Join fellow caffeine aficionados at the Singapore Coffee Festival for coffee chats, creative workshops, a barter market, cocktails, fireworks, and of course, lots and lots of Joe
The Honeycombers team never stays in one place for too long; when we’re not busy running about town tracking down the best seafood buffets, we’re figuring out where to snag chic maxi dresses or putting facial oils to the test. Needless to say, no two days are ever the same! But one thing remains constant – you’ll never find us without a cuppa in our hands. It’s safe to say that we’re addicted to the sweet nectar of the gods, which is why we’re all psyched that the Singapore Coffee Festival is returning this August to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre for a four-day caffeinated blowout.
Sip on all your favourite brews in one spot
Brace yourselves, caffeine fiends. With more than 80 exhibitors bringing out their best brews at the event, the selection will have you in a tizzy. Get your hands on java from hipster hotspots Common Man Coffee Roasters and Chye Seng Huat Hardware, or CBD mainstay Jewel Coffee. Grab a cuppa for the ‘Gram with a coffee in a cone from the well-loved The Coffee Academics, or snap a selfie with sapphire-hued Unicorn Tears from Dapper Coffee.
For those who like a side of tunes with their coffee, head to Symmetry or Hyde & Co along the Sunset Wharf for an al-fresco dining experience while being serenaded by local artists such as Inch Chua and Stopgap. After all, what’s a festival without amazing live music?
Trade your talent for art
Snap up unique items from local makers and artists at the largest-ever Barter Market, happening on 5 August at 12.30pm and 4.30pm. But wait, before you whip out your wallet, you have to know that this market doesn’t accept cash or cards. Instead, you can make your ‘purchase’ by offering a skill or service such as singing a song to attract other customers. Time to get those vocal chords warmed up!
Up your caffeine game with coffee workshops
Pick up tips and tricks on making the best brews at 25 coffee-related workshops at The Lab. Learn How to Make the Perfect Flat White (6 Aug, 11.30pm and 6pm) from Common Man Coffee Roasters, or give your Joe a boozy touch with DIY Coffee Cocktails at Home (4 and 6 Aug, 8.30pm), presented by The Refinery. If you’ve always wanted to channel your inner coffee critic, sign up for Cup It – Tasting Coffees Like An Expert (5 Aug, 12.45pm), hosted by Jewel Coffee.
Get art and about with creative workshops and fun activities
It’s not just the coffee that has us buzzing. After fueling up with caffeine, channel that energy into craft workshops such as wooden stamp carving (4 Aug, 6pm; 5 Aug, 6.30pm; 6 Aug, 6pm), leather crafting (5 Aug, 2pm and 5pm; 6 Aug, 2pm and 5pm), perfume concocting (6 Aug, 12.30pm) and soap making (6 Aug, 5pm).
Continue the artsy streak by getting coffee doodles and poems on takeaway cups at the Artistic Recycling Project sessions (4 Aug, 12pm, 5 Aug, 5pm, 6 Aug, 6.30pm and 7.30pm) or balance your caffeine high with a yoga class (5 and 6 Aug, 10.30am) that’s suitable for multiple levels. Kids can also join in on the fun with storytelling sessions (4 Aug, 11.30am and 12.30pm; 6 Aug, 11.30am).
Chat over coffee with industry insiders
For those who want to take their love of coffee one step further, drop by talks hosted by journalists from the Straits Times at the ST Lounge. Food and beverage entrepreneurs will be spilling secrets on succeeding in the competitive world of cafes, while café owners will share more about the coffee making process. You’ll also get to drop in on chats over coffee with financial experts, travel gurus, popular columnists, and more.
The ultimate coffee-inspired dining experience comes in the form of Posh Nosh by Hsueh: A Coffee Festival Omasake Experience (5 and 6 Aug, 12pm and 5pm), curated and hosted by Straits Times Life editor and veteran food critic Tan Hsueh Yun. Load up on highlights such as Portobello fries from The Costal Settlement, scotch egg sandwiches from Park Bench Deli, and mocha honey cinnamon latte from Abbie’s Coffeehouse.
End with a bang with tipples and fireworks
Just because it’s sundown doesn’t mean that coffee drinking time is over. Grab some coffee cocktails at The Refinery, which blends cold brew and Auchentoshan whisky, or drop by Gosnells Mead for a special edition coffee mead made with Kenyan Gathaithi espresso and a blend of Casacade, Wakatu and Pacific Jade IPA. Then, snag a spot at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre’s Sunrise Wharf on 4 and 5 Aug, 8.45pm, and watch as fireworks light up the skies.
Singapore Coffee Festival, 3* to 6 August, brunch sessions from 10am to 3.30pm and sundown sessions from 4.30pm to 10pm, Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore, 61 Marina Coastal Drive, Singapore 018947. Find the full list of programmes here, and get your tickets here. *3 August session is for trade and media only.
Tickets start at $18 per session and comes with a goodie bag, two sample drinks from participating exhibitors, and an SCF Coffee Card, which entitles you to exclusive discounts at participating cafes until 31 August.
This article is sponsored by Singapore Press Holdings