Activities to enjoy with your squad in August
Image adapted from: Trigger Happy
Ah, August – Singapore’s birth month. Besides the festivities surrounding our nation’s 52nd birthday, August has always been a month jam-packed with festivals celebrating our local arts scene.
This month, we’ve sussed out 21 exciting activities that’ll keep you bouncing on your feet for the rest of August. So get your festival outfits ready, and let the festivities begin!
EVENTS
1. Universal Studios Singapore’s Despicable Me Breakout Party
If you’ve watched the latest film, downed countless cones of Banana Soft Serve Ice Cream since the minions invaded McDonald’s, and yet somehow haven’t had enough of these bumbling yellow creatures – join the Despicable Me Breakout Party at USS to feed your minion obsession.
Join in the fun with Rodney’s Rotten Game Show – featuring the adorable minions, Mel and Gru – and watch out for a surprise Minion Mob as they escape out of jail to perform musical hits! While you’re there, put your skills to the test with their themed-games – such as Minion Toss, Silly Space Killer and Minion Mishap.
Find out what to expect at the Despicable Me Breakout Party.
Date: 15 June – 20 August 2017
Time: 11AM – 5PM
Venue: Universal Studios Singapore
Price: $76 (Adult), $56 (Child), $38 (Senior); check ticket prices here.
2. Singapore Coffee Festival
Image credit: @sgcoffeefest
Coffee enthusiasts are in for a treat this month – the Singapore Coffee Festival is back for its 2nd year, with over 100 participating exhibitors – including pioneers in Singapore’s coffee industry. Come on down if you’re keen to more about our local kopi heritage, or if you’re just a coffee addict – it’s gonna be a coffee haven!
Date: 4 – 6 August 2017
Time: 10AM – 3:30PM (Brunch), 4:30PM – 10PM (Sundown)
Venue: Marina Bay Cruise Centre, 61 Marina Coastal Drive
Price: $18 onwards; check ticket prices here.
3. Singapasar 2017
Image credit: @thefarmstore.sg
Soak in the patriotic mood and join this year’s Singapasar over the National Day weekend. This indoor pasar malam will feature first-to-market items, made by our very own local design talents. Be sure to get first dibs on these exclusive items before they run out!
Date: 4 – 6 August 2017
Time: 4PM – 8PM
Venue: National Design Centre, Main Atrium & Gallery 1
Visit their website for more details
4. Civic District Outdoor Festival: When Time Stood Still
Image credit: National Gallery
Themed “When Time Stood Still”, the Civic District Outdoor Festival will bring art to another level – transforming the Civic District into a spectacle of eye-catching light installations, art markets and pop-up food booths.
Lay your picnic mats out at the Padang and feast on amazing grub, while being entertained by live performances featuring local artistes Nat Ho & Gayle Nerva, Micapella, and Jack & Rai.
Date: 4 & 5 August 2017, 11 & 12 August 2017
Time: 5PM – 11PM
Venue: National Gallery Singapore
Price: Free admission
Visit their website for more details.
5. SG Book Deals’ Books Box Sale
Image credit: SG Book Deals
Calling all bookworms: it’s time to bring out your inner kiasu auntie at this fill-all-you-can “book buffet” box sale. They have an extensive array of books which caters to all ages – there’s nothing you can’t find there! All you gotta do is pick out as many books as you’d like and pack them into a carton for a fee of $50.
Date: 4 – 13 August 2017
Time: 1PM – 6PM
Venue: Level 3, Pansing Building – No. 438, Ang Mo Kio Ave 10, Industrial Park 1, Singapore 569619
Visit their website for more details
6. Michael Chiang’s Army Daze 2
Image credit: @michael_chiang_playthings
Singapore’s all-time favourite comedy is returning for its long awaited sequel – following the lives of the characters 3 decades later, this time in a play. Look forward to lots of funny moments with its star-studded cast including Hossan Leong, Ebi Shankara, Chua Enlai and Oon Shu An.
Date: 4 – 20 August 2017
Time: 8PM (Tue-Fri), 3PM (10 August 2017 only), 3PM & 8PM (Sat), 3PM (Sun)
Venue: 100 Victoria Street Level 3, National Library Building, Singapore 188064
Price: $43 onwards; check ticket prices here.
7. Illustration Arts Fest 2017
Image credit: @x.spots.the.mark
Here’s something for all the art lovers out there – Illustration Arts Fest (IAF) is Singapore’s very first festival focusing on original creations by independent illustrators. The event will be accompanied by workshops, live drawing sessions, portraits and book signings all day. So head on down to get inspired and support our local illustrators and art vendors!
Date: 12 & 13 August 2017
Time: 11AM – 6:30PM
Venue: Lasalle McNally Campus
Check ticket prices here and visit their website for more details
8. Singapore Night Festival 2017
Image credit: @curious1oa
The highly anticipated Night Festival is back! Watch the streets of Bras Basah come alive with eye-popping art installations and breathtaking live performances. Expect some familiar performances as they’ll be bringing back 10 previous crowd favourites – including Bloco Singapura, Starlight Academy, and The Brass Barre – in celebration of its 10th edition this year!
Date: 18 – 26 August 2017
Time: 7:30PM – 12AM
Venue: Bras Basah and Bugis
Price: Free admission
Visit their website for more details
9. Festival for Good
Image credit: @theartfacultysg
Be #partofthegood and and shop for a cause at the Festival For Good, where some stalls sell products designed by marginalised communities – such as people with disabilities and ex-offenders – giving them a platform to showcase their handmade merchandise.
Look forward to pop-up booths offering a variety of goods – from health products, to fashion and food – as well as live performances that will keep your head bobbing all day long.
Date: 19 August 2017
Time: 12PM – 10PM
Venue: 71-77 Stamford road, MPH Building, Singapore 178895
Price: Free admission
Visit their website for more details on the event.
10. Cat Yoga Adoption Drive
Grab your yoga mats, and join CELL for a Cat Yoga session to take respite from the daily grind. It’s been scientifically proven that cats help you relax – so that makes practicing yoga in the presence of these felines the purr-fect stress reliever.
They’re offering 2 free yoga classes and participation is limited to 20 per class The event will be hosting an adoption drive as well, so head down if you’re thinking of adding a new furry addition to your family!
Date: 19 August 2017
Time: 2PM – 4:30PM (Vinyasa Yoga – 2PM | Yin Yoga – 3:30PM)
Venue: 54 Serangoon Garden Way, Singapore 555950
Price: Free admission
Visit their website for more details.
THINGS TO DO
1. Learn food photography techniques at Marina Square’s Foodiegram Sundays
Image credit: @blancheeze
Marina Square’s Foodiegram Sundays series is perfect for those who are looking to achieve aesthetically pleasing food pictures for the ‘gram. Pick a Sunday of your choice and look forward to learning food photography techniques as you feast on nosh by participating restaurants, including Tenkaichi, Collin’s, and Le Garden – all for $25 (worth over $40)
To top that off, you’ll also receive dining vouchers worth $35, so you’re definitely getting your money’s worth!
Date: 23 July – 17 September 2017
Venue: Marina Square
Check ticket prices here and visit their website for more details
2. Laugh out loud with Kumar
Image credit: @canvassingapore
Don’t miss our one and only Kumar at Canvas Club as he pokes fun at all things taboo in Singapore – from sex to race, religion and politics. Get ready to laugh til’ your stomach hurts as he cracks no-holds-barred jokes all night long!
Date: 1, 8 (Kumar’s Birthday Special), 15, 29 August 2017
Time: 8.30PM till late
Venue: 20 Upp Circular Rd, The Riverwalk B1-01/06, Singapore 058416
Price: $26.88 (Standing), $40.20 (Seated)
Visit their website for more details on the event.
3. Catch Benjamin Kheng’s film debut in Wonder Boy
Catch The Sam Willows’ Benjamin Kheng as he makes his film debut in an upcoming local production, Wonder Boy – coming to cinemas August 3rd. Set in 1970s Singapore, the movie is based on how local veteran singer-songwriter, Dick Lee, started out in the industry – leading to the release of his very first album.
4. Watch a movie under the stars with Films At The Fort
Image credit: @filmsatthefort
If your idea of a perfect night is watching a movie outdoors under the night sky on a beanbag, Films At The Fort will be right up your alley. And while you’re at it, you can also enjoy gourmet food and wine by The Providore – a level-up from the usual nachos and popcorn.
This event will be happening almost every day during the month of August – with different award-winning films like Grease, Baywatch and Hidden Figures being screened.
Date: 3 – 20 August 2017
Time: Gate opens at 5PM (Feature film starts at 7:30PM)
Venue: Fort Canning Park
Price: $27.80 for film screening
Visit their website for more details
5. Walk in the shoes of the visually impaired in The Dark Room Experience
Most of us tend to take our sight for granted – but The Dark Room Experience at Esplanade will change that as you walk in the shoes of the blind. The 30-minute experience will give you a new outlook on life and help you better-empathise with the blind community as you immerse yourself in complete darkness, depending on everything else but your sight.
Date: 9 – 12 August 2017
Time: 9 Aug: 12:30PM & 2:30PM; 10 – 12 Aug: 7PM & 8:15PM (Performance) | 9 Aug: 1PM & 3PM; 10 – 12 Aug: 7:30PM & 8.45PM (Experience)
Venue: Esplanade Annexe Studio
Price: Free admission
Visit their website for more details
6. Satisfy your atas food cravings at The Epicurean Market 2017
Image credit: @simin.chng
Foodies, it’s that time of the year again. Experience a gastronomic adventure at the prestigious Epicurean Market for only $39 – giving you a 3-day excess to top-notch food, wine and fresh produce.
And if you’ve always aspired to become a chef, you can take that step to fulfilling your dream with over 20 different masterclasses, where you’ll be privy to culinary secrets from celebrity chefs like Tetsuya Wakuda, Nancy Silverton and David Myers.
Date: 11 – 13 August 2017
Time: 12PM – 2AM (Fri & Sat), 12PM – 9PM (Sun)
Venue: Hall A – C, Sands Expo And Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands
Price: $39 for a 3-day pass
Check out their website for more details
7. Chug your Friday night away with affordable hawker craft beers
Image credit: @kwokkinfei
There are some Friday nights where you just wanna dress down, yet still be able to chug some good beer with your drink kakis – and you can do just that at our humble hawker centres’ craft beer stalls, at affordable prices starting from just $5 for half a pint too.
Click here to read our article on hawker craft beer stalls.
8. Cop yourself free stuff at Singapore’s Really Really Free Market
Image credit: @woontienwei
Let’s be honest – if there’s one word we love more than “sale”, it’s “free”. Singapore’s Really Really Free Market (SRRFM) is based on the concept of giving and sharing, and everything here is free-for-all. Not only are there booths offering pre-loved books and clothing, there are also people offering yoga classes, live music and art, and tarot card-readings – all for zero fees.
Date: 13 August 2017
Time: 2PM – 6PM
Venue: Lorong Ah Soo, Blk 138, Singapore 530138
Price: Free admission
9. Immerse yourself in Japanese culture at the Japanese Lifestyle Expo
Image credit: @JapanBeautifulLife
Here’s one for the Japanophiles – step out of your comfort zone and experience all things Japanese at Singapore’s first Japanese Lifestyle Expo. Learn more about Japanese culture as in their exciting line-up of activities – from miso-making classes to free hair styling services by Japanese salons.
Date: 26 – 27 August 2017
Time: 10AM – 7PM
Venue: Sands Expo and Convention Center, 10 Bayfront Avenue, Singapore 018956
Price: Free admission
Visit their website for more details
10. Get your work done at comfortable study spots with free WiFi and food
Image credit: The A11ey
We’re all too familiar with the struggle of trying to find a study spot where you can mug all day without getting chased out halfway. With exams coming ‘round the corner, stressing over conducive places to study is probably the last thing you need right now. Check this article out for rental study spots – including one with complimentary pool and gym access!
Things to do in August 2017
Catching the annual NDP fireworks is only a fraction of what August has in store for us. With a myriad of exciting happenings this month, there’s lots for everyone and anyone to partake in – whether you’re a coffee connoisseur, bookworm, or art lover!
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
