NDP 2026: Lights, lasers and fireworks dazzle as Singapore celebrates 61st birthday

For first-time NDP host Xixi Lim, the most memorable moment of NDP 2026 was not the lights, lasers or fireworks.

Instead, it was hearing more than 40,000 Singaporeans recite the pledge and sing the National Anthem in unison at the National Stadium on Sunday (Aug 9).

Speaking to AsiaOne after the show, Xixi said she became emotional as the celebrations drew to a close.

"At that moment, I cried very hard because it was the culmination of weeks of hard work and I just felt very touched that it has all come to an end," she said.

Asked which part of the performance moved her the most, the comedian and content creator pointed to the echoes of the pledge and anthem ringing through the stadium.

Despite the long rehearsal hours and demands of hosting one of Singapore's biggest annual events, Xixi said she would gladly do it again.

"It's worth it."

Xixi was among 24 artistes making their National Day Parade debut this year, alongside fellow first-time hosts Hafidz Rahman and Udaya Soundari, electronic music artiste Jasmine Sokko, Asnida Daud, Sushma Soma, NADA's Safuan Johari, Han Oh, Sky Shen and DJ Lenerd.

NDP 2026 drew to a stirring close on Sunday, blending music, film and fireworks into a vibrant celebration of Singapore's 61st birthday.

The show's final segment opened with Roar!, a short documentary spotlighting the journeys of four sports coaches and the resilience of Singapore's sporting community.

The film set the stage for singer Iman Fandi's performance of Giants, accompanied by a 61-member People's Choir as 61 coaches and athletes took to the stage, embodying this year's "Go Beyond" theme.

The mood then shifted into celebration as Gareth Fernandez, Dru Chen and The People's Choir performed Sparkle, before spectators stood to recite the Singapore Pledge and sing the National Anthem in unison.

Closing off the show, DJ Lenerd led a stadium-wide singalong featuring rearranged versions of familiar National Day favourites, while fireworks lit up the skies over Kallang.

But for many Singaporeans, the spectacle was only part of the experience.

Philip and Vernice Soh have been attending the National Day Parade (NDP) celebrations for years, dating back to the Marina Bay Floating Platform.

This year, they took the MRT to the National Stadium to celebrate with friends and family over an outdoor potluck.

"We have a lot of food," Philip, 59 told AsiaOne in the afternoon heat outside the National Stadium on Sunday.

For the Sohs, NDP is about more than the fireworks. It is also a chance to celebrate Singapore and spend time with family and friends, Philip said. 

No tickets? No problem: Family camps out for NDP festivities

For Priscilla and her family, attending the NDP has become an annual tradition since around 2018.

After several unsuccessful attempts to ballot for tickets, Priscilla and her family began camping out at public viewing spots to catch the fireworks and festivities.

"My brother and I usually camp out every year outside," Priscilla said, adding that family and friends would join them later in the afternoon at the Kallang Basin.

A roar across the Basin

Like many others gathered around the Kallang Basin, they were treated to one of NDP 2026's newest spectacles.

This year, in another first, the Presidential Gun Salute was fired from a Mobility 3rd Generation (M3G) military raft, a self-propelled amphibious bridging vehicle, at the Kallang Basin.

Diana Nordin, 36, a Ninja Van driver, said NDP was a special occasion as everyone gets the day off, giving families a chance to come together and spend time with one another.

Her daughter Hannah Hayat, 12, said she does not usually like loud noises but was excited to see her younger sister, Inara Hayat, 4, experience NDP for the first time.

Hannah said she was especially excited for Inara to see the performances and state flag flypast, adding that seeing her younger sister’s excitement made the occasion more meaningful for her.

[[nid:742067]]

editor@asiaone.com
helmy.saat@asiaone.com
laili.abdeen@asiaone.com
khooyihang@asiaone.com