_{Photo Credit for header image above: Plus Collaboratives}

Singapore is a small city, yes, but I find that there’s always something new that I could discover, learn about or try! I did just that this week, when I got a wonderful opportunity to explore the colourful and unique area of Little India via the currently ongoing Re-Route Festival (a key event of the Singapore Design Week). 

Little India is not an area of Singapore I’m familiar with, as I have popped in only occasionally when I have a specific purpose for doing so. I guess I’m probably not the only one. So I was actually really keen when Plus Collaboratives, who developed the festival, invited me to experience some of the highlights of the Re-Route Festival, offering me a chance to tour Little India, try some foods that are new to me and just overall, have some fun! :)

The Re-Route Festival is running from 16 September – 9 October 2022 in Little India, encouraging us to explore the vibrant area if you’re unfamiliar with it or rediscover it again if you are! There’s a long list of activities to check out, and it includes yummy food tours (this is such a highlight!), art installations, photo taking spots, a kids playground, a merchandise store, creative workshops (flower making/dancing) and more. You could opt to do it freestyle and follow the festival map yourself or sign up for one of the various tours available if you’d like to be guided along!

This was the first time I’ve explored Little India, so here are some of the things I really enjoyed and discovered for the first time thanks to the festival. :) 

Food Tours & Indian Cuisine

The Re-Route Festival team took us to Usman Restaurant, which specialises in Pakistani cuisine. This is actually a stop on the Gastro Intersections food tour, where you can try some special pairings for dishes found in Little India by renowned chef Drew Nocente! I found this so creative and the dish I tried – garlic naan with a cheese dip with pistachio and beetroot was so delicious!

There are also a variety of F&B businesses in Little India who collaborated with the festival to prepare special items to enjoy, we tried a fizzy and refreshing drink from Daddy’s On Madras and some spicy and sweet dosa from Maha Co! Yum.

We also were led to a side alley to discover Nandini’s Chaat Adda, where we tried a popular Indian snack called pani puri, which comes in a spicy or sweet version! I can’t tolerate spice much, so I opted for the sweet option, which is actually pretty spicy still! Hahaha, a fun experience to try something new to me. Check out the food tasting tour here!

Fun Activities & Installations

Along with eating, there’s always time for some fun! We visited the festival’s Lookout Tower on Lembu Square, which is an observatory deck where you get a view of Little India from up high!

If you prefer to be closer to the ground, I found the giant installation of a Gachapon machine (at Kitchener Link) very fun and nostalgic as well! If you’ll like to take a spin for your own gachapon capsule, you’ll have to purchase a festival kit, which includes a ticket for a spin, along with tons of other goodies, more details below.

Here’s my capsule after opening it! It features lesser-known locations in Little India and a discount voucher for shopping, which I found meaningful and useful!

There’s so many more activities in this festival, do check out the festival website/festival map for more!

Merch & Festival Kit

There’s a whole merch store set up on 28 Kinta Road selling festival merch, if you’ll like to bring home a fun souvenir. Some of the merch includes t-shirts, specially created scents, ceramic pieces and a set of Re-Route Festival (Little India) poker cards!

Alternatively, you could also opt for a festival kit, which is meant to accompany you along the festival. It comes in a reusable bag and includes a variety of vouchers to spend at participating shops and eateries, festival brochures and maps, and practical items like a fan and mask too!

There’s still a lot more to explore both in the Re-Route Festival and in Little India and my post can only cover some of the highlights and delicious foods available! If you’re looking for something fun in the coming weeks, do pop by the festival and happy exploring! :)

Re-Route Festival 2022 – Little India
Festival Dates: 16 September – 9 October 2022 (Thursday to Sunday)

Opening Hours: 
Thursday – Friday: 11am – 7pm
Saturday – Sunday: 10am – 8pm

Website – Instagram – Facebook

Note: I was invited to a preview of the Re-Route Festival by Plus Collaboratives. This is not a paid post. Thank you to the Plus team for having me!

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Tags : Collaboration