From the recent “Fantastic Thai Market” to “Singapore Night Festival”, not forgetting to mention other interesting and artistic-themed markets in recent months, Singaporeans can no longer complain about having a boring and unlively weekend. However, as much as we anticipate going for these pop-up markets, we often end up being underwhelmed and less-than-impressed. I came up with just few reasons for my “not-so-disappointment”:
- $$$
Can someone mention how everything is just so ridiculously overpriced? Of course, price is an indication of costs, and high costs are likely to be caused by rental charges, and these are ultimately set by the organisers. Let’s not set high prices just because Singaporeans are willing and able to pay for it.
- Crowd
It feels like the entire village came down to visit every time there is a pop-up event happening in Singapore. Snaking queues and congested spaces really kill the originally intended vibes sometimes. Not that we can overcome this, i understand, but perhaps if we had more of such events happening throughout the year, the problem of overcrowding could be eased.
- Commercialism
As much as i appreciate how organisers combine unique themes, markets and locations together, recent events made it feel like it’s over-commercialised and not exactly celebrating the arts and culture scene. But well perhaps it is the fault of our overly pragmatic society?
While they can be a bummer sometimes, there are some things which i appreciated about these pop-up markets that we should continue to promote:
- Entrepreneurship
Many of the tenants are young and aspiring businessmen who deliver something new and fresh to the table. You often see delicate art pieces, accessories and even talented cooks serving unique menus. They work hard and have a vision for their brands and products. These are something to be supported and highlighted, rather than merely the ‘theme’ of these pop-up markets.
- Creativity
From the name of the event to the overall theme and finally to the individuality of the stalls present in the market, we have to applaud the people who came up with them with such great uniqueness and creativity.
Overall, i believe that we should not stifle the creativity and full support should be given to the organisers to make the events a big success. We have great talents here in Singapore, and let’s give them the freedom to flourish.
supersponts 