SingaporeMotherhood | Family Fun
July 2015
Your SG50 Jubilee Weekend Activity Guide!
You would have known by now that there is a relatively long weekend coming up next month. Now, before you even think of packing your bags and escaping for a short getaway, think again. It’s our nation’s fiftieth birthday! You really should be staying put on our lovely island and soaking in the patriotic atmosphere! There are several activities lined up over the Jubilee weekend for the enjoyment of the entire family! What’s more, some of our local attractions are opening their doors to the public for free! There is sure to be a place of interest that suits your fancy and your kids’ as well. Here’s what’s happening around the island from the 7th to 10th of August 2015!
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What: Gardens by The Bay Celebrates SG50
Where: Gardens by The Bay, Marina Bay Sands
When: 7 – 10 August 2015
If you are a staunch admirer of nature, you are in for a treat! The SG50 celebrations will be coming into bloom at the Gardens with “Singapore Stories” – a floral depiction of the numerous tales and legends surrounding Singapore. There will also be a special SG50 edition of the “Garden Rhapsody” music and light show – the kids are sure to be enthralled! During the Jubilee weekend, Singaporeans can enjoy a 50% discount on admission tickets to the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest! Singaporean seniors aged 60 and above can enter for free – be sure to bring along the grandparents as well!
Opening hours: Flower Dome & Cloud Forest – 9am to 9pm. “Garden Rhapsody: SG50 Edition” timings: 7.45pm, 8.45pm and 9.30pm.
Photo credit: Gardens by The Bay
What: Community Chest Heartstrings Walk
Where: Waterfront Trail, Marina Bay Sands
When: 7 August 2015, 7.30am to 11am
Community Chest and Marina Bay Sands come together to kickstart the string of activities that are lined up for the weekend marking Singapore’s golden jubilee. This annual community event brings together individuals from all walks of life through a four kilometre fun walk along the stretch of the Waterfront Trail, a Vertical Marathon up 57 storeys of the Marina Bay Sands hotel, and a fun-filled carnival at the Event Plaza. In lieu of the SG50 celebrations, this year’s event aims to have the largest community drumming participation in Singapore! If you are keen on making a donation, you will be glad to know that all outright donations will receive 300% tax deduction and each donation will be matched dollar-for-dollar by our government under the Care & Share Movement!
The Community Chest Heartstrings Walk is a great way to educate the kids on the importance of giving back to our community. Also, take some time off to bond with your family over exercise and unwind at the carnival later!
What: Families for Life Picnic
Where: Marina Barrage
When: 7 & 8 August 2015, 8am to 11am
What better way to spend some valuable time with your family than to be at an event that recognises the importance of the family in our society! The Families for Life Picnic is a collaboration between Families for Life, RSAF, PUB and NParks. It promises fun, fun, and more fun! You and your children can look forward to numerous carnival activities, a Black Knights aerial display (get those cameras ready!), performances by the SAF Music & Dance Company, food trucks, childhood games, inflatable bouncy castles and a Families for Life mobile cafe. All families who register will get a Families for Life picnic bag!
If you would like to watch the National Day Parade on the 9th of August on a screen much bigger than the one you have at home, head down to the Marina Barrage – there will be a live screening of the NDP from 4pm to 8.30pm on the Green Roof. Watch the celebrations against a spectacular city skyline!
Photo credit: PUB.
What: SG50 Concert Series in The Park
Where: Singapore Botanic Gardens
When: 7 – 9 August 2015, 10am to 10pm
Fancy spending the jubilee weekend at a UNESCO World Heritage Site? Well, now you can! The announcement could not have come at a better time! If you have not been to the Botanic Gardens in a while, the Jubilee weekend would be a fantastic time to visit it! The 156-year-old location is all set to host a carnival featuring nostalgic activities, celebrating shared memories, and the rich cultural and botanical heritage of the Gardens. You could choose to join the Heritage tours which will be held that weekend, or perhaps visit the National Orchid Garden? Entry is free for Singapore residents!
Here’s a schedule of performances at the Singapore Botanic Gardens:
7 – 9 August 2015: Carnival, 10am to 5pm
7 August 2015: Variety Concert, 5pm to 7pm
8 August 2015: Symphony Concert, 6pm to 7pm
7 – 8 August 2015: Bandstand Performance, 7.30pm to 8.15pm
7 – 8 August 2015: Outdoor Movie, 8.30pm to 10pm
9 August 2015: NDP Live Telecast, 5.30pm to 9pm
Photo credit: NParks.
What: National Day Parade 2015
Where: The Padang
When: 9 August 2015, 4pm to 9pm
With a theme of “Majulah Singapura”, this year’s NDP will return to a historic venue, the Padang, to mark fifty years of independence. In order to allow for more Singaporeans to be a part of the Parade at the Padang, the celebrations will spread across different locations around the Marina Bay area, where “live “ streaming of the historic Parade will be broadcast on LED screens. In addition to the Padang, The Float @Marina Bay will also be another ticketed venue that will accommodate up to 25,000 spectators!
What can you expect from this year’s NDP? What is going to be different from the parades of previous years? For starters, there will be a Vintage Parade, which will re-enact the segments of the street parades that took place in the early 1970s. Aerial displays have always been a crowd (kids, especially) favourite, and this year’s will definitely live up to the higher expectations of every Singaporean! Be prepared to witness the RSAF’s salute to the nation, comprising the Black Knights performing a “Bomb Burst” and a “50” formation fly-past! A spectacular visual treat indeed!
Photo credit: Ministry of Communications & Information (MCI)
Special Concessions at Public Attractions
Where: Jurong Bird Park
Singapore residents can enjoy 50% off admission fee for the entire month of August! There is also an ongoing SG50 promotion where local residents can enjoy unlimited year-round entry for the price of a one-day ticket! Sign up for this fantastic deal at the entrance of the Bird Park or online.
Photo credit: Wildlife Reserves Singapore
Where: Singapore Zoo, Night Safari & River Safari
From the 7th to 10th of August, visitors will receive a free SG50 animal-themed woven tote bag (worth $3) at the parks’ retail stores. (limited to one bag per visitor, while stocks last) Singapore residents can also enjoy the following ticket promotions:
– 50% off bundled admission to River Safari and Singapore Zoo (valid from 1 – 31 August 2015)
– 50% off River Safari admission with purchase of tickets to Singapore Zoo and/or Night Safari
Photo credit: Wildlife Reserves Singapore
Where: Science Centre Singapore
Is your child a budding science geek? Rejoice, for everyone gets free admission to the Science Centre from the 7th to 10th of August 2015! These normally ticketed attractions will also be open for free:
– KidsStop
– Snow City
– Human Body Experience
– Omni-Theatre
Click here for information on opening hours.
Where: Sentosa
Several attractions here will be made free for the long Jubilee weekend:
7 August, 8.40pm: Wings of Time night show
8 August: Sentosa Merlion, 10am – 8pm (last entry at 7.30pm)
9 August: free guided tours of Fort Siloso 10am – 6pm (last entry at 5.30pm)
10 August: free cable car rides*, 8.45am – 10pm (last boarding at 9.30pm)
*from HarbourFront station or any of the cable car stations on Sentosa Island
Don’t forget to swing by the delightful sand sculpture exhibition and pose for some pretty pictures. It features iconic moments and monuments in Singapore over the past fifty years! This exhibition runs till the 10th of August 2015.
Where: Singapore City Gallery
The Singapore City Gallery chronicles the story of our island’s physical planning efforts, showing its remarkable metamorphosis from past, present to future. With ten thematic areas and more than fifty audiovisual and interactive exhibits, the Gallery offers a multi-sensory learning experience for visitors. A perfect opportunity for our young ones to learn about the immense efforts of our pioneer generation! For the Jubilee weekend, the Singapore City Gallery is open for visitors from 7 to 10 August 2015, from 9 am to 5pm.
Image courtesy of Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA)
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