Things to Do
Your comprehensive guide to the best events and things to do in Singapore
Best places to catch fireworks for free on National Day in Singapore
In addition to celebrating the nation's birthday, the National Day Parade is all about the fireworks. And we’re expecting plenty over Marina Bay, specifically near The Float @ Marina Bay. For those who want to see the fireworks up close, here are a few places to park yourselves on July 22, 29 and of course, on National Day itself, August 9.
Upcoming events
Pesta Raya 2017
Pesta Raya returns to celebrate the rich heritage and beauty of Malay traditional and contemporary arts. Anticipate musical performances from new and old artists including a dikir barat battle, Malaysian rock icon, Ella, and Indonesia's rising indie-alternative band, Payang Teduh. Learn more about the Malay archipelago at the screening of Setan Jawa, which features the visual imagery of Javanese mythology, and accompanied by a live gamelan and Western orchestra.
Ignite! Music Festival
The annual student-run festival features a whole slew of local performers. Back for its tenth edition, Ignite celebrates the best of homegrown bands, bringing in both established and up-and-coming local acts. This year's main festival (Jul 28 & 29) line-up includes ShiGGa Shay, THELIONCITYBOY, LEW, Jasmine Sokko and more.
Kueh Pairing Workshops
On July 15, 22 and 23, Rainbow Lapis is holding three kueh pairing workshops as part of Singapore Food Festival 2017. Pair your heritage kuehs with artisan teas ($80), bespoke cocktails ($98) or speciality coffees ($80), and expect to learn the fundamentals of pairing principles during the three-course kueh and beverage tasting session. On top of learning to appreciate culture, you'll also get to make a mod-Sin Kueh and craft a drink at the workshops.
Japan Food Town's First Anniversary
Japanese food lovers, take advantage of Japan Food Town's one-for-one promotion at a different restaurant each week as part of its first anniversary celebrations. Highlights include a maguro cutting event on July 16, and a social competition that gives you a chance to win a set of $1,000 vouchers. For health-conscious foodies, opt for the healthier choice Japanese rice that can be found in more than half of the participating tenants.
So Singapore at Sentosa
Get intimate with everything Singaporean at Sentosa's So Singapore, where a slew of family friendly activities wait for you. Go back in time at the Heritage Carnival (Aug 4 to 13) and mingle with roving characters from the pre-war days or munch on local treats such as chendol, and Peranakan kueh. Come on Saturdays and you'll be treated to a performance arts like a wushu performance, Peranakan folk songs, and bian lian, a form of traditional Chinese opera. As night falls, get ready to whip your phones out – the Sentosa's Merlion lights up with an array of colours and visual effects, accompanied by music.
Singapore Food Festival 2017
Immerse yourself in the local food scene at this year's Singapore Food Festival (SFF). Start from STREAT, SFF’s signature event and work your way through various workshops and events such as Ion Orchard’s Chocolate Wonderland (Jul 14-16), kueh pairing workshops, and The 50 Cents Fest where you’ll get to try hawker dishes for – you got it – 50 cents. Additionally, indulge in traditional hawker fare paired with artisanal wines hosted by Merchant Wine Store. For a relaxing time, tuck into a curated picnic basket on the lawn while enjoying a local food film under the stars at Open Farm Community.
Explore Singapore's best
Best farms in Singapore
Farms? What farms? The Little Red Dot is as famous for its agriculture industry as Jamaica is for bobsledding. But even though less than 1 percent of our land area is dedicated to farming activities, there’s an impressive variety of farms in Singapore. Whether you are looking for a family-friendly activity on the weekend or a getaway from the hustle and bustle, pick any of these for a breath of fresh air.
Best hotels with hourly rates
We all know it can be hard to get some privacy at home, particularly if you've got helicopter parents who insist on open doors whenever your significant other is around. Even behind closed doors, you might have a squeaky mattress that gives you away, or perhaps you just want a change of scenery. Whatever the reason (we're not judging), your neighbourhood Hotel 81 or Fragrance Hotel is the place to go if you need a room for a few hours without burning a hole in your wallet. And with nearly 44 branches combined, there is indeed one in almost every neighbourhood in Singapore (though, of course, you'll find the largest concentration of them around Geylang). Here we check in to a few branches to see how they stack up.
City guides & stories
More features
Free things to do in Singapore
If there’s one word we Singaporeans love more than ‘discount’, it’s ‘free’. And despite Singapore being among the top in various ‘most expensive city’ lists, there are plenty of free things to do around the island. Now we're adding one more to the list of free things in Singapore: every first Tuesday of the month, Time Out Singapore is distributed free in the evenings at MRT stations around the CBD. We also regularly have giveaways on our contest page where you can win staycations, dining vouchers and more. Here, we list the best free things you can do around the city.
Singapore’s best parks for picnics
After spending many a sweaty hour trekking around various parks, here's our list of the best spots to picnic at in Singapore. These places don't require you to travel to the middle of nowhere, they're scenic, they have some shade and decent patches of grass, and most importantly, they're located near the toilets (but not too near). So pack your basket, pick up your mat, and head to these parks for some fun in the sun.
Best free water parks in Singapore
Singapore's weather can get quite hot, so cool down with the whole family at these aqua playgrounds around the island. We've checked out where to go for the best sprinklers, bubblers and water fountains that are great for kids, and adults, too. Best of all, as they are in public spaces, they come free of charge (no admission fees).
