What To Do and Where To Go During National Day Weekend?
The coming weekend is a long one with the Singapore National Day falling on Monday! I have handpicked some of the best exciting pro-family and National Day related activities for you and your family. There are so many sales this weekend even after the GSS such as Harvey Norman Sales, Hari Raya Sales, Metro Sales and Borders Sales so be sure to check out those bargains.
Hopefully you will enjoy the recommendations and will save you from cracking your brain of where to bring your family to during this weekend. Most activities provide opportunities for family bonding, fun and what’s more….. MOST activities are FREE! Enjoy
National Day Parade Editor’s Choice
For: Whole Family
The National Day Parade (NDP) is the highlight of the National Day celebration. Either you have the NDP tickets or not, this is an event you should not miss. Those without tickets will be able to view the event on the TV, on the Webcasts, on your mobile phone or better still participate in the various heartlands’ activities that the mobile columns will pass through.
See more about NDP details and tips of watching the NDP.
Date: 9-August-2010 (Monday)
Venue: Padang and Various Heartlands
Time: 6pm onwards
National Day Fireworks Editor’s Choice
For: Whole Family
The grand finale of the NDP is a four minutes of fireworks with a 360-degree display. Children as well as adults will be mesmerized by the colorful and loud roar of the fireworks which can be seen from various locations. There are some new cool places which are newly opened to view the firework for the first time.
See my recommendations for 14 great places to view the NDP fireworks.
Date: 9-August-2010 (Monday)
Venue: 14 great places to view the NDP fireworks.
Time: estimated to be between 7.30pm and 8pm
Singapore 1960
For: Whole Family
This exhibition comes at the right time during the National Day. It is perfect timing to reminds us of our success does not comes easily and should not take it for granted. The exhibition take you through a groovy new multicolored nostalgia trip into Singapore’s early period of glitzy, post-colonial self-governance. It is a excellent exhibition of the younger generations of Singaporean who have not seen how Singapore looks like in the 1960s.
Over 300 artifacts from 1960s Singapore documenting the nation’s history are on display. Politics and the struggle for one’s Independence have always been the defining corner-stone of the post-WW II chapter in the Singapore Story. Before tears were shed in that inevitable moment of anguish, hope and optimism were brimming in the air in 1960. Compared to today, the population in 1960 stood at a sizeable 1.6 million, the result of a high crude birth rate of 37.5 per 1,000 persons and supported by a per capita gross national income of only $1,330.
Celebrating a year on after 50 years of self-government, Singapore 1960 will transform the gallery into a vibrant and colourful ‘live’ show set interjected with both noteworthy and quirky news articles throughout that year. By appropriating cultural spaces familiar to Singaporeans then such as the eclectic Haw Par Villa and the neon-lit ‘Worlds’ amusement parks, over 300 artefacts will be presented in the manner of art installations.
A 100-year old Strohmenger grand piano, sexy sarong kebayas, the Aw Boon Haw jade collection (well, part of it anyway), fully sequinned Chinese opera costumes, hundreds of popular vinyl records and publications, two pairs of sweat-stained boxing gloves and a kitschy diorama; these were some of the icons that dotted post-WWII Singapore’s socio-cultural landscape. Come see how these icons reveal the emergence of a semblance of a Singapore society amid the political rumblings in the year 1960. Come watch the drama unfold.
Venue: National Museum of Singapore
When: till 22 Aug
Time: 10am to 8pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Learn About Singapore Birthday
For: Children (aged 6 – 9)
Learn all about National Day! You will get to take part in a fun quiz and take home an interesting craft too. This programme is suitable for children 6 – 9 years old and is limited to 25 children.
Venue: Everest Room in Woodlands Regional Library
When: Aug 8 (Sunday)
Time: 3pm to 4pm
Admission: $2. This programme requires registration and payment at our ekiosks. Please approach the Customer Service Counter for help should you require any.
How to Deal with Hypertension before it leads to a Heart Attack!
For: Health Course
Most of the time, people do not know that they are suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure, as there are no symptoms. This could be dangerous as if left unchecked, this is a disease that could lead to a heart attack and it could be fatal.
What are the causes of hypertension and what steps can you take to manage it before it turns into a more serious condition?
Come down and attend this seminar from Life Insurance Association seminar to learn more how to prevent this from happening. Dr Tan Chong Hiok from Mount Elizabeth Hospital will help you understand the causes of hypertension and what you can do about it. He will also discuss heart attack, a major consequence of hypertension, and the various medical treatments available.
Medical treatments, depending on the severity of an illness, can be costly. It can deplete you of your savings, or worse still, you may not have enough funds to pay for the medical treatments you need, or of your loved ones who are dependent on you. People often fail to plan ahead to provide financially for unforeseen healthcare needs.
Belinda Ng from the Life Insurance Association will discuss the factors to think about when you are considering what types of health insurance could be right for you and your family. The appropriate health insurance plan or plans can save you a lot of stress and grief.
Venue: Room 203, Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Centre
When: 7 August 2010 (Saturday)
Time: 2:30 – 5:30pm
Admission: FREE !!! Please book in advance to secure a seat. Call 6438 8900 or email lia@lia.org.sg
Official Website: Life Insurance Association
Farmers’ Market
For: Whole Family
This weekend is again the first Saturday of the month and the Farmers’ market will have loads of organic produce, wine, cheese, breads, cooking demonstrations and more at Loewen Gardens.
Venue: Loewen Gardens, 75-81 Loewen Road. From Dempsey Road, follow signs to Loewen Cluster. From Tanglin Road, turn onto Ridley Park Road. Continue past the black and white homes on your left.
Enter Tanglin Village and Loewen Road. The first building on your right is Loewen Gardens, Block 75-81 Loewen Road. Just beyond the building is a carpark.
When: 7 August (Saturday)
Time: 8.30am to 2pm
Admission: FREE!!!
Hari Raya Mega Sale
For: Whole Family
Hari Raya is coming soon, this will be a fun-filled family shopping spree with lots of attractive products and services.
Don’t miss out on the special buys and fantastic discounts!
Fashion boutique, apparels, household appliances, utensils, interiors, exotic furniture, renovation, curtains & fabrics, carpet, handicrafts, decorative flowers, accessories, toys, festive goodies, etc
Venue: Singapore Expo, Hall 5A
When: 05 August 2010 (Thursday) – 08 August 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 10am to 10pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Harvey Norman Sales
For: Whole Family
To commemorate 45 years of Nation’s Building, Harvey Norman organizes the Nation’s Grand Expo. Loads of deals will be sold at cost or below cost, passing down thousands of savings to fellow Singaporeans.
Download the Promotion brochure.
Venue: Singapore Expo hall 6B
When: 06 August 2010 (Friday) – 09 August 2010 (Monday)
Time: 10am to 9pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Branded Sportswear and Footwear Sales
For: Whole Family
Everything must go, clear out sales! Back by popular demand, Branded Sportswear & Footwear up to 70% discount. Great item at Great Value.
Venue: Singapore Expo, Foyer 2 Level 2
When: 06 August 2010 (Friday) – 09 August 2010 (Monday)
Time: 10am to 10pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Branded Sportswear and Footwear Sales
For: Whole Family Editor’s Choice
Great bargains and deals on an array of products – men’s apparel, ladies’ fashion, children’s wear, household merchandise and more await you! Also, over 8,000 pairs of adults’ and kids’ Crocs in assorted designs are available for you to choose from. What’s more, exclusive offers are in store for you, especially if you’re a Metro Card member. Hurry, don’t miss the Metro Expo Sale!
Preview some of the items on sales here.
Venue: Singapore Expo, Hall 3
When: 06 August 2010 (Friday) – 10 August 2010 (Tuesday)
Time: 11am to 10pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Borders Crazy EXPO Sale
For: Whole Family
Come and Grab Smorgasbord of Great Value Products and Great Giveaways. See below for the fun you will get at this Borders Crazy EXPO Sale Events.
7th August
12pm-1pm: Clifford’s Walkabout
2pm-3pm: Storytelling & Face Painting by Hooray! Kids and also Clifford’s Walkabout
3pm-4pm: Balloon Twisting Session for Kids
4pm-5pm: Kids Magic Show and Clifford’s Walkabout
6pm-7pm: Clifford’s Walkabout
8th August
12pm-1pm: Clifford’s Walkabout
1pm-2pm: Storytelling & Face Painting by Hooray! Kids
2pm-3pm: Storytelling & Face Painting by Hooray! Kids and also Clifford’s Walkabout
3pm-4pm: Balloon Twisting Session for Kids
4pm-5pm: Kids Magic Show and Clifford’s Walkabout
5pm-6pm: Musical Performance by Seyra Tunes
6pm-7pm: Musical Performance by Vivian from Replugged Music and also Clifford’s Walkabout
9th August
12pm-1pm: Clifford’s Walkabout
1pm-2pm: Balloon Twisting Session for Kids
2pm-3pm: Kids Magic Show and also Clifford’s Walkabout
4pm-5pm: Clifford’s Walkabout
6pm-7pm: Clifford’s Walkabout
Venue: Singapore Expo, Hall 5B
When: 07 August 2010 (Saturday) – 09 August 2010 (Monday)
Time: 10am to 9pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Hat-Making
For: Whole Family
To celebrate National day by creating a festive hat to match the spirit and character in the stories of Once Upon a Singapura.
Venue: Esplanade, the Concourse.
When: 07 August 2010 (Saturday) – 9 August 2010 (Monday)
Time: 2pm to 7pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Face Painting
For: Whole Family Editor’s Choice
Show your support for Singapore and get in the festive mood by painting your face in vibrant colours to celebrate this special day
Venue: Esplanade, the Concourse.
When: 9 August 2010 (Monday)
Time: 2pm to 6pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Singapore Medley
For: Whole Family Editor’s Choice
Come down and celebrate the nation’s birthday with Keat Hong Chinese Orchestra and their heartwarming melodies. Clap and sing along to local and National Day classics like Singapura and We are Singapore, Home and We Will Get There. With numerous awards under their belt, KHCO is one of Singapore’s most established and well-known amateur orchestras.
Venue: Esplanade, the Concourse.
When: 8 August 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 3pm
Admission: FREE !!!
Late Night Singapore Film Screening
For: Those who want to Know more about our cinematic heritage
Come down and celebrate our rich cinematic heritage with the late night screenings! You will be entertained by iconic films from the black-and-white era to modern times, and at the same time let these films be a window to our past, looking at nostalgic settings that are often part of our shared memories and experiences as Singaporeans.
Venue: Esplanade, Outdoor Theatre.
When: 6 August (Friday) – 8 August 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 11pm till late.
Admission: FREE !!!
Celebrity mums @ Rolling Good Times family carnival
For: Whole Family Editor’s Choice
Famous Celebrity mums including Diana Ser, Wong Li-lin, May Phua, Evelyn Tan, Beatrice Chia and Lina Ng are doing their bits at the Rolling Good Times Family Carnival. They are donating their children’s toys, books and clothes for sale at the carnival.
If you are a collector of McDonald’s memorabilia such as rare Happy meal toy collections, you will enjoy a good buy and at the same time contribute towards charity.
Every cent raised from the carnival will go to the charity cause: Ronald McDonald Children’s Charity (RMCC) help sick children from underprivileged homes in Singapore. The fund helps children in critical need of hospitalization and medical treatment who do not qualify for Medifund support.
You could use this opportunity to teach your children from young to help the less privileged. You can help the sick children beneficiaries of the RMCC foundation by buying $10 wristband vouchers onsite at the carnival. These vouchers will be used to redeem for food and game activities.
Highlights of the carnival include many fun carnival activities, food and game stalls, entertainment performances and storytelling sessions by the National Library Board.
Venue: SMU Campus Green grounds in Bras Basah Road beside the MRT station
When: 8 August 2010 (Sunday)
Time: 11.00am to 6.30pm
Wishing You A Happy Weekend and a Happy Singapore National Day
Photo: chooyutshing, gandhiji40,Megan Choo
Source: National Museum of Singapore, NDP, Singapore Expo, Esplanade
wow, a lot of the activities you mentioned are free. i think it's nice to tour on a national holiday, it's a nice opportunity learn more about singapore. thanks for the info!
Sam, yes, my focus is to find as much free activities to share as possible. Luckily, there are quite a number every week. You are quite right to be able to learn more about Singapore if you are here during our National Day. :* :* :*
Wow, the Singapore Expo seems a good place to go this weekends. Harvey Norman sales. Borders Sales, sportswear sales…
Just what we need! My 10-year old fridge decides to break down on me now and I hope I can get a decent price for a new fridge there 🙂
The face painting for National Day sounds interesting for the kids! BTW, do you know where I can buy the National Day sticker tattoo?
I had the tattoo on myself after a National Day event yesterday and Darren was pestering me to also buy and use it on his face, arm etc. I combed many places but just can't find them off the shelf.
Denesa,
I think you should get it from the Q<span>ueensway shopping centre at tattoo shop. Should be quite cheap around 10 bucks. There should be those with Singapore design but if dun have you could have tailored made but cost more. Hope this help! </span> :*
Yep, I went down to the Expo yesterday night. The Metro sales is quite good as well and I bought a few items. There are hourly item promotions so do check those out. I guess you will go for the Harvey Norman's Sales where you could get your fridge. Do also grab the 2G micro SD cards at only $4.50 each if you are there. =-X 😀 😎
And you could find it from <span>Far east shopping centre as well. </span> 😎
happy birthday to singapore! wow free? id go to see the fireworks. how about you? where are you going? *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW* *DONT_KNOW*
Thanks Michael for the tips! wishing you an enjoyable weekends and National Day.
Elai, I will and have visited some of the places mentioned above. Although I do not have a ticket, I will be still watching NDP on TV and supporting the mobile column parading down the road. 😎
:* :* :*
wow so many activities! have fun Michael! 😎 😎
You too have a great weekend, Monica! 😛