Celebrate Peranakan culture with the first-ever Peranakan Festival at Claymore Connect, where there’ll be performances, art and craft workshops, exhibitions, cooking classes and high tea sessions spread over four weekends.
Think free tastings at a showcase of traditional desserts; cooking workshops that unearth the secret behind whipping up nasi ulam (a rice salad of raw herbs and veggies, and fried and salted fish); craft sessions that teach the art of stamp carving, silk screen printing and book cover art; and demonstrations on how to make bunga rampai, a traditional potpourri made of pandan leaves and flowers.
Of course, this being foodie central Singapore, the highlight of the fest is the Peranakan Joget Joget High Tea at The Peranakan Restaurant — that’s where you’ll get to feast on dishes like mee siam, kueh pie tee, and many other traditional classics.
For a glimpse into the community’s heritage, there’ll be exhibitions displaying facets of Peranakan culture, as well as old school show reels of Peranakans in the past. If you’re keen to take home something, kebayas, sarongs, kerosang (brooches) and kasut manek (beaded slippers) will be on sale during the fest. The retail area also features porcelain pieces, batik tablecloths, antique furniture from ’20s Peranakan households, and more.
And as a little something to give back to society, the fest will host 100 elderly people and 35 children from the Redhill neighborhood of Lengkok Bahru, as well as 100 beneficiaries from Prison Fellowship Singapore for high tea sessions.
The Peranakan Festival is on from May 27-June 17, every weekend 11am-6pm at Claymore Connect, 442 Orchard Rd. Free, with selected ticketed events.
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