[Sponsored] The Singapore Writers Festival is back with a bang, with over 300 events planned and early bird tickets already on sale. But before you write it off as something for just nerds and bookworms, know that there are plenty of non-bookish events in the works. Here are five that are especially exciting.

A showcase of local animation
Film buffs, don’t miss this one. Last year’s Utter short film series was all about nostalgia. This year, Utter 2015: Head Trips is all about animation. Short stories and poetry by the likes of Alfian Sa’at and Amanda Lee Koe will be turned into short animated films by emerging and established animator such as Samantha Seah and Darran Kuah at this screening. Oct 31, 8:30pm, The Arts House, U.S. Embassy Screening Room. Free

A slew of outdoor concerts
No reading required here, we promise. The SWF POP series at the festival involves fun events throughout the year. (There have already been screenings and storytelling sessions around town.) During the festival, you can catch a series of outdoor concerts on the leafy lawn of The Arts House. Don’t miss shows by the fiddle-playing quintet Lorong Boys (Oct 30, 7pm) and funk and reggae specialists Wobology (Nov 1, 1:15pm), among other small gigs. Free

A tour of the prettiest new venue in town
The impending opening of the new National Gallery has been a household subject for most of the year. It’s finally opening to the public on Nov 24. But if you go to the Singapore Writers Festival, you can beat everyone to it by three weeks. At Eye/Feel/Write: Experiments in Ekphrasis I, not only can you see the art pieces before everyone else, you can hear literary heavyweights like Desmond Kon and Alfian Sa’at reading prose and poetry inspired by the work. National Gallery curator Shabbir Hussain Mustafa will also be leading a walking tour. Nov 1, 11am, National Gallery. Festival Pass required.

A poetry and music mash-up
Don’t worry, Dimensions & Demons isn’t your average literary reading or concert. This is a mix of both. Singapore’s darling indie musicians, such as weish (of electronic duo .gif) and electro-pop outfit Riot !n Magenta, team up with poets and prose-writers such as Daren Shiau and Stephanie Ye to create original music at the intimate Recital Studio at Esplanade. Nov 5, 8pm, Esplanade, Recital Studio, $25

An overnight performance at The Arts House
Imagine spending the night at The Arts House. Well, now you don’t have to. A major highlight of the festival this year is What I Love About You is Your Attitude Problem, a whopping 12-hour program by local company Checkpoint Theatre involving poetry, songwriting, visual art and theater. The event—spread out across The Arts House’s various spaces—deals with heavy stuff like desire, adventure, the self and family life. Nov 6-7, 7pm, The Arts House, $50

The Singapore Writers Festival runs from Oct 30-Nov 8. For tickets and more information, head here.

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