsical cocktails and hearty bar bites, all inspired by the alpine retro ski scene. Start off with Supernature ($25), an immensely refreshing high ball of vermouth, celery soda, ginseng-like herb gentian, sherry and green herbs. Also not to be missed is the Garden Gnome ($25). It may be served in these cute retro mugs but what’s inside packs a punch — it’s a strong concoction of tequila, absinthe, cucumber, gentian, lime, mint and dill. Comforting bar nosh is also available — don’t miss the delicious traditional dish of tartiflette ($18), scalloped potatoes and lardons swathed in scrummy, gooey brie and gruyere. After a few tipples, you may start to feel like you’re on a ski vacation in Switzerland, rather than muggy, hazy Singapore.

Junior is at 43 Tanjong Pagar Road (enter via alley on Cook Street). Open Mon to Sat, 7pm-midnight. Tel: 81211462.

Timepiece collectors and fans, listen up. For 23 days, timepieces of different eras from Patek Philippe Museum’s exclusive collection will be available for your viewing pleasure. Catch classics such as the Genevan pocket watch, peach-shaped pendant watches, and Patek Philippe dome table clock as Patek Philippe celebrates Singapore’s Bicentennial, showcasing the rich history of Southeast Asia through their timepieces.

Sep 28-Oct 13, 10am-7pm & 10am-10pm LATE, Marina Bay Sands Singapore, 10 Bayfront Ave, S018956. Admission is free. More info at http://patek.com/watchart2019

History goes high tech with this digital projection exhibition (replete with an interactive digital wall brimming with artworks) about the lesser-known snippets of Singapore’s history. Witness historical events that have moulded Singapore into what she is today, including the swearing-in of Yusof Ishak as first President of Singapore, the reveal of our national flag in 1959, and more. With gripping, lively projections and storytelling, you’ll feel as if you were living through these events that have cemented themselves into our nation’s history.

From Sep 1 to Aug 29, 2021, 10am-7pm, City Hall Wing, Level 3, City Hall Chamber, National Gallery Singapore, 1 St Andrew’s Road S178957. Tickets from $10. More info at https://www.nationalgallery.sg/

Since its inception here in 2016, Tokyo-based interdisciplinary collective teamLab’s super photogenic dreamscapes have become a must-see for visitors, Singaporeans and ’gramaholics, of course. Who doesn’t love traipsing around in the trippy Crystal Universe? But if you’ve visited ArtScience Museum’s permanent exhibition once and think you’ve seen it all, think again.

Future World has just been refreshed and with an all-new gallery and two new artworks for your viewing — and Instagramming — pleasure. You’ll find the all-new features in the City in a Garden gallery, one of four galleries (Sanctuary, Park and Space complete the line-up). If you haven’t realised by now, City in a Garden is a riff on Singapore’s Garden City status and the theme of integrating nature back into the concrete jungle, and takes you through fields of flowers, lush meadows and even an aquarium. Find out more here.

Future World: Where Art Meets Science is on at ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands. Open 10am-7pm daily (last admission 6pm). Tix and info at www.marinabaysands.com.

Photo: teamLab