Five things to do over the weekend of November 4-5

There are plenty of activities in Singapore this weekend as you can enjoy the vibrant culture of Mexico and relax at the magnificent Siloso Beach radiant under colourful neon light installations. You can also have a brush with history, recounting the upheavals of 1942 at the National Museum of Singapore. People having a taste for literature can head to Singapore Writers festival.

Dia De Muertos
Photo courtesy: Dia De Muertos

1. Dia De Muertos, Singapore

Enjoy the vibrant culture of Mexico this weekend in Singapore as its popular festival Dia De Muertos (Day of the Dead) is being celebrated. There are plenty of programmes including DJs spinning a day's worth of Latin American dance music, a mariachi band performance, and an augmented reality installation of Pixar's latest feature, Coco. And, of course, what's a party without food? Expect plenty of grub and tipple from the country that brought us tacos and tequila.

When: November 4 at 1:00pm
Where: 99 Beach Road
Entry: Free

Sentosa Development Corporation
Photo courtesy: Sentosa Development Corporation

2. Pop up Night at Sentosa

Relaxing at the Siloso Beach will give you a novel experience as the whole area has been beautifully lit up. There is a slew of massive neon light installations scattered across beach and the pop-up exhibition lets you marvel at these dazzling art displays all while frolicking next to the beach. There is also outdoor film screening of Night of the Museum: Secret of the Tomb this weekend on Saturday and the highly acclaimed Avatar  on November 11. In addition to this, there are plenty of family-friendly activities, too. Keep the children busy at the light painting and face painting booths, or let them explore their creativity at the neon doodle wall.

When: November   3,4 at 7pm-11pm
Where: Siloso Beach     
Entry: Free  

National Museum of Singapore
Photo courtesy: National Museum of Singapore

3. Witness to War: Remembering 1942

Get ready to have a brush with history as National Museum of Singapore is organising an international exhibition 'Witness to War: Remembering 1942' which explores how Singapore's fall during the World War was part of wider campaign waged by the Japanese Empire across the Pacific. Visitors can hear first-hand accounts from witnesses to war: ordinary men and women whose lives were upheaved by the outbreak of hostilities in Singapore in 1942. The exhibition will showcase 130 artefacts from 10 overseas museums and institutions.

When: November 3 to 30, 10am to 7pm
Where: National Museum of Singapore
Entry: Free

 Singapore River Festival
Photo courtesy: Singapore River Festival

4. Singapore River Festival

Behold the Singapore River precinct (this includes the three Quays: Clarke, Boat and Robertson) light up and transform into a hotbed of art installations, performances and unique dining experiences. Make sure to have a meal by the riverside because the restaurants along the stretch are whipping up top dishes at discounted prices.

When: Nov 3,4
Where: Clarke Quay, Boat Quay and Robertson Quay
Entry: Free

Singapore Writers Festival
Photo courtesy: Singapore Writers Festival

5. Singapore Writers Festival

Explore your writing streak at the Singapore Writers Festival as famous authors from Australia, Ireland, France, Indonesia and Singapore are assembling at one place. Spread across 10 days, the well-loved literary festival presents panel discussions helmed by influential authors, live performances, film screenings, workshops and more. This year's theme, 'Aram' (Tamil for "doing good"), celebrates its 20th year running and explores various topics such as women in Tamil literature, sexuality in Asian writing and the best of Irish writers.

When: Nov 3 to 12 at 12:00 am
Where: Various places
Entry: SGD25