Things to Do in Singapore in August 2026: 5 Free Events

Singapore Night Festival 2026: dates, theme and what is free

The 17th edition runs 21 August to 5 September 2026 across the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct, under the theme Where Legends Unfold. Heritage buildings get turned into screens: Tales of Earth and Sea projects the Sang Nila Utama legend, MALAM is a projection mapping competition, Birdmen brings light, puppetry and live music over from the Netherlands, and Stormy Straits glows at the Bugis Street Art Lane. The outdoor trails, the light installations and both festival villages are free with no ticket. Two things are ticketed and worth knowing about early: The Lost Legacy of Fort Canning: The Forbidden Hill, and Horror Nights at Oldham Theatre. Per the festival listing, nights run 7.30pm to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays and 7.30pm to 11pm the rest of the week. Get off at Bras Basah or Bugis and walk. If you are already in the area, the thrift market on Bugis Street level 2 is a five minute detour.

Decathlon Sports Fest 2026: over 30 sports, nothing to pay

15 and 16 August, 9am to 7pm, at Decathlon Singapore Lab, 230 Stadium Boulevard. Stadium MRT drops you almost at the door. More than 30 sports are set up to try for free with coaches on hand and no gear needed, and the list is not the usual mall roadshow set: ice hockey, kayaking in a custom-built river pool, fencing, lacrosse, pickleball, snowboarding, aerial yoga, golf, water polo, and a pet obstacle zone. There are over 10 food and drink vendors on site, and a Sports Fest Passport you stamp as you go and trade for drinks and Decathlon points.

The 28 to 30 August weekend: three events, two MRT stops apart

Night At Orchard takes over the pedestrian walkway outside Ngee Ann City from Friday to Sunday, 3pm to 10pm, with around 20 pop-up brands doing crafts, handmade goods and small-batch products. Free to enter. GREEN-HOUSE runs the same three days at Temasek Shophouse in Dhoby Ghaut, its fifth edition and its first to stay open into the night, with over 70 local sustainable brands, workshops that run from herbal dehumidifiers to dog-safe chendol, and a six-course dinner co-curated with Nottofu built entirely from discarded ingredients. Friday is 6pm to 10pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 10pm, entry free, though selected workshops and tours need registration. Then on 29 and 30 August, District After Dark runs Village Encounters in the Lorong Mambong and Lorong Liput stretch of Holland Village, 4pm to 10pm: DJ sets, giant beer pong, neon face painting, an art jam backdrop and a pet-friendly Paw Quest zone. Entry is free, but the Festival Pass that unlocks drink redemptions, workshop access and a photobooth print needs $30 spent at participating merchants like Sweet Cheeks, Wala Wala and Hyggerium, and only 1,000 exist.

FAQs

Is Singapore Night Festival 2026 free?

Yes. The outdoor trails, light installations and festival villages across Bras Basah.Bugis are free with no ticket. A few add-ons are ticketed, including The Lost Legacy of Fort Canning: The Forbidden Hill and Horror Nights at Oldham Theatre.

When is Singapore Night Festival 2026?

21 August to 5 September 2026, spread over three weekends in the Bras Basah.Bugis precinct. Nights start around 7.30pm and run to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Do I need to register for Decathlon Sports Fest 2026?

No. Entry is free and walk-in on 15 and 16 August, 9am to 7pm, at Decathlon Singapore Lab, 230 Stadium Boulevard. Individual sports slots fill up during the day, so come early for the popular ones.

What is happening in Singapore on the weekend of 28 to 30 August 2026?

Three free events run at once: Night At Orchard outside Ngee Ann City from 3pm to 10pm, the GREEN-HOUSE Festival at Temasek Shophouse in Dhoby Ghaut, and from 29 August, Village Encounters in Holland Village.

Is Village Encounters at Holland Village free?

Entry is free. The Festival Pass that unlocks drink redemptions, workshop access and a photobooth print requires $30 spent at participating merchants, and it is capped at 1,000 passes.