Peacock Power Weekend Festival at Peranakan Museum — FREE Entry 6-7 Jun 2026 (Indonesian Reog Ponorogo, Peranakan Workshops, Free Gelato)

MECHANIC: pick up a 'Peacock Passport' booklet at the Peranakan Museum entrance counter on either Sat 6 or Sun 7 Jun. Visit each participating festival booth around the museum + collect a stamp at each (typically 4-6 booths). Once all stamps are collected, present the completed passport at the festival info desk to receive a Birds of Paradise gelato voucher. The voucher is redeemable at Birds of Paradise outlets (Dempsey Road + ION Orchard B4) for any single gelato scoop. EXPIRY: voucher typically valid 7-14 days after issue (check the fine print on the voucher). WHILE STOCKS LAST — Birds of Paradise has a daily voucher allocation; arrive at the museum within the 2-5pm window for best chance of completing the passport before the voucher pool runs out.

REOG PONOROGO is an East Javanese (Indonesian) traditional folk dance + masked performance — distinctive for the HEAVY peacock-feather-and-tiger-head headdress (called 'Singa Barong') worn by the lead dancer, weighing 30-40kg. The dancer carries this enormous headdress while performing energetic moves + acrobatic choreography. Visually spectacular, very child-friendly (kids 4+ are wide-eyed at the headdresses + the energy). UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage candidate. WAYANG KRUCIL is a smaller Javanese flat-puppet shadow theatre using wooden puppets (called 'krucil' meaning 'small') — narrating Hindu-Javanese stories with traditional gamelan musical accompaniment. More contemplative + storytelling-focused. Both performances are perfect for introducing kids to Southeast Asian heritage. NO English translation typically — the visual storytelling carries it. PESONA NUSANTARA SURAKARTA is a respected Indonesian cultural performance troupe based in Solo (Surakarta), Central Java.

YES — and free-entry weekend is the perfect first visit if you've never been. The Peranakan Museum (run by the National Heritage Board, sister museum to the Asian Civilisations Museum next door) is one of the world's best museums dedicated to the Peranakan (Straits-Chinese / Baba-Nyonya) heritage that defines SG cultural identity. PERMANENT GALLERIES cover: Peranakan origins (Hokkien Chinese traders intermarrying with local Malay communities from 15th century onward), Nyonya kebaya + porcelain + furniture (visually stunning), Peranakan weddings (12-day traditional ceremony reconstruction), Peranakan food culture (recipe + technique exhibits). TYPICAL VISIT: 2-3 hours for a leisurely walk through. FAMILY: kids 6+ engage well; under-5 may get tired. ACCESSIBILITY: full wheelchair access + sensory-friendly hours documented on website. PARKING: limited at the museum; use SAM Stamford Court parking (200m) or Funan parking (5 min walk). The festival weekend = combine the cultural performances + permanent collection for a 4-5 hour family afternoon.

TIMING: festival runs 2-7pm both days. ARRIVE 2pm for the opening + first Reog Ponorogo performance (likely 2:30pm slot — confirm on the day's printed schedule at the entrance). Afternoon performance slots typically: 2:30, 4:00, 5:30 — check at entry for the exact times. PEAK CROWD: 3-5pm Sat afternoon = busiest. QUIETER WINDOWS: 5:30pm onwards Sat, OR all-day Sunday morning (10am-2pm museum is open but no festival yet — solo museum visit). EXIT before 7pm for less crowded MRT. BRING FOR KIDS: water bottle, snacks (museum has a small cafe but limited kid options), basic sunscreen for outdoor walks between performances, a phone for stamp rally photo capture. AVOID bringing: large strollers (museum has narrow corridor sections; baby carrier works better), valuables (festival busy = pickpocket-friendly), heavy bags (you'll move between performance spaces). DRESS CODE: smart-casual; aircon inside (bring a light layer for kids); sandals fine.