The best things to do in Singapore this weekend (Nov 29-Dec 1)

It seems that our beloved airport is the place to be this holiday season, especially with the new The Gift of Disney Cruise Line at Jewel, inspired by the Disney Adventure cruise setting sail from our shores next year. From now until January 2, 2025, find Disney Cruise Line-themed installations, meet-and-greet opportunities, fun activities and more at Jewel’s Canopy Park. Frolic in the decked-out Hedge Maze or snap photos with all your favourite characters at stunning installations inspired by Disney, Pixar and Marvel characters. Don’t forget to redeem an exclusive Disney Cruise Line poster by collecting seven Disney Adventure medallion stamps scattered around Canopy Park. Find out what other activities you can expect at this Disney-lover’s paradise here.

Feeling lucky? Stand a chance to win big at Singtel’s in-store challenge on the weekends from November 30 to December 15. Have a go at all Singtel Shops or selected Exclusive Retailers and grab as many slips as you can in five seconds. It’s free to play, and you can earn an extra round by making a purchase in-store or showing this Time Out Singapore page. Catch three slips or more, and you’ll win a free gift. The one who catches the most slips in a single gameplay throughout the campaign period will win the grand prize: an all-new OPPO Find X8 (worth $1,349). Find out more 

Joining the list of best places to see Christmas lights and decorations is the 11th edition of Gardens by the Bay’s Christmas Wonderland, Singapore’s biggest yuletide fair. It makes its much-anticipated return from November 29, 2024, to January 1, 2025, with an array of new immersive experiences, light displays, fun performances and festive celebrations for all to enjoy. 

Perennial favourite Blizzard Time gets an exciting enhancement in the form of a specially commissioned soundtrack by Singaporean composer-conductor Dr Darius Lim, while the magnificent 20-metre-tall Spalliera lights returns refreshed with a design inspired by the Italian Gothic architecture of the Orvieto Cathedral. That’s not all – plenty of photo opportunities await at Supertree Grove, with four times as many light displays as in previous editions. Find out more about what you can expect here.

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Held at Resorts World Sentosa, the Singapore edition of Harry Potter: Visions of Magic promises to be even bigger and better, with an additional 10,000 square feet of space for even more magical moments to unfold. Step into familiar scenes from the Potterverse including the Room of Requirement, Newt’s Menagerie, the Ministry of Magic, and more, as special interactive technology and multimedia elements are weaved with captivating soundscapes to bring enchantment to us muggles. See plenty of realistic replicas from the movies, along with eye-catching illuminations, for tons of photo-worthy opportunities. Find out more here.

Join in for some beachside festive cheer at Sentosa Cove’s highly anticipated Christmas Pop-Up Market, happening on November 30 from 12pm to 8pm. Gather your crew for a day of family-friendly fun, delicious festive treats, and exciting entertainment. There’ll be plenty of special holiday dishes, Christmas cookies, and gourmet treats to go around. Finish your Christmas shopping with handcrafted gifts from talented local artisans and small businesses, hawking an impressive range of wares like one-of-a-kind jewellery, bespoke home décor, and stylish fashion pieces. That’s not all – look forward to a dazzling Christmas tree light-up that’ll transform the area into a glittering wonderland. There’ll also be a captivating parade of beautifully decorated boats sailing through the cove. Of course, expect plenty of carolling in the air for even more festive cheer. Find out more here.

With 2024 finally coming to an end, take time out (pun intended) for some well-deserved rest and plenty of fun at Changi Airport’s new waterpark this holiday season. From now until February 16, 2025, head to Terminal 3’s Arrival Hall for some wet and wild fun at the first-ever space-themed inflatable Cosmic Hydropark. Along with picture-worthy elements like giant UFOs, towering rocket ships, and inflated astronauts, the park also features a giant water slide and exciting water obstacle courses with fun interactive play elements. Little ones won’t be left out – they’ll still get their dose of safe fun in a dedicated pool separate from the big kids. Passes are available to purchase via the Changi App here.

We all know of Henry VIII and the fact that he had six wives, but we never get to hear about the lives of these six women even though they were a part of Henry VIII’s key moments during his tumultuous reign as king. SIX the Musical switches up the perspective and allows these women to reclaim their narratives – all the while singing a series of pop-inspired musical numbers. The spectacular musical first debuted at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017, and has gone on to become a symbol of female empowerment by highlighting the strengths and resilience of Henry VIII’s wives. Read our full review here.

Get ready to spread the festive cheer because the highly anticipated annual Christmas on A Great Street returns on November 9 with a stunning 14-metre-tall outdoor Christmas tree and several weekends of live performances, pop-ups, attractions, and more. This year’s Christmas on A Great Street includes the ever-popular Great Christmas Eve Street Party, two Great Christmas Villages, must-see outdoor augmented reality (AR) projections, countdowns for Christmas and the New Year, and a new bar-hopping event. Look forward to two Great Christmas Villages – one at Shaw House Urban Plaza and the other at Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza. You’ll want to have your phones out to view a special immersive AR projection of golden sparkles, snowflakes and fireworks raining down on the façade of Hilton Singapore Orchard. Find out more here.

There are lots of ways to reward yourself after a hectic week, but our favourite is with a frozen sweet treat. If that’s your thing too, visit beloved American ice cream brand Van Leeuwen’s first ice cream pop-up at Orchard Central, where it’ll debut yummy new delights and bring back some of its most popular flavours like Sicilian pistachio, sour cherry creamsicle, and vanilla bean – the latter even rated the best vanilla ice cream by the New York Times. A mouthful of decadence awaits with the new pistachio fudge crunch sundae, plus a limited-edition ice cream cake flavour packed with dark chocolate cream-filled cookies. Get your hands on these sweet treats when they launch in stores on December 1, or, if you’re lucky, enjoy exclusive deals by following the brand’s Instagram for a chance to spin the wheel and enter a lucky draw. Get the full scoop here.