We are still recovering from all the Chinese New Year festivities and trust us when we say that the withdrawal symptoms are real. Life seems a little dull without all the feasting, gambling and merrymaking with our friends and family and we feel the need to look for something to help us through the post-Chinese New Year blues

Thankfully, there are some exhilarating events lined up for the month of March that we are pretty damn excited about. From a number of concerts by popular bands such as Kodaline and Maroon 5 to pub crawls that you can drink away your sorrows at, here are 11 events to look forward to this March 2019.

Photo Credit: Eventbrite

FEAST UP POP-UP MARKET 

The Feast Up pop-up creative market is back again with an exciting line-up involving local creative makers, artisan vendors, curated performances by young artists and a plethora of scrumptious food to tuck into for free. This time around, they’ll be holding the event at a pretty interesting venue; the BW Monastery!

Entry is free.

When
30 March 2019
4pm – 9pm

Where
BW Monastery Hall of Jewels

FOOD AND BEVERAGE FAIR 2019 

Foodies, this event is for you! The Food and Beverage Fair 2019 promises to treat your tastebuds to tons of delicious food from all over the world. This is also a great place to snag some amazing deals that you can share around with your family and friends; It’s a foodies paradise!

Entry is free.

When
21 – 24 March 2019
11am – 10pm

Where
Singapore Expo Hall 5

Photo Credit: Sistic 

HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN IN CONCERT 

Fans of the magical world of Harry Potter will be thrilled to know that The Harry Potter Concert series is returning to the Esplanade Theatre with a Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban concert. Be blown away by the Metropolitan Festival Orchestra as they perform all the songs from the well-loved movie while the entire film plays in high definition on a 40-foot screen.

Ticket prices range from S$79 to S$249.

When
1 (8pm) and 2 (7pm) March 2019

Where
Esplanade Theatre 

Photo Credit: Bandwagon Asia 

KODALINE 

Popular Irish band Kodaline will be performing in Singapore for their world tour this March at ZEPP@BIGBOX! They will be showcasing songs from their recent album, Politics of Living. So for all you diehard fans out there, this is your chance to catch them live in Singapore!

Tickets cost S$128 per person.

When
5 March 2019
8pm

Where
ZEPP@BIGBOX Singapore

Photo Credit: Wikipedia 

MAROON 5 ‘RED PILLS BLUES’ TOUR  

One of the worlds greatest pop bands, Maroon 5, is finally setting foot on our little red dot this March to give us a performance of a lifetime! We can’t wait to treat our ears to classics such as She Will Be Loved, Girls Like You and Sugar and seeing the handsome Adam Levine in the flesh!

Ticket prices range from S$118 to S$268.

When
7 March 2019
8pm – 11pm

Where
National Stadium

MY TIONG BAHRU HERITAGE TOUR 

Take a stroll around Singapore’s only conservation housing estate to explore the pre-war and post-war architecture as well as to learn more about the culture, arts, food and people that built up the place to be what it is today. There is plenty to learn and admire here in this picturesque neighbourhood!

When
3 March 2019

Where
Meeting point is at Tiong Bahru Community Centre

Photo Credit: Little Day Out 

SAKURA MATSURI 

If you didn’t manage to book tickets to Japan to catch the gorgeous cherry blossoms, fret not as Gardens by the Bay will be having a display for you to make you feel like you’re in Japan itself. The event also features adorable Japanese dolls being planted amongst the flowers to evoke the feel of a “magical sakura forest”.

When
9 March – 31 March 2019
9am – 9pm

Where
Gardens by the Bay

SINGAPORE ST PATRICK’S DAY PUB CRAWL 

Who says you can’t celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Singapore? Paint the town green this St Patrick’s day by heading out with your buddies for a super intense and fun Irish pub crawl! The event will take you to 3 different locations as well as one club and the drinking starts at registration; get ready for a pretty lit day!

When
17 March 2019

Where
Meeting point is at UOB Plaza, 80 Raffles Place

STUPID CUPID PUB CRAWL 

Did you just break up with someone and all you feel like doing is downing yourself in a never-ending amount of alcohol? This is where the Stupid Cupid Pub Crawl comes in to save the day! Drown your sorrows in different kinds of alcohol at pubs across Singapore. You’ll never know, you may even meet someone new while you’re at it!

Tickets cost just S$28.

When
13 March 2019
7pm – 10pm

Where
1 Keong Saik Rd

Photo Credit: eventfinda.sg 

SYMPHONY IN THE GARDENS 

The Symphony in the Gardens is the perfect event for those who appreciate music! Be blown away by the mesmerising music at the one-hour, open-air concert at the Gardens by the Bay. Some songs to listen out for are Hungarian Rhapsody No 2, Capriccio Espagnol and Morning Mood.

When
9 March 2019
6.30pm – 7.30pm

Where
Gardens by the Bay, The Meadow

2018 may have its many ups and downs—as do all years—and for all we know 2019 may come with its fair share of bumps as well, but the one thing that this new year promises, which we’re all insanely thrilled for is the fact that there will be a total of 9 long weekends—if you play your cards right and plan your leaves carefully.

That’s right, 2019 is going to be a year packed with long weekends and more importantly, opportunities to travel! Get out those pens and calendars because here, we give you the lowdown on the 9 long weekends in Singapore this year and the places that are worth travelling to during those periods!

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:

• New Year’s Day – 1 Jan (Tuesday) – 1 day
• Chinese New Year – 5 & 6 Feb (Tuesday & Wednesday) – 2 days
• Good Friday – 19 Apr (Friday) – 1 day
• Labour Day – 1 May (Wednesday) – 1 day
• Vesak Day – 19 & 20 May (Sunday & Monday) – 2 days
• Hari Raya Puasa – 5 Jun (Wednesday) – 1 day
• National Day – 9 Aug (Friday) – 1 day
• Hari Raya Haji – 11 & 12 Aug (Sunday & Monday) – 2 days
• Deepavali – 25 Oct (Friday) – 1 day
• Christmas Day – 25 Dec (Wednesday) – 1 day

WHEN TO TAKE LEAVE:

New Year’s Day – 31 Dec (Monday)
Total Days Off: 4 days

Chinese New Year – 4 Feb (Monday)
Total Days Off: 5 days

Labour Day – 2 & 3 May (Thursday & Friday)
Total Days Off: 5 days

Hari Raya Puasa – 3, 4, 6 & 7 Jun (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday)
Total Days Off: 9 days

Hari Raya Haji – 11 & 12 Aug (Sunday & Monday) – 2 days
Total Days Off: 4 days

Christmas Day – 23, 24, 26 & 27 Dec (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday)
Total Days Off: 9 days

PLACES TO TRAVEL TO:

SHORT TRIPS (2  – 3 DAYS)

BANGKOK

A city that’s so full of vigour, Bangkok is hands down, one of our all-time favourite travel destinations because of its vibrant and ever-growing culinary landscape. From the throngs of roadside street food vendors that sell incredibly satisfying grub to a growing cafe and restaurant scene that plays host to young, talented chefs, the country is great if you’re a foodie like us.

But besides eating, the capital is also known for its shopping, affordable massage services and rich culture. Thinking of a short trip just to get away for a while? Bangkok’s your best bet.

VIETNAM

Vietnam is similar to Bangkok in many ways with its friendly locals, robust street food culture and beers that cost no more than S$0.50 a bottle, but perhaps the one thing that sets humble Vietnam apart is the fact that the country boasts a rather fascinating history of which many of their museums and exhibits do well to illustrate—namely the War Remnants Museum and the Independence Palace.

Vietnam is also a place bustling with street food with the iconic pho, spring rolls and banh mi ranking high on most tourist’s lists of must-try foods. But those aside, there are so many other types of local Vietnamese dishes that you probably haven’t heard of before.

SEMI-LONG TRIPS (3 – 5 DAYS)

BALI

White sandy beaches, lovely locals and beautiful boho-themed cafes that’ll leave you awestruck, Bali is a great place to consider if you’re looking for some solid R&R. Book yourself a villa with some of your mates, grab yourself a case of dirt-cheap beers and you’re pretty much all set for one heck of a holiday.

The bar scene in the Seminyak area is off the charts, but if you’re looking to party, we highly recommend Kuta. In the day, luxuriate in a medley of local Balinese cuisine featuring the likes of nasi campur and babi guling—among many others.

HONG KONG

Just a 4-hour flight away, the dim sum capital of the world remains among one of our top destinations within close proximity of Singapore. Dim sum is serious business here and you can find great ones from some of the country’s top restaurants or even cosy hole-in-a-walls that dish out affordable yet very good ones.

Dim sum aside, Hong Kong is also home to a dynamic and thriving coffee scene that’s great for coffee lovers and suckers for hipster cafes. Shopping’s not really huge here because prices are pretty comparable to Singapore but if anything, we’ll happily make a trip down for the food.

TAIPEI

Taipei is a modern city that bustles with nightly bazaars featuring endless seas of street food. We absolutely love the vibe the city offers as well as its striking similar appeal to Singapore, which allows one to feel right at home there.

Being able to speak basic Mandarin is a bonus but if you can’t, ordering food is as easy as pointing, nodding and paying. Must try’s include the famous pig intestine mee sua from Ah Chung Mee Sua as well as other street food snacks such as fried chicken cutlets, oyster omelette, stinky tofu, flame-torched beef cubes, savoury crêpes and Taiwanese beef noodles—just to name a few.

LONG TRIPS (5 DAYS OR MORE)

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

The candy land of cosmetics, skin care products and new-age street fashion, Seoul is a hotspot for young people, especially those hit hard by the Korean wave. We absolutely love Seoul and is a place that we often return to whenever we’re in need of an authentic Korean food fix.

For the shopaholics, head down to Hongdae where you’ll be greeted by alleys full of apparel stores or if you’re looking to stock up on cosmetics and other skin care products, Myeong-Dong is literally makeup Mecca.

TOKYO, JAPAN

Tokyo is a bustling city that never sleeps and is one that never grows stale no matter how many times you visit. To fully experience the modern city, you will need at least a full week but that’s provided you’re in it for the whole package which includes eating, drinking, sightseeing, shopping and the likes.

Be prepared to stuff yourselves silly with the likes of sushi, sashimi, ramen, yakitori, tonkatsu, soba and so much more! We always find ourselves returning home heavier and for good reason—the food’s just too good!