Top 34 free things to do in Singapore (April 2024): Easter Egg-stravaganza Farmers' Market, Magic Hour at Raffles Hotel, and more
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Bored as well as broke? We've got good news for you. This April, there's no way you'll miss out on the festivities with the slew of markets, events, and activities to keep you entertained at zero cost.
Hop into an Easter "egg-stravaganza" Farmers' Market, get enchanted at the Raffles Hotel's Magic Hour, and unwind on the weekends with free weekly yoga and meditation sessions. Here's your guide to the top 34 free things to do in April 2024.
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Dive into the vibrant heart of Kampong Glam for its largest and longest-running Ramadan bazaar yet. This year's bazaar edition is called Gemilang Kampong Gelam. Now in its fourth edition, will span five weeks from March 2, 2024 and feature over 100 stalls offering an array of food and retail delights.
Running daily from 2 pm - 11 pm until April 5, 2024, the bazaar promises a feast for the senses along Kandahar, Muscat, and Baghdad Streets. You can expect most of the stalls to cater to your cravings — about 80 are dedicated to culinary treats, while about 20 are for retail, live cooking shows, and performances by acclaimed artists like Tomok, Alif Satar, and Taufik Batisah.
In celebration of the Sultan Mosque's bicentennial, there will also be light projections of its archival photos from the National Archives of Singapore cast on the mosque every Friday to Sunday from 7.30 pm. Muslim friends, don't forget to join in for the mass iftar (the evening meal with which Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset) on March 23, 2024.
Kampong Glam Bazaar
For the ultimate foodie fix this Ramadan, look no further than the Geylang Serai Bazaar. From March 8 (which happens to be International Women's Day) till April 10, 2024, visit the fair for 500 stalls, some 150 of which are halal-friendly food stalls.
The bazaar is open from 10 am to 12 am daily, so they’ve got you and your cravings any time of the day or night. With so many food options, it’s really difficult to pick some favourite stalls to highlight. But here goes my attempt:
Geylang Serai Bazaar
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I’m not really a bag person, but I own a few quirky bags that I love. To me, bags are not so much a fashion statement as they are a statement of my personality. If you know what I’m talking about (or even if you don’t), drop by Crane's Bag Brigade event to discover your next statement piece.
Hosted by Crane at OCBC Wisma Atria from April 5 to 7, 2024, it’s a celebration of bags in all shapes and sizes — from the indispensable giant tote that every mom swears by to the adorable, tiny purse that’s perfect for your night out essentials.
What makes this event even more special is the opportunity to meet the brilliant minds behind these creations. Engage with the designers, understand their craft, and connect with the artisans responsible for bringing these stylish and functional pieces to life.
Whether you're on the hunt for that perfect bag or just looking to admire the craftsmanship, Bag Brigade is where fashion meets functionality and creativity. Don’t miss out on this unique gathering of bag lovers and creators!
Bag Brigade
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The Hammock Market is a biweekly thrift market that happens every other Saturday at Aperia Mall. It gets its name from the way its participating vendors set up their booths-tables and carts are way too boring, so they set up in hammocks!
Calling themselves "the Saturday Thrift Party", The Hammock Market is packed with over 50 makers' booths and thrift stores. Plus, look out for activities-these could include free Jagua tattoos, a bake sale, tarot reading and personalised illustrations!
The Hammock Market
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When we think of art pieces, most Singaporeans think "cheem", and the remaining probably think "expensive" Bottom line: a lot of us think of art as atas (possibly too atas to understand) and unaffordable.
This June, the Artsy Weekend is here to change that mindset. The event will feature some of Singapore's best-loved artists and their art works, which you can admire and even discuss with the artists themselves.
If you're intimidated by art, take this opportunity to talk to the artists about their art styles, what inspires them, and what those cheem art pieces really mean. Who knows? You may even fall in love with a piece. If you do, you can purchase art pieces during the event at what they promise to be affordable prices.
Artsy Weekend
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Hop into Easter with a twist at the Farmers' Market: Easter Egg-stravaganza Edition, brought to life by City Sprouts. Happening on Saturday, April 6, 2024, from 9 am until 1 pm, this isn't your ordinary Easter event. Picture over 20 vibrant stalls bursting with farm-fresh produce, irresistible baked treats, and must-have pantry delights!
Plus, embark on an adventurous Easter egg hunt, dash to glory in the whimsical Rabbit Race Telematch, and dive into the Farm Animal Experience ($25) — where you'll get up close and personal with friendly frogs, curious chickens, and fascinating bugs in interactive workshops.
And for those feeling crafty, unleash your creativity with a free Easter craft workshop, turning waste materials into festive treasures. It's a day packed with laughter, learning, and a little bit of Easter magic, making it the perfect outing for families eager to celebrate the season with a green, fun-filled twist.
Farmers' Market: Easter Egg-stravaganza Edition
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Easties, get ready for an Eco-Fair extravaganza this April, hosted by City Sprouts at i12 Katong! Celebrate Earth month from April 11 to 14, 2024 with four action-packed days filled with engaging activities and workshops designed for both kids and adults at this travelling market.
Dive into the wonders of Singapore's waters with Coastal Native's eye-opening showcase, and be mesmerised by a stunning patchwork mural from Fashion Parade, artfully made from recycled textiles. Refresh your style sustainably by picking out treasures from Cloop's open wardrobe, where fashion finds start at just $10!
The weekend ups the ante with a vibrant market featuring local vendors who champion sustainable products. Plus, if you spend $15 or more at i12 Katong, you get to join a workshop for free, choosing between pottery painting and plant potting sessions by Ferticlay (these workshops otherwise cost $20 each).
Eco-Fair @ Katong
Thought farmers' markets could only be found overseas? We’re happy to correct you on that one. Singapore has its very own farmers’ markets — yes, more than one!
The Joo Chiat Farmers' Market happens every other weekend at Crane Joo Chiat. You’ll get to shop foods and produce from local farmers, bakers, gardeners and artisans. There’ll even be pet food supplies!
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The April 13-14, edition of this Farmers’ Market is happening at the same time and place as the Crane Food Fair, so be sure to come hungry.
The best part? The Joo Chiat Farmers’ Market is indoors, so you can shop in air-conditioned comfort, rain or shine.
Joo Chiat Farmer’s Market
Did you know that about 817,000 tonnes of food is wasted in Singapore every year? To put things into perspective, that's the weight of 100,000 cars!
Needless to day, food wastage is a huge problem in this garden city. One solution could be embracing ugly food — food that looks cosmetically blemished, but is perfectly edible and nutritious.
At this monthy Ugly Food Workshop, learn more about our food waste problem and the benefits of eating ugly foods-beyond reducing food waste, it can also save you money and support sustainable agriculture!
Ugly Food Workshop
This might be the most meaningful fair you'll visit all month. Crane's Doing Good Fair is all about connecting you with the unsung heroes in our community-non-profits, organisations and the folks behind sustainability projects that support various causes in the community and for the planet.
Crane hasn't published a list of who you'll see there, but you can be assured a trip down will be meaningful.
If you hold an OCBC credit card, bring it along. This event is going to be held at OCBC Wisma Atria and OCBC cardmembers get special privileges.
Doing Good Fair
We wrote a blog article last year about Shein, which has been criticised for — among other things — its sustainability issues. Truth be told, many fast fashion brands aren’t exactly stewards of eco-friendly living.
Enter Spring into Summer — in the organiser’s words, a day of all things green! This earth-friendly event happening the weekend before Earth Day will feature clothes, accessories, cosmetics and other items from sustainable and ethical sources.
There’ll also be some edibles in the form of healthy snacks and upcycling/recycling workshops. In line with the overarching theme of green living, all vendors at this event will also be small independent businesses based in Singapore, so you can #supportlocal too.
Spring into Summer
Instagram is a great place to get hungry. I'm sure we've all been caught in a black hole of home-baked goodness on the platform, our eyes feasting while our stomachs get hungrier. Don't you wish you could just reach through the screen and taste some of those deep dish cookies and basque burnt cheesecakes?
Now you can at Crane Living @ OCBC Wisma Atria L4. From April 26 to 28, 2024, Crane Living is bringing you their favourite bakers and cooks from Instagram. This time, eat for real! Now that's a real feast.
As with other Crane events held at Crane OCBC Wisma Atria, there are special privileges for OCBC cardholders. So don't forget to bring along your OCBC credit card! If you don't already have one, I recommend the OCBC 365 Credit Card for 5 per cent cashback on everyday dining.
Crane Bake Sale
I don't know about you, but I am a destroyer of household items. I break things around the house on an almost weekly basis sometimes. Enter Repair Kopitiam, a haven for anyone looking to mend their broken goods rather than tossing them aside.
Gathering on the last Sunday of every month, this initiative is more than just a repair session — it's a movement towards sustainability. Whether it’s faulty electronics, torn outfits, or wobbly furniture, the Repair Coaches are on hand to guide you through the fixing process.
The next Repair Kopitiam session is scheduled for April 28 2024, and is your chance to embrace repair over despair. Remember to sign up between April 12 (from 12pm) to April 24, 2024. Bring your damaged treasures and discover the joy of fixing, saving, and learning — all in the name of reducing waste and embracing sustainability.
Repair Kopitiam
Calling all furry and feathered friends! Crane at Joo Chiat is opening up their doors to you on April 27 and 28, 2024 for a weekend of yummy treats, fun playtime, and cute pet accessories. Like many of the other weekend fairs on this list, all vendors at Pets Weekend will be small businesses in Singapore.
Here’s a preview of what the next Pets Weekend will look like, based on the most recent edition that took place last weekend:
The April edition of Pets Weekend is also happening pretty close to International Reading Day (April 23). To celebrate the occasion, there’ll also be a $1 book sale!
Pets Weekend at Crane
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Everyone's favourite pop-up handmade market Makers' Market always has something up their sleeves. Visit their pushcarts in PLQ Mall from 11 am to 10 pm. to shop artisanal crafts and lifestyle products daily, or check out these markets you can look forward to in April:
Makers’ Market | Date and time | Venue |
Easter Makers’ by Makers’ Market @ Mandai Wildlife West | 5 – 7 Apr 2024 | 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. |
National Heritage Board (NHB)’s Heritage Activation Nodes (HAN) initiative @ I12 KATONG | 20 – 21 Apr 2024 | 12 p.m. – 9 p.m. |
SOTA | April – June (Fridays to Sundays) | 12 p.m. – 8 p.m. |
PLQ Plaza | April – August 2024 (Fridays and Saturdays) | 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. |
This April, the theme for the Esplanade’s free programmes is "In Youthful Company". As you can probably guess, it’s all about youths as young adults, teens, and even a 10-year-old take centre stage.
Look forward to performances from young singer-songwriters like Owen Li, school choirs from Cedar Girl’s Secondary School and Concord Primary School Choir, and 10-year-old multi-instrumentalist Lyla Ng.
It’s not all musical performances; there'll also be drama acts, dance showcases, and film screenings! Check out the In Youthful Company page for more information.
The elegant, timeless atmosphere of Raffles Hotel provides the perfect backdrop to classical symphony performances during Magic Hour, a collaboration between the hotel and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO).
This quarterly event is happening on April 20, 2024 at The Lawn, Raffles Arcade, which can hold about 250 in the audience.
To add to the calming atmosphere, get yourself some light bites and drinks while you soak in the live music. As the sun dips below the horizon, prepare to be enchanted by classic pieces, verdant landscapes, and the classic charm of colonial architecture.
Magic Hour @ Raffles Hotel Singapore
It feels almost like it should be a secret, but this is too good not to share. Every Sunday evening, tucked away in Bali Lane, you can get a taste of live jazz jams at The Jazz Loft @ Blu Jaz Café at no cover charge.
Called the Sunday Jam Sessions, each session opens with pianist Rachma Lim and her trio. Then, homegrown and international jazz stars take the stage — some familiar faces already well established in the jazz world, and some up and coming jazz musicians paving the way for a new wave of jazz.
You never really know exactly who you’ll get to hear (to our knowledge, they don’t publish this anywhere), but perhaps the mystery is part of the appeal. Just like jazz improv, every iteration is unique.
Sunday Jam Session at The Jazz Loft
Everyone wants a safe space where you can just be you, and be supported. Not everyone has such spaces in their lives—but everyone deserves them.
That’s why Growth Collective SG has organised Growth Circles, two-hour sessions for individuals to connect meaningfully and feel empowered by each other. It’s about showing support, being present, and ultimately building a world where no one feels alone.
Here’s how a month’s worth of Growth Circle sessions looks like:
These are the Growth Circles sessions this month:
Date and time | Venue | Registration |
3 Apr 2024, 7.30 p.m. | The Red Box, 113 Somerset Road Singapore, 238165 | Register here. |
9 Apr 2024, 7.30 p.m. | Online | Register here. |
23 Apr 2024, 7.30 p.m. | Online | Register here. |
30 Apr 2024, 7.30 p.m. | The Red Box, 113 Somerset Road Singapore, 238165 | Register here. |
One of my closest friends used to use the dating app Tinder — not to date, but to make friends. She would chat with people on the app-filtering out any creeps, of course-and actually made some meaningful friendships from her efforts.
These days, there's an easier, non-virtual way to make friends. Friendzone hosts community-building gatherings for young adults to connect with each other and develop friendships. They believe that Singapore is, and I quote, "full of diversity and interesting people that just haven't met yet". If you don't agree, maybe you should give one of their sessions a try.
This month, there are two Friendzone sessions planned for the topics of careers, friendships and relationships:
Session | Date and time | Venue and address |
Let’s Talk About Career Journeys: Gen Z & Millennials | 3 Apr 2024, 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. | Stack @ Stamford Arts Centre, 155 Waterloo Street Singapore, 187962 |
Friendzone Buona Vista & Holland Village: Friendships & Relationships | 16 Apr 2024, 8 – 10 p.m. | Level 2 MPH @ Buona Vista Community Club, 36 Holland Drive Singapore, Singapore 270036 |
Remember to respect that these are friend-making events, not dating ones.
Myth: Crochet is only for old grannys.
Fact: Crochet is for people of all ages, and has made something of a comeback in recent years. I daresay certain crochet amigurumi toys might even have been trending this year.
If you're a crochet hobbyist, this Crochet Interest Group Meetup is your chance to meet like-minded folks. There's no dedicated teacher, but you'll meet fellow crocheters you can explore the craft with and learn from. It doesn't matter if you're a beginner or if you've been doing this for decades, all skill levels are welcome!
Crochet Interest Group Meetup
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Zalora is extending its Snap and Drop Programme, a programme that lets you donate your unwanted clothing to reduce the amount of apparel that ends up in landfills. On top of that, you’ll receive a $10 cashback voucher from Zalora for each clothing drop you make. How does it work? It’s pretty simple:
Pack your clothes, shoes, bags and more — basically any fabric item.
Snap a photo of your bag of unwanted fabric items in front of the collection box at any of these drop-off locations.
Drop your items into the collection box. You’ll also want to note down the collection box number (SG0XXX) on the front of the box.
Fill in this form to get your cashback! You can only redeem this once a month, and the cashback expires in 1 month.
For this initiative, Zalora is partnering with Life Line Clothing, a Malaysia-based zero waste textile collector. They’ll sort the donated items and resell the apparel in good condition while refurbishing, upcycling, recycling, or even reprocessing the poorer condition items into fuels.
For the Easties out there, one good option for public speaking practice is with the Bedok Toastmasters Club. Like the other clubs, this is a supportive space for you to practise speeches and impromptu dialogue, suitable for both beginners and experienced public speakers.
Mastering Communication, Empowering Voices with Bedok Toastmasters
Hone your public speaking skills with the Jurong Green English Toastmaster Club. This toastmasters club meets once or twice a month at Jurong Green Community Club to deliver their prepared speeches, practise some impromptu speaking, and get constructive feedback. You also get to network with like-minded folks and practise both speaking and leadership skills.
Gain your Confidence Today: Free Public Speaking Course @ Jurong Green CC
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Uncle Chris is a self-described "everyday Singapore uncle" who’s seen a lot of Singapore over the years, and now loves showing it to others.
Join Uncle Chris on his free walking tours to be entertained and even educated on the hidden heritage, culture and history behind various areas in Singapore. Uncle Chris spills all he knows, and isn’t afraid to touch on the darker parts of history; for this reason, do look out for tours that are adult only.
I love how Uncle Chris always comes up with interesting itineraries and angles. Here are some Uncle Chris Walking Tours highlights that caught my eye this month:
Do note that while Uncle Chris Walking Tours are all free, you’re strongly encouraged to tip at the end of the tour.
If you’re keen on tours in Singapore, another great option for you is the heritage tours conducted by My Community , a non-profit organisation that showcases and celebrates the community, culture and heritage in locales like Queenstown, Bukit Merah and Tiong Bahru.
Off the mainland, they also conduct tours to St John Island, Sentosa, and Pulau Ubin. These tend to be pretty popular, so be sure to reserve your slot early!
Check out the My Community Heritage Tours line-up for the month. But be warned that at the time of writing, many are already fully booked!
Whether you're looking around for a new job or just want to upgrade your skills at work, these next few programmes will be useful for you.
Thanks to the National Library Board (NLB) and their Get Professional series, you can access professional advice on resume writing, personal branding, public speaking, and EQ at work — all for free this month. Get guidance from industry experts who've coached hundreds before you and know all the tips and tricks to play the game.
NLB’s Get Professional series has two sessions lined up for you in April 2024:
Do note that the events that are labelled as part of their Get Professional X TOYL series are for participants aged 50 years old and up. This April, all the events are for seniors.
Is ChatGPT taking over the world? Not quite yet, but it's certainly had a huge impact on the way many of us work. In the Future of Work series organised by the National Library Board, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are embraced as, well, the future of work.
These workshops will equip you with the relevant skills and knowledge in our digital age to prepare you for the quickly evolving office landscape.
Here are some highlights this April:
Like NLB's Get Professional series, some of the "Future of Work" events are only for participants aged 50 years old and up. These are again labelled as "Future of Work X TOYL" on their page.
Line dancing is a great way to stay active and get some exercise in. This month, library volunteer Hui Kwang is engaging seniors with the dance form at Choa Chu Kang Public Library.
The two-hour session is part of their drive for "by the community, for the community", and welcomes any fitness levels and dance experience levels. Very beginner friendly, you don’t need any dance background to take part!
The most challenging part about this line dancing session happens a month before the event — securing your slot. Due to its popularity, spaces fill up quickly. The slots for the April 2 and 16 sessions are already full at the time of writing, so book your slot for the next session on May 7 as soon as you can!
Line Dancing for Seniors
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Exactly as it sounds. These yoga sessions from Pay As You Wish Yoga are all donation-based, meaning you only pay what you can and want to. All proceeds from these sessions go to Yoga Circle, a non-profit organisation that aims to promote diversity and inclusivity in yoga.
This month, there are two sessions you can sign up for:
Pay What You Wish Yoga
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Yoga studio Yoga Seeds is bringing you a free family yoga sesh every second Sunday of every month. The sessions are family-friendly (pets are welcome too!) and held in the great outdoors, amidst the lush greenery of Bishan-AMK Park.
Sessions are held on Sunday mornings, starting at 8 am. Come 15 minutes early for registration!
Sign up at the link below to book your slot. Entry is free, but everyone needs a ticket no matter their age.
Outdoor Family Yoga in Bishan Park
Meditating is hard. Anyone who's tried it can attest to the surprising difficulty of being present. That's why sometimes we need a little help from seasoned meditators with years of experience.
With Let's Meditate Singapore, start every Sunday morning off on the right foot with a free guided 'Sahaja Yoga' online meditation class. Sahaja Yoga is a gentle, beginner-friendly technique that's always free.
In these weekly sessions, let experienced volunteers guide you through a 9-step "self-realisation" guided meditation to get you started followed by a 3-step "balancing" guided meditation to stay in the present and distance yourself from unnecessary or unproductive worries and concerns about the past and future.
Sessions are conducted online every Sunday at 9.45 am using the same Zoom link. Sign up at the link below!
Let’s Meditate Singapore
Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just getting started, the Puma Run Club is a great community to help you meet your running goals. Remember how in 2.4km runs in school, you’d pick a fit person ahead of you to try to keep up with?
Well for this run sesh, there’ll be pacers from Singapore Runners Club who’ll run alongside you at 7min/km, 6min/km, and 5.30min/km or less. After you’re done, the pacers will also lead you in a cool down to end off the session. So really all you need to do is to show up for yourself and give it your best shot!
Puma Run Club
If you need an extra push to hit your fitness goals, Singapore’s New Balance Run Club (NBRC) may be the community you’ve been looking for.
NBRC meets every Tuesday evening at Suntec City’s New Balance outlet to work out together. They run (of course), do some HIIT (a classic!), and even do Fartlek — that’s Swedish for "speed play". As the name suggests, it involves switching between fast and slow running to boost metabolism.
New Balance Run Club
ALSO READ: The best things to do in Singapore (April 2024)
This article was first published in MoneySmart.