Hands-on fun, VR games, live music and movie screenings: Blast off into space this festive season at Singapore EXPO

When it comes to the festive period, we Singaporeans know the drill. It's the time of the year again to take a stroll down Orchard Road and admire the Christmas light-up, or make plans for the same old events that take place every year.

If you're running out of things to do or just bored of the same few places, there's a new kid on the block that can brighten up your holiday season.

Singapore EXPO is holding its inaugural Space Fest @ EXPO from now till Dec 30. The space-themed affair features thematic activities suitable for all ages, food and retail pop-ups, live music, as well as movie and Fifa World Cup screenings.

We checked out the festival for ourselves to see if it's worth a trip – and here's why we are sold.

Hands-on fun for all ages

Say 'space-themed festival', and you may picture an event space decked out for children with a bunch of bored parents and adults looking on from the side. Well, this couldn't be further from what we saw at Space Fest @ EXPO.

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While Space Fest @ EXPO has various activities catered for the young, its array of offerings will keep visitors of all ages entertained.

Starting from Activity Shuttle Zone 1, located at the outdoor atrium near Hall 6, there are a bunch of space-themed workshops where parents can accompany their little ones for some hands-on fun.

There's Planet Creation where kids can paint and decorate their very own styrofoam planet; Build A Rocket where they can assemble and personalise their own wooden rocket, and Space Discovery, a slightly more mentally-stimulating activity, where they will hunt for hidden planets and stars to complete a space puzzle. Plus, they get to bring it home after!

The young at heart are more than welcome to join in the fun here, but you may find other activities to be more up your alley, such as the arcade gameplay area and virtual reality (VR) experiences.

An entire section of this zone is decked out with arcade machines, including a bishi bashi machine and an air hockey table, while the adjacent area is equipped with VR stations where you can escape from reality and immerse yourself in the world of outer space.

Do note that each ticket holder to Space Fest @ EXPO is entitled to participate in one workshop, one arcade gameplay and one VR experience. Remember to also collect activity stamps for your Space Cadet passport throughout the zone to redeem a prize at the end of your space adventure!

Conquered your space expedition in Zone 1? It's time to head to Hall 4 where more fun awaits you at Activity Shuttle Zone 2.

Boasting Singapore's largest indoor inflatable theme park, there are a total of 14 bouncy castles to be scaled. Spend hours bouncing up and down the animal-themed bouncy castles, or challenge yourself to one of the inflatable obstacle courses if you're feeling competitive.

Adult and child tickets for the inflatable theme park are priced at $18 and $28 respectively, with family tickets (inclusive of one adult and one child) available at $39 each.

The Formula One season may have just passed us, but those craving a taste of speed can check out the nearby Kiddy Space Karts.

Don't be fooled by its name as the go-kart is suitable for all ages, though kids below 120cm must be accompanied by an adult. Clock in an eight-minute ride for $15 per racer, or three rides for $35.

After all that exhilaration, how about heading to the 5D VR cinema to rest your feet?

But don't put your guard down. Make sure to hang on tight after wearing your 5D goggles as you'll be going on a thrilling roller coaster ride that's not to be underestimated! Get your tickets onsite at $15 per ride.

Finally, bring out your competitive streak at Pedal to the Stars, where you will compete on spin bikes with up to nine other players to see who can light up the stars or planets first. Tickets are also sold onsite at $7 per game.

Don't forget to collect three more stamps for your Space Cadet passport at any of the activities in Zone 2, and you can bag home a limited edition of Space Fest collectibles and goodies.

Photo spots are also plentiful throughout the festival space, so get ready to strike poses with the astronaut mascots and snap away to your heart's content!

Space-themed food galore

What's a festival without some good grub? Head to Solar Bites – located at the atrium outside Hall 5 – for a quick refuel after all that space exploration.

Featuring a line-up of food booths named after different planets, you can find a range of space-themed dishes that taste as good as they look.

Look out for carnival-style food such as the Blackhole Cheese Fries ($6) and Universe Sampler ($18) to eat on-the-go, or fuel up on dishes like the Uranus Signature Cheese Burger with French Fries ($10) and Milky Way Carbonara with Starry Ham ($8.50).

After spending eons scanning the menu, we decided on the Scorching Sun Prawn Laksa ($7.50). Chock-full of thick rice noodles, fish cake slices, prawns, a boiled egg and spicy sambal, the bowl of laksa was slurped up in minutes.

We also had the Galaxy Fizz Drink ($10) which came in a blue-purple gradient that is as Insta-worthy as its name suggests. It definitely did the job of quenching our thirst, but if you're looking for a caffeine kick, you'd be glad to know that they serve coffee, as well as flavoured soda and canned drinks.

Of course, we couldn't miss out on trying their space-themed desserts. The Shooting Star Soft Serve ($6.80) came with a generous swirl of ice cream, topped with starry sugar stars and blue crystals. Other options include the Soft Serve with Mini Brownie ($7.80) and Soft Serve with Mini Donut ($7.80).

Durian lovers are also in for a treat as there's an entire booth dedicated to the king of fruits, featuring the D24 Mochi ($9.80), MSW Mochi ($12.80), MSW Freeze Dried Bar ($18.80) and D24 Crepe Roll ($12.80).

Quick fix of retail therapy

If you're hoping to bring home a piece of Space Fest @ EXPO, Meteor Market will be your best bet. P.S. it's just right next to Solar Bites!

With a mix of home-based vendors and established brands, choose among the space-themed merchandise, including slap bands, mini wall decor, lightsabers, planet fridge magnets, mini space bounce balls and more.

Or fully immerse yourself in the space voyage experience by grabbing a space-themed balloon along with you. Pick from the spaceship, spaceman, rocket or moon designs, available with and without helium.

Official event merchandise like the Space Fest tote bag, ez-link card and mobile screen cleaner are also available for sale, so you can stock up on them if there's not enough to go around the entire family.

Paradise for football fanatics

Space-themed activities aside, Space Fest @ EXPO also caters to the major world event that literally everyone has their eyes on at the moment. Yes, we're talking about the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

Head to Satellite Station outside Hall 4 to catch the World Cup matches on the big screen, under a beautifully-lit canopy area, or test out your football skills at the VR football booth. Want more details on all things football at Space Fest @ EXPO? We've got you covered here.

On non-match screening timings, the canopy area will be transformed into a cosy spot for movie screenings or live band music. Football fan or not, grab a bean bag and unwind after a long day of activities.

From hands-on workshops to VR experiences and go-karts, Space Fest @ EXPO welcomes you and your loved ones to uncover a brand-new experience this festive season. Are you ready to blast off into space?

For more information on Space Fest @ EXPO, check out Singapore EXPO's website. Tickets to the event are also available online.

When: December 3 to 30, 2022
Where: 1 Expo Dr, Singapore 486150

This article is brought to you in partnership with Singapore EXPO.

yukiling@asiaone.com

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