The long-awaited long weekend is upon us, and you still have no plans? If you’re looking for something to do that’s fun, free and will entertain everyone in the family — from toddlers and tweens to parents and grandparents — then you should probably haul the entire clan to Gardens by the Bay for ‘Our SG, Our Celebration’.

It’s a free National Day concert and carnival, happening Aug 10 and 11, and there are over 20 artists performing, including Kit Chan, Dick Lee, Kumar and Jasmine Sokko. But what if not everyone in your group or the family is a music fan?

Keep your eye out for the tents around the Meadow at Gardens by the Bay because that’s where a slew of activities in store.

Here’s a list of the best things to do at the inaugural Our SG, Our Celebration concert and carnival.

Don’t take our word for it, but this massive Inflatable Challenge by SAFRA will probably be among the top crowd-pleasers at the carnival. The kids love it; kidults get to unleash their inner ninja warrior; and Instagramming mums get a whole lot of content from the sidelines. Talk about a win-win situation.

It’s not a holiday, especially with Singaporeans, if there is no food involved. Pack your own picnic basket to enjoy the performances if you like. But if you can’t boil an egg to save your life, there’ll be food trucks to save the day, with nosh from Good Burgers, Coffee Bandits, Sofnade, Coolman and The Halal Food Truck, among others, available at The Meadow.

With so much going on, it’s most likely your phone’s going to need extra juice at some point during the fun day out. Slink over to the Charge Up zone, where there are booths for you to charge your phone for free (you’ll have to bring along your own cables, though). We hear there’ll be surprise giveaways at this corner, so you’ll be multi-tasking in the best way possible, even as you’re waiting for your mobile phone to come back to life.

It’s the long weekend and you don’t have to worry about dress codes, whether it’s for school or for the office. So go the whole nine yards and adorn yourself with occasion-approriate temporary tattoos, or get your face painted. Kids can also get crafty, literally, at a sand art or a balloon sculpting session. Separate charges may apply.

Sure, the folks at the National Day Parade get a fun pack, but over here, attendees get a free potted plant, which may or may not look like one of these in the photo. A perfect addition to your home, now that the jungalow trend is all the rage. Plants are available on a first come first serve basis, while stocks last. And, in the spirit of going green, don’t forget to bring your own bag for the plant.

What’s a National Day celebration if we don’t kaypoh a bit? CLASS 95, Gold 905 and 987 will be broadcasting live from a mobile booth over the two days, so you’ll get a glimpse of the jocks at work. There’ll also be meet-and-greet sessions with radio DJs, cast members and contestants from SPOP Sing! 2018, Star Search 2019, KIN and Fried Rice Paradise – The Drama Series, plus a ton of giveaways to satiate your true-blue kiasu Singaporean soul.

Screenings of Fried Rice Paradise – The Drama Series run on both days from 5pm to 6pm. No, it’s not like watching TV at home together — this one is a big screen, okay?

#1: Bring your own mat to enjoy the performances and activities. It’s a free-standing event though some seats will be provided for folks who need them the most. Bringing your own chairs and inflatable seats aren’t a good idea— just think of the poor folks behind whose view you’ll be blocking.
#2: Should you bring your pet? Crowds are expected, so if you don’t want to stress Scooby out, it’s best he stay home to chill instead. But if you do have to bring your furry friends out, they have to be leashed at all times. And please, if Scooby poops, clean up after him and dispose of it. You wouldn’t go to the toilet and not flush… right?
#3: Bring brollies and ponchos, in case of light rain, because the show will go on. Activities will be halted in the event of heavy rain with thunder and lightning.

Our SG, Our Celebration is on Aug 10-11, 4-9.30pm, at The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.gardensbythebay.com.sg/nationaldayconcert. Highlights from the two-day concert will be shown on Channel 5 on Sunday 18 August in two parts, at 7.30pm - 8.15pm, and 10pm - 11pm and available on Toggle as VOD and Channel 5 YouTube.

Photos: Gardens by the Bay, SAFRA, Coffee Bandits, Unsplash