Think Esplanade is just for theatre-goers? Take the kids along this National Day weekend and you’ll find loads of fun activities: workshops, arts and crafts, shopping, and plenty more!
National Day weekend in Singapore is always jam-packed with fun stuff to do, especially for families. But have you thought of getting into the spirit of Singapore’s 51st birthday at Esplanade? You might be pleasantly surprised to find that while there are the usual fantastic theatre performances, there’s also a schedule that’s bursting at the seams with workshops, exhibitions, shopping, craft, and loads more, all in the name of celebrating the people and culture of Singapore. Kick off your shoes and step inside for a tour of Our Esplanade Estate…
Esplanade Festival Village
It wouldn’t be a National Day celebration without food, glorious food and some sneaky shopping! With more than 50 stalls on the Esplanade Waterfront curated by LalooLalang you’re sure to find a cool National Day memento or just a fun way to fill your belly (think corn dogs, takoyaki, and ‘paddlepop’ pudding drinks!). Try some pretty candy floss in a jar from Fairy Floss, and explore well-made goods from Singapore’s new breed of designer producers at Supermama Design Mart. Head down to the Esplanade Festival Village during 5-9 August.
Free performances: music, martial arts, films, and a singing chef
Fancy seeing a tribute to ‘home’ featuring a Bangladeshi band and an Indonesian singing group, comprising mainly construction and domestic workers, collaborating with local artists? Home, Sweet Home – A Migrant Worker Showcase sounds like a great place to start. If singing while cooking is more your thing, then The Singing Chef – A Love Affair with National Day is not to be missed, with Irene Jansen and friends whipping up tasty dishes as they sing and dance their way through the kitchen. Also on the musical menu are performances by Women Police Pipes and Drums, Shirlyn & The UnXpected, and plenty more. To round things out there’s also martial arts demonstrations and a KopiQuiz; an interactive performance that puts your kopi and teh ordering skills to the test. And that’s all before we’ve laid out the picnic mats and enjoyed the short films!
Free visual arts exhibitions: see Singapore from a new perspective
National Day calls for a healthy dose of reflection, and what better way than to explore some local art? The three exhibitions on offer at Esplanade look at different ways that landscapes relate to and influence cultural histories and aesthetic imagination. Construction Site 2016 does this by creating a metaphorical theatre of Singapore using contrasting and complementary construction materials to reflect on an island that has been through rapid changes. Spirit of Place explores place and landscape as repositories of meaning through sound, photography, and the moving image, while the Plot photographic exhibition looks at plots of open land in Singapore, many of which have already been developed since being snapped by local photographer Caleb Ming.
Free art and craft workshops: learn to sculpt and sketch
Budding sculptors (or those of us who just like to tinker) are invited to help build giant Esplanade-inspired sculptures under the guidance of cardboard sculptor Bartholomew Ting, or put together a mini sculpture to take home. Or, join Favian Ee from Urban Sketchers Singapore in an introductory sketching workshop, where you can learn the basics of drawing on location. Then jump on the National Day Sketchwalk, where a group of artists, hobbyists and enthusiasts will draw the iconic Esplanade and its surrounds.
Free talks: learn about Singapore’s identity, culture, and people from local creative professionals
Get a healthy dose of inspiration from three of Singapore’s creative best! Hear from the founder of cool lifestyle brand Supermama, Edwin Low, food and travel blogger Maureen Ow aka Miss Tam Chiak, and Aik Beng Chia, one of Singapore’s most prominent street photographers.
Amazingly, these aren’t the only fun cultural things happening at Esplanade around National Day. There’s also the Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts and Matthew Bourne’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ (we’re pretty excited about this coming to Singapore after seeing his take on Swan Lake! Head to the HoneyKids Facebook page before 5 August for a chance to win tickets!), both happening during 4-7 August. And, the lovely people at Esplanade are offering 10% off the Esplanade&Me White card, which brings you closer to the arts with savings of up to 15% on Esplanade Presents shows. Lastly, you can nab a limited edition (and very cool, we must say) esplanadeXsupermama tote bag when you spend $50 at Esplanade Mall from 1 – 31 Aug.
This post is sponsored by Esplanade – Theatres On The Bay.