Flipside 2026 Second Weekend Guide: Best Family Entertainment in Singapore This June
The second weekend of Flipside is here, and these are the shows families should try to catch before the festival ends.
If you are looking for family entertainment Singapore families can enjoy during the June school holidays, Flipside 2026 at Esplanade is still one of the best places to start.
Flipside runs across two weekends, and the second weekend is often where things feel properly warmed up. By then, word has spread, families have started comparing notes, and the festival energy around Esplanade feels a little more alive.
Flipside itself has been part of Esplanade’s programming for many years, with loyal audiences returning for its mix of circus, puppetry, physical theatre, comedy and playful live performance. It is the sort of festival where children can laugh at something silly, adults can appreciate the craft, and everyone can be reminded that live shows still have a very special kind of magic.
As live performers ourselves, we always encourage families to support artists when they can. Behind every “simple” 30-minute act is training, rehearsal, timing, courage, prop work, audience control and years of trial and error.
Here are our Jellybean Party picks for the second weekend of Flipside 2026.
1. LIVE MANGA by Gabez (Japan)
LIVE MANGA is our must-watch pick for families.
Japanese artists at Flipside have a strong track record of delivering performances that are polished, physical and easy for mixed audiences to enjoy. Japan has a rich festival and street-performance culture, and you can often feel that experience in the way their acts handle crowd energy.
LIVE MANGA is performed by Gabez, a Japanese pantomime comedy duo known for high-energy dance, call-and-response, physical comedy and non-verbal humour. That matters for families because non-verbal shows are wonderfully universal. Children do not need to understand a complicated plot. Adults do not need to translate anything. Everyone can simply enjoy the rhythm, reactions and comedy.
Gabez also gained worldwide attention as the performers behind the Pictogram Performance at the Tokyo Olympics Opening Ceremony, and were recognised at the Asian Arts Awards of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Important update: Esplanade has announced that the 4 June performance of LIVE MANGA has been cancelled due to severe weather conditions in southwest Japan. Families can catch the remaining shows instead.
Dates and timings:
5 Jun 2026, Fri, 7pm
6 Jun 2026, Sat, 7pm
7 Jun 2026, Sun, 8.30pm
Duration: 30mins
Venue: Esplanade Concourse and DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre at Esplanade
Admission: Free
Find out more @ LIVE MANGA at Esplanade
2. The Flow by Lai Yee (Hong Kong)
Looking for a one-man show that feels visually different? The Flow is worth adding to your evening plan.
Lai Yee is a multidisciplinary flow artist from Hong Kong who specialises in flow arts, LED performance and fire dance. His performance blends magical water spinning, contact juggling, fire dance and the Cyr wheel.
This is the kind of act that shows children how much can be done with practice, control and one performer holding the space. For adults, it is a good reminder that skill-based acts are not only about tricks. They can be meditative, rhythmic and beautiful too.
Lai Yee has performed internationally and won awards including the Gold Prize at Busan International Performing Arts Festival 2024, Best of Street at Adelaide Fringe 2025 and Champion of the Tai Kwun Circus Fest TKJ Battle 2021.
Dates and timings:
4 Jun 2026, Thu, 7pm & 8.15pm
5 Jun 2026, Fri, 8.30pm
6 Jun 2026, Sat, 9.30pm
7 Jun 2026, Sun, 9.30pm
Duration: 30mins
Venue: DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre at Esplanade
Admission: Free
Find out more @ The Flow at Esplanade
3. BOX by Circo Rum Ba Ba (UK)
Roving performances can be some of the funniest acts at a festival.
Why? Because they are alive to the moment. The act has structure, but the audience, location and timing can change the flavour every time. That leaves room for situational comedy, surprise and little moments children love.
BOX by Circo Rum Ba Ba begins with a curious brown box in the street. Then music wakes up whatever is inside. Expect dance, acrobatics, shadow puppets, music and wonderfully strange visual surprises.
This is a good one to catch if your family enjoys performances that suddenly appear around Esplanade and make the whole venue feel playful.
Dates and timings:
5 Jun 2026, Fri, 6.30pm & 8pm
6 Jun 2026, Sat, 4.30pm, 6.30pm & 9pm
7 Jun 2026, Sun, 4.30pm, 6.30pm & 9pm
Duration: 30mins
Venue: Various locations around Esplanade
Admission: Free
Find out more @ BOX at Esplanade
4. Claudette by Maleta Company and Compagnie Balancetoi
If you want something slower, gentler and likely heartwarming, look out for Claudette.
This free street performance blends juggling and puppetry in a story about a playful grandson and his grandmother approaching her 90th birthday. It is an ode to intergenerational connection, older people, loneliness and feeling alive again.
Not every family show has to be loud. Sometimes a quieter act can give children a different kind of experience, especially when it uses movement, puppetry and visual storytelling to communicate emotion.
Dates and timings:
5 Jun 2026, Fri, 7pm & 9.45pm
6 Jun 2026, Sat, 2.30pm & 8.15pm
7 Jun 2026, Sun, 2.30pm & 7pm
Duration: 40mins
Venue: Esplanade Concourse and DBS Foundation Outdoor Theatre at Esplanade
Admission: Free
Find out more @ Claudette at Esplanade
5. Juggling Combat by Bornfire Circus
Support local talent and see how good Singapore jugglers really are.
Juggling Combat is produced by Bornfire Circus and features various Singapore artists battling it out in a one-on-one juggling format. Competitors start by juggling three clubs each, then try to break each other’s rhythm. The last person left juggling wins.
This is a fun one for children because the rules are easy to understand. Keep juggling. Do not drop. Try not to get distracted. Which, honestly, is not a bad summary of parenting during the school holidays either.
Dates and timings:
6 Jun 2026, Sat, 4pm & 7pm
Duration: 30mins
Venue: Esplanade Concourse
Admission: Free
Find out more @ Juggling Combat at Esplanade
6. Juggling Workshop: Between the Catch and the Throw
For older teens and adults who want to go beyond watching, this workshop may be worth considering.
Between the Catch and the Throw: Creating a Movement Language for Juggling is a hands-on workshop by Maleta Company and Compagnie Balancetoi. Participants explore juggling, expression, storytelling and movement using one ball, with the ideas applicable to other objects too.
This one is recommended for ages 16 and above, so it is not a young-kids activity. But if you have older children, teens, or adults in the family who are curious about circus craft, it offers a rare chance to understand juggling as more than “throw and catch”.
Date and timing:
7 Jun 2026, Sun, 10am
Duration: 2hrs
Venue: Esplanade Rehearsal Studio
Admission: Ticketed, $25
Find out more @ Between the Catch and the Throw at Esplanade
How We Would Plan the Second Weekend
If you are going with children, do not try to watch everything.
Choose one main show first, then build the rest of the visit around it.
For high-energy comedy: LIVE MANGA
For visual spectacle: The Flow
For roving surprise: BOX
For something tender and different: Claudette
For local circus energy: Juggling Combat
For older teens and adults who want hands-on experience: Between the Catch and the Throw
Bring water, arrive early for free shows because seating is first-come, first-served, and leave enough time for food. A good family outing should not become a race across Esplanade with one child asking for dinner and another asking why the show has already started.
Enjoy Live Entertainment at Home Too
Festivals like Flipside are a wonderful reminder of how much children enjoy live performance.
They laugh harder when the performer is right in front of them. They pay attention differently. They become part of the moment.
If your child enjoys the energy of live shows, you can always bring that same spirit into a playdate or birthday party at home.
Jellybean Party offers kids magic shows, games hosting, balloon sculpting and hands-on activities for children’s parties. For school holiday playdates, you can also consider a slime-making workshop or simple hands-on activities from our kids party services.
It does not have to be a huge celebration. Sometimes, one good activity and a few happy friends are enough.
Final Tip for Flipside 2026 Families
The second weekend of Flipside 2026 is a great chance to catch family entertainment Singapore audiences do not get to see every day.
There are international performers, local circus artists, roving acts, visual theatre and hands-on workshops. Some shows are silly. Some are strange. Some may surprise you more than expected.
That is the beauty of a good festival.
Our advice: pick a few strong highlights, support the artists, and let the children experience the joy of watching something happen live.
Because screens can entertain.
But live performers can make a child lean forward, laugh out loud, and remember the moment.
