Travel back in time to a Tanjong Pagar where shophouses rather than skyscrapers were bustling with diverse communities living and working in the area; discover the opulent past of Pasir Ris when it was home to extravagant beach resorts; or listen in to accounts by former police coast guards of the well-loved Kallang Basin before it became the sporting hub it is today! From 19 June to 5 July 2020, the Singapore Heritage Festival 2020: Digital Edition (SHF 2020) will be presenting lesser-known narratives of these places as it returns for its 17th edition with more than 80 free programmes hosted on the SHF website (www.heritagefestival.sg).

Held over three weekends, festival-goers can look forward to enjoying a line-up of fun and interactive online programmes organised together with both new and long-time community partners. These offer insight into the colourful histories of these neighbourhoods, and reveal lesser-known facets of our tangible and intangible cultural heritage. SHF 2020 is moving its festivities online for the first time since its conception in 2004 – allowing for more people to access heritage content from the comfort of their homes as part of the ongoing #SGCultureAnywhere movement.

Festival-goers can look forward to over 80 free programmes from virtual guided tours to live-streamed demonstrations, online dialogue sessions, podcast tours, short films and activities that they can enjoy from home – all of which celebrate Singapore’s rich and diverse heritage. In particular, SHF 2020 will spotlight three neighbourhoods across three weekends this year:

Weekend One | Tanjong Pagar (19 – 21 June)

SHF 2020 kicks off with an exploration of the Tanjong Pagar district. More popularly known today for its many dining and nightlife options, Tanjong Pagar was once home to nutmeg plantations and many communities from all walks of life, and continues to be home to several places of worship. Rediscover this historic district through the Hello Tanjong Pagar! mini documentary series which spotlights the former St Andrew’s Mission Hospital at 5 Kadayanallur Street, or pay a virtual visit to Singapore’s oldest tea house and a well-loved confectionary store through an intimate live dialogue with local brands Tea Chapter and Ji Xiang Ang Ku Kueh.

Festival-goers can also dive deeper to learn about the communities that lived, worked and played there through the years – such as the Indian Muslim community who settled in the Telok Ayer area through an online video documentary, Stories of the Sea, by Hazel Lim. Also discover tales of everyday heroes in Tanjong Pagar with a digital storytelling and animation work titled Dear Tanjong Pagar by local theatre group Sweet Tooth.

Weekend Two | Pasir Ris (26 – 28 June)

The idyllic coastal neighbourhood of Pasir Ris takes the spotlight for the second weekend, with hidden stories of this former resort town. Festival-goers can step back in time to the coastal town’s colourful past from its kampong days to the establishment of the historic Golden Palace Resort – through the Hello Pasir Ris! mini documentary series led by Pasir Ris resident Carlyn Law; a five-part Pasir Ris, Rise and Shine online theatrical experience by ACT3 International, and more. Local nature communities BES Drongos and Herpetological Society Singapore have also curated activities that will transport participants from their homes to the luscious Pasir Ris mangroves and up close to wildlife from the cackling kingfisher to the elusive shore pit viper!

Weekend Three | Kallang (3 – 5 July)

The present-day Kallang is known as Singapore’s premier sporting hub, but did you know that it was also home to some of Singapore’s most iconic buildings? From the Former Police Coast Guard headquarters which protected Singapore’s shores, to Singapore’s first civilian airport that opened in 1937, explore how the district and its architecture has evolved over the course of history.

Revisit Kallang’s history through the Hello Kallang! mini documentary series, or immerse in theatrical production Kallang: The View from Fire City, which weaves together the landmarks and stories of Kallang through digital storytelling, animations, soundscape and interactive game experiences. Festival-goers can also relive Singapore’s sporting triumphs with a screening of Kallang Roar the Movie, or enjoy a digital tour by Kway Guan Huat Joo Chiat Popiah about the history of popiah that ends with a live demonstration of making popiah dough and skin!

For more information, please visit www.heritagefestival.sg

When: 19 Jun - 5 Jul 2020,

By: n/a