National Day events to check out this August

For many Singaporeans, National Day is synonymous with fireworks, fighter jets and everyone singing along to the song, Home. Yet the celebrations extend far beyond the parade, with August becoming a showcase of Singapore’s creativity, culture and heritage.

From illuminated folklore at Light Together Bras Basah.Bugis and thought-provoking local films at Filmhouse to White Rabbit-inspired cocktails and desserts at Parkroyal on Beach Road, these experiences offer fresh ways to celebrate SG61 beyond the parade. Here are some of our top picks.

What better time to celebrate Singapore cinema than during National Day month? Throughout August, Filmhouse is shining the spotlight on Singapore filmmaking with Got Time For Cinema? – a month-long programme of feature films, documentaries, short films, filmmaker conversations and special events. Together, they explore the many stories that continue to shape the nation.

The programme opens with the 10th anniversary screening of Singapore Minstrel (8th August), Salty Xi Jie Ng‘s acclaimed documentary following eccentric Singapore busker Roy Payamal as he pursues his artistic passion in an unlikely setting. Stay on afterwards for a Q&A with both Salty and Roy.

On National Day (9th August), Watch It Wet returns to Golden Mile Tower with comedians and performers Qilah Rose, Lychee Bye, Kishan Kumar Singh and Becca D’ Bus. Expect live commentary, sing-alongs and plenty of tongue-in-cheek local humour.

Anthony Chen‘s acclaimed Growing Up trilogy takes centre stage on 15th and 16th August. Spanning more than a decade of filmmaking, Ilo Ilo, Wet Season and a sneak preview of We Are All Strangers reunite longtime collaborators including Yeo Yann Yann and Koh Jia Ler while exploring themes of family, adolescence and identity. The screenings are accompanied by a foyer exhibition showcasing original props and memorabilia from all three films.

Also on the programme is How Can This Be Allow?! (22nd August), a showcase of six contemporary Singapore short films curated by Objectifs. Featuring works by filmmakers including Sandi Tan, K. Rajagopal and Calleen Koh, the collection offers fresh perspectives on life in Singapore through stories that are humorous, poignant and quietly provocative.

Audiences can also catch the return of Tan Siyou‘s coming-of-age drama Amoeba (15th August), starring Genevieve Tan, Lim Shi-An, Nicole Lee and Ranice Tay as four teenagers navigating friendship, rebellion and the uncertainties of growing up.

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From water slides to digital sports, Downtown East is pulling out all the stops for SG61 with a month-long line-up of family-friendly activities, exclusive promotions and live entertainment. The celebrations also coincide with Wild Wild Wet’s 22nd anniversary, making it an even better excuse to spend the day here.

One of the biggest highlights is the Singapore debut of Playon, a 13,200 sq ft indoor digital sports playground where interactive games, sports simulators, virtual reality experiences and challenge zones promise hours of friendly competition.

On 8 August, join a National Day community sing-along featuring Generations in Harmony, Ageless Bridge performers and nEbO leaders, or lace up for SongkRun on 1 August – Asia’s first running and water festival combining a 5km or 10km fun run with unlimited access to Wild Wild Wet, fitness sessions and live DJ performances.

There’s plenty more to look forward to throughout the month. August babies enjoy free admission to Wild Wild Wet, while visitors can take advantage of day passes from $16, 50 per cent off Wild Wild Wet T-shirts, SG61 dining and shopping offers across Downtown East, and exclusive Tuesday deals for NTUC Members and UPlay Premium Members from 4 August.

Celebrate Singapore’s 61st birthday through the stories that have shaped the nation at the National Museum of Singapore.

This year’s Myths, Legends & the Stories That Made Us programme brings together interactive storytelling, workshops, live performances and exhibitions inspired by Singapore’s folklore, cultural heritage and the communities that continue to define the island’s identity.

A standout is Voyage of Icons, a projection mapping work by visual artist Howie Kim, presented as part of Light Together Bras Basah.Bugis 2026. From 1 to 12 August, the museum’s historic façade becomes a giant canvas tracing Singapore’s story across five chapters, from the legend of Sang Nila Utama and tales of resilience to a bold vision of the nation’s future.

The museum also hosts Our Favourite Haunts: Through the Lens of Migrant Workers, the first presentation of the Migrant Workers Photography Festival (MWPF) at the National Museum. Running until 13 September, the free exhibition features more than 100 photographs that invite visitors to experience Singapore through the eyes of its migrant community, offering thoughtful reflections on belonging, identity and the shared spaces that connect us.

On National Day itself, expect a full programme of free and ticketed activities, including a museum-wide heritage hunt, storytelling sessions, hands-on workshops, craft activities and live performances, before the celebrations conclude with a public screening of the National Day Parade on the museum’s Front Lawn.

Admission to all galleries, including Singapore Odyssea: A Journey Through Time and Once Upon a Tide: Singapore’s Journey from Settlement to Global City, will be free on 9 August.

Continue the adventure at the inaugural Light Together Bras Basah.Bugis, where Singapore’s myths and legends spill beyond the museum walls.

Running alongside the Singapore Night Festival from 1 August to 5 September, the free after-dark trail transforms the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct into an open-air gallery of immersive light installations and digital artworks inspired by this year’s Myths and Legends theme.

Start at Voyage of Icons, the projection mapping spectacle at the National Museum of Singapore, before checking out A Walk Through Mythical Singapore at Stamford Walkway. Here, three immersive realms – sea, land and sky – bring legendary creatures including dragons, Garudas, Sang Nila Utama’s lion and Kusu Island’s giant tortoise to life.

The journey continues with Roger Ng Wei Lun‘s Wandering Spirits Unbound, which reimagines Singapore’s founding myths through fantastical creatures, while Arup’s interactive Touch wood! and Plant chilli then no rain! turn two familiar local superstitions into playful, light-filled experiences.

Light Together Bras Basah.Bugis is free to visit and runs from 7.30pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 7.30pm to 11pm from Sundays to Thursdays.

Few sweets are as instantly recognisable to Singaporeans as White Rabbit candy.

Whether you remember carefully peeling away its edible rice paper wrapper or saving the creamy milk candy for a special treat, Parkroyal on Beach Road is bringing those childhood memories back this National Day season through an exclusive collaboration that reimagines the iconic confection across its dining venues.

At Club 5, the nostalgic favourite finds new life in a series of handcrafted White Rabbit-inspired cocktails, accompanied by a complimentary free-flow White Rabbit candy bar with every beverage purchase.

Over at Ginger, the hotel’s halal-certified buffet restaurant, diners can enjoy unlimited servings of Original White Rabbit ice cream during dinner, pose at a White Rabbit-themed photo spot and browse an exclusive merchandise pop-up. Pan Pacific Discovery members can also sip on the limited-edition Milo Rabbit Mocktail, finished with a silky foam made from White Rabbit ice cream.

The nostalgia doesn’t stop there. Ginger’s dinner buffet continues to showcase Singaporean favourites including the restaurant’s signature Chicken Rice, Ah Mah’s Muah Chee, Slow-cooked Six-hour Wagyu Beef Rendang, premium steaks cooked à la minute and more than 15 varieties of seafood on ice.

The White Rabbit experiences are available from 3 August to 30 September, while Ginger’s dinner buffet starts from S$69++ per person.