We’re right on the cusp of August, and you know what that means. SG61 is right around the corner, and it’s high time to look your red and white best while you belt out National Day hits during your next karaoke sesh. Of course, the best place to soak in the vibes is at the National Day Parade (NDP), but not all of us are lucky enough to snag tickets to it.
Worry not, as there’s still much to do while the NDP fireworks are going off over the Kallang Basin. Here are some National Day-themed activities and events to keep yourselves busy with over the long weekend.
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If you’ve not been to any of the Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s attractions in a hot minute, now’s the time to plan a visit. They’ll be ushering in the National Day vibes by giving visitors the chance to celebrate Singapore’s 61st alongside some of the country’s beloved animal personalities across all 5 of their wildlife parks.
Image adapted from: Mandai Wildlife Group
For starters, visit the 11 born-in-SG stars’ exhibits, and drop by for keeper talks where they’ll proudly share their experiences working with some of these animal stars, such as birth stories, milestones, and fond memories. There’s also the Frame Your Wild experience to look forward to, where you can capture the animal stars in the middle of a limited-edition fan for cute photo ops and redeem exclusive stickers.
Image credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Finally, learn more about the furry and feathered companions that share our home. Celebrate native wildlife and discover how we can live harmoniously alongside them at the WILDerful Singaporeans booths at the Singapore Zoo, Bird Paradise, and Night Safari from 8th to 9th August 2026.
Get tickets to the Mandai Wildlife Reserve’s attractions.
Swing by Downtown East to beat the heat with its National Day festivities. For starters, Wild Wild Wet is also celebrating its 22nd anniversary, so all August babies can enjoy free admission to the water park from 1st-31st August 2026. For everyone else who’d like to have a go on their wild rides, you can get tickets at a promotional price that start from $22/adult (U.P. $29) and $16/child (U.P. $21).
Should you prefer to keep dry, head over to the newly-opened PLAYON. It’s an indoor digital playground equipped with VR experiences, driving simulators, and motion-controlled games that double as a full-body workout.
But if that’s not patriotic enough for your liking, attend the NDP-themed sing-along happening on 8th August 2026, 5pm-6pm. There’s also the SongkRun (from $43.01/pax) festival to look forward to happening on 1st August 2026, where you’ll get to sweat it out with either a 5km or 10km run before turning it up at a water festival.
Get tickets to SongkRun.
Over on Sentosa, Resorts World Sentosa is also another spot where you can have a blast celebrating Singapore’s 61st ahead of time. Happening from 30th July to 23rd August 2026 is the I LOVE SG pop-up, where you’ll be able to get your hands on adorable plushies (from $23) themed after iconic Singaporean dishes such as kopi, kaya toast, chilli crab, and traditional kueh.
There’ll also be interactive performances happening on 1st and 2nd August 2026, from 11am-3pm and 4pm-8pm where you’ll be treated to live “cooking” demonstrations that bring playful plushies to life. What’s more, a Mr. Merlion mascot will be dropping by on the same days, at 2pm and 3pm, to say hi and pose for pictures.
From 8th-10th August 2026, the Singapore Oceanarium will also play host to a couple of National Day-related events. Their manta ray mascot will be making its rounds at 3pm on all 3 days, and at 3.30pm, a special Singapore Flag presentation will unfurl at the oceanarium’s Open Ocean Habitat.
Stick around for Open Score Project’s musical performance too on 9th August 2026, 12.30pm and 2pm. Titled Singapore Heartbeat, this 1-day-only showcase celebrates our nation’s multicultural heritage through song, and you’re more than welcome to sing along to these nostalgic local tunes.
Those who missed out on the chance to attend this year’s NDP, worry not, as the annual Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert is a great substitute. Heck, this free concert will be held on 2nd August 2026, a whole week before National Day, so even those who’ve secured their seats at the parade are welcome.
This year’s concert theme is “Seeds of Tomorrow”, to represent Singapore’s continual growth as a nation, its people’s resilience, and our shared dreams for the future. The performance lineup is also pretty star-studded; Benjamin Kheng shares the stage with fellow homegrown talents, such as the Singapore Idol Hady Mirza, award-winning multilingual singer Rahimah Rahimi, and Mandopop diva Olivia Ong.
To further entice you to head down early, they’ll be handing out free sweet treats like ice cream, candy floss, and popcorn from 4.30pm onwards. There’s also a carnival to check out, with game booths to have a go at before concert begins, and don’t forget to stay on for the fireworks display lighting up the night sky before you head home.
Learn more about the Gardens by the Bay and Mediacorp National Day Concert 2026.
Admission: Free
Venue: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, Gardens by the Bay, The Meadow, Singapore 018953
Date: 2nd August 2026
Time: 7.45pm-9pm
Image credit: Tiger
When it comes to throwing an epic shindig, trust the beer brands to know what they’re doing. This year, Tiger Beer is inviting everyone to come join them in celebrating Singapore’s big 61st at Kampong Bugis on 9th August 2026, with free booze to boot. Yes, you heard right, from 5pm to 9pm, they’ll be handing out complimentary bottles of Tiger Beer to all visitors of legal drinking age, while stocks last.
Additionally, the first 1,000 guests who present their Drinkies Membership via the Drinkies app (App Store | Google Play) can redeem a Tiger National Day Fun Pack, which is stocked with everything you’d need to usher in National Day in style, such as a custom picnic mat, handheld fan, cooling wipes, and even more cans of the good stuff.
Before the fireworks go boom overhead, jam out to the pulsing beats supplied by a live DJ performance by HeavyItch, who’ll also be scratching in familiar local soundtracks to match the vibe. There’ll also be themed photo spots to snap away at, as well as other refreshments to keep yourself fueled up for the festivities.
Admission: Free
Venue: Kampong Bugis, 66 Kampong Bugis, Singapore 338987
Date: 9th August 2026
Time: 5pm-9pm
Image credit: Must Share News
If you’re planning to turn the upcoming National Day festivities into a reason to pig out, make a trip down to Lau Pa Sat. This year, they’ve partnered with homegrown creative studio SYNT Studio to take Hawker Wars, a card game inspired by our favourite hawker dishes, from the tabletop into the real world.
From 7th-15th August 2026, The Hawker Wars Market will be set up within Lau Pa Sat, where visitors can try their hand at various activities from 11am-3pm and 5pm-9pm, daily.
These include Catch-a-Satay, which puts players’ reflexes to the test by tasking them with catching falling satay sticks. There’ll also be 4 classic hawker stall sets that invites onlookers to snap a pic within, as well as mascot walkabouts featuring lovable characters from the card game.
Image credit: Lau Pa Sat
When you’re famished, pick up a stamp card from a Hawker Feast standee before you go about ordering your meals. For every $10 spent at select stalls at Lau Pa Sat, you can present your qualifying purchase at the Food Folks counter to receive a stamp. Fill up your stamp card, and you can walk home with rewards such as:
You can redeem your rewards at The Hawker Wars Market, or the Food Folks counter from 16th-31st August 2026. The plushies and card game are also available for purchase at the Food Folks, and cost $15.90 and $24.90 respectively.
For something artsy to keep busy with, there’s no better place to be than the National Museum of Singapore, as they’re turning back the hands of time with their Myths, Legends & the Stories That Made Us event.
Image credit: HeritageSG
Through hands-on workshops and art installations, visitors are tasked with unravelling the legends that surround Singapore’s early beginnings and celebrate the age-old traditions that keep us connected from one generation to the next. For instance, the Voyage of Icons installation will project Singapore’s storied past onto the museum’s facade through the whimsical, vivid illustrations of artist Howie Kim
Image credit: National Museum of Singapore
Little ones can take part in a colouring competition ($10/child) to flex their creative muscles, by letting their imagination run wild on a colouring sheet depicting the legend of Kusu Island. The Scents of History ($35/pax) workshop is perfect as a cute date activity, as you’ll be crafting your very own scented candle inspired by spices once bartered across historical trade routes.
There’s also the free SG: Decoded scavenger hunt to embark on that’ll have you scouring every corner of the museum for clues; complete it to receive a special enamel pin. The Beats of the City mini concert happening at the museum’s front lawn is a great precursor to the NDP itself, and you can catch a live telecast of the parade here as well, FOC.
Learn more about Myth, Legends & the Stories That Made Us.
The Centrepoint is looking to serenade visitors once again, with the return of The Centrestage. It’s a celebration of the vibrant arts scene here on the Little Red Dot, and this edition spotlights local artistes of varying ages, backgrounds, and musical styles for an afternoon of showstopping performances.
Headlining day 1 of the event is Jeff Ng, one of Singapore’s most prominent buskers, as he takes to the stage with nearly 2 decades’ worth of composing and performing. Meanwhile, Yokez will be wowing the crowds with her bilingual Mandopop tunes on day 2. Other talented artistes who’ll be sharing the stage with them include indie-pop trio Absence!, guitarist and songwriter Aida Zul, and drummer/producer Luke Lee, just to name a few.
Image credit: The Centrepoint
Besides the live acts, feel free to do some shopping on the side. There’ll be a curated lineup of homegrown lifestyle brands like SADSHRIMPS, The Liquor Shop, and White Rabbit, if you’re all about #supportlocal. Spend at least $61 here, and you can redeem a quirky, limited-edition SADSHRIMPS x The Centrepoint Mug.
Learn more about The Centrestage: Celebration in the Spotlight.
Social mixers are all the rage these days, and if you’re single and ready to mingle, consider taking part in GaiGai’s Hotpot Nation, which is happening on 6th August 2026. In lieu of Singapore’s abysmal marriage numbers, this singles social is aptly National Day-themed, and will consist of 50 Singaporeans breaking the ice around a shared hot pot feast.
Of course, the food’s not the main course here. Expect to engage in games to get to know one another; there’s even a National Day trivia to be played in teams for some friendly competition, with prizes at stake. Then, contribute to the 61 Date Spots Challenge, where you just might discover a new spot or 2 to bring your newly-found special someone.
Sign up for Hotpot Nation.
Admission: $61/pax
Venue: 2 Tampines Central 5, Haidilao, #02-22 Century Square, Singapore 529509
Date: 6th August 2026
Time: 7pm-9.30pm
If you’ve not visited Science Centre Singapore in a hot minute, the National Day weekend is the time to do so. That’s because there’ll be free admission for all Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents from 8th-10th August 2026, making it a mighty affordable outing, especially for those with kids in tow.
There’s also much to do during the 3-day window, as the SG Science Fest will be up and running on-site too. Take part in the self-guided Shipwrecked: Uncover the Mystery quest, which will have you uncovering the truth behind a mysterious shipwreck by piecing together clues and making sense of evidence inspired by real-world scientific queries.
Then there’s the Robot’s Bytes to Bites live show to tune in to, which pits a local hawker against a robot to see who comes out on top after a series of spectacular pyrotechnics and liquid nitrogen experiments. For some fun in the sun, let the children run wild at Splash Battle, a 10 versus 10 showdown where teams race to drench the opposing base.
Other kid-friendly activities await over at KidsSTOP’s SG Science Fest Juniors. Little ones can explore 3 ocean-themed zones to learn more about our nation’s maritime heritage, marine life, and the importance of combating ocean pollution. Don’t forget to bring home a memento in the form of an acrylic keychain; you’ll be able to personalise yours with stickers collected at activity stations scattered across Science Centre Singapore.
Learn more about SG Science Fest.
Back for its 7th edition, SingNation! returns for yet another round of lively National Day tunes that will undoubtedly have you bopping your head to. The 1-day choir will consist of the talented members of Voices of Singapore and their invited family and friends, who will be belting out hit after hit at the Capitol Singapore Outdoor Plaza on 8th August 2026, from 7pm-8pm.
As usual, entry is free, and no registration is required. Simply turn up, and don’t be afraid to sing along to your favourite songs in the spirit of SG61.
Admission: Free
Venue: 13 Stamford Road, Capitol Singapore, Outdoor Plaza, Singapore 178905
Date: 8th August 2026
Time: 7pm-8pm
Image credit: Bras Basah. Bugis
Although news is sparse on Light Together Bras Basah. Bugis (LTB), we’re still expecting it to be a big hit when it comes to supplying visitors with IG-worthy photo spots and stunning light installations. Organised by HeritageSG, LTB’s offerings will be based on local folklore, and you’ll be able to spot these installations at the following locations:
Expect to feast your eyes on shimmering displays and digital experiences that transform historical buildings and hidden spaces into interactive works of art that brighten up your trips to the city, literally.
Learn more about Light Together Bras Basah. Bugis.
Admission: Free
Venue: Bras Basah & Bugis precinct
Date: 1st August to 5th September 2026
Time: Sun-Thu 7.30pm-11pm | Fri-Sat 7.30pm-12am
If you’ve nothing lined up for National Day this SG61, instead of sitting round the telly to catch the live NDP broadcast, consider giving these National Day-related activities and events a shot. Some of these stretch far beyond National Day itself, so you don’t have to rush down ASAP to experience them.
For more National Day-related reads:
Cover image adapted from: SingNation!, Gardens by the Bay, Science Centre Singapore, Singapore Oceanarium
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