The Bras Basah.Bugis precinct is about to get lit once again when the Singapore Night Festival (SNF) returns from Aug 23 to 31. With a slew of arts, cultural and heritage programmes, installations and performances lined up, it’s no wonder that the nine-day festival packs the crowds year after year — for the past 11 years, to be exact.

And because it’s the Singapore Bicentennial this year, everything’s bigger, better and in this case, brighter at the 12th edition of the extravaganza. This year, there will be 16 new light art installations and projections to teleport you to dreamy realms. But seasoned SNF-goers will have you know that while everything’s beautiful and photogenic, you’ll have to brace yourself for a fair bit of walking, with works scattered around the precinct from the National Museum of Singapore to the National Gallery Singapore. The convivial atmosphere is upped a notch on weekends when the Festival Villages come into play on weekends. The two villages set up at Dhoby Ghaut Green and Armenian Street Park are where you need to be if you get hungry, with almost 30 stalls such as Bao Makers, Uncle G’s Handmade and Fyr for you to fuel up at.

But enough words. We know you’re here for the snaps.

Where: Gallery Theatre, National Museum of Singapore
When: Aug 8-22 & Sep 1-8 at 10am-7pm; Aug 23-24, 29-31 at 10am-12mn; Aug 25-28 at 10am-10pm
What: Dramatic, dreamy and Boomerang-friendly, this immersive installation that involves wind therapy is among the main draws of this year’s shindig. In other words, prepare yourself for the crowds.

Where: National Museum of Singapore façade
When: Aug 23-31 at 7.30pm-12mn
What: Every year an iconic monument in the district gets stunning makeovers to become among the most Instagrammed features of the festival, thanks to sound, light and graphic projections. It’s the National Museum of Singapore’s turn this year — the latest edition sees three mysterious characters embarking on a kaleidoscopic, fantastical adventure.

Where: Cathay Green
When: Aug 29-31 at 8.30pm, 9.45pm and 11pm
What: SNF isn’t just about light art, okay. There are more than 40 roving performances over the second weekend of the festival (Aug 29-31), and Fuerza Bruta is among them. The Argentinian troupe’s 30-min gig ($15 per pax, tix from Sistic) is a 360-degree sensorial theatrical performance — brimming with aerial acrobatics stunts, visual effects, and confetti — that happens over and around a standing audience.

Where: National Museum of Singapore, Banyan Tree
When: Aug 23-31 at 7.30pm-12mn
What: If your memory of Sanskirt epic poem The Ramayana comprises dreary history lessons in school, this should help create new, vibrant memories. The banyan tree at the National Museum of Singapore will feature artful projections complemented by a gamelan instrumental performance (Aug 29-31).

Where: Various locations, National Museum of Singapore
When: Aug 8-22, Sep 1-8 at 10am-7pm; Aug 23-24 & 29-31 at 10am-12mn; Aug 25-28 at 10am-10pm
What: A three-part installation by homegrown contemporary artist Jahan Loh that explores alternative homes should Earth one day degenerate into an unliveable cesspool.

Where: National Design Centre
When: Aug 23-31 at 7.30pm-12mn
What: We could go on about how this scaffold structure with ever-changing light formations will up your Instagram game, but you probably already know that just by one glance at this artist’s impression.

Where: Walkway along Stamford Rd
When: Aug 23-31 at 7.30pm-12mn
What: This tunnel made out of a seamless fabric aims to bring the viewer to a state of calm, though it’s probably also good for an OOTD, or three.

Where: SMU Campus Green
When: Aug 23-31 at 7.30pm-12mn
What: Five artists will showcase their creative projection mappings at Project:Dome, an all-new experiential dome at Singapore Management University. Among them is this emoji-nal digital projection where festival-goers get to be the artist and populate the dome with emoticons of their choice by scanning a QR code.

Where: Cathedral of the Good Shepherd
When: Aug 23-25 & 30-31 at 7pm-12mn
What: It may be held in the 172-year-old iconic church, but everyone, regardless of religion, is welcome to explore this installation of candles, or join one of the guided heritage tours.

Singapore Night Festival 2019 is on Aug 23-31, 7.30pm-12am, various locations. Festival Village opens Aug 23-24 and 29-31. Free admission. Performance nights on Aug 29-31; ticket charges apply to selected programmes. More info at www.nightfestival.sg.

Photos: Supplied by respective artists/ Singapore Night Festival