Familiar venue, fresh vibe for NDP 2026 celebrations

25-pounder guns firing off at the Kallang Basin. An indoor drone light show. A six-part microdrama series.

Singaporeans can look forward to these NDP firsts and more in this year’s National Day celebrations, which will be held at the National Stadium for the first time in 10 years.

With a seating capacity of 42,000 – compared to The Float @ Marina Bay’s previous capacity of 27,000 seats – the National Stadium is inviting more Singaporeans to come together for the country’s biggest birthday bash.

Back at the National Stadium

The return of the Parade to a familiar venue means a precious opportunity to give Singaporeans a fresh NDP experience, said Chairman of the NDP 2026 Executive Committee, Brigadier-General (BG) Lim Han Yong, 46.

“SG61 marks the start of a new decade – and we want to think bigger and bolder to energise Singaporeans to come together and go beyond where we are today,” BG Lim explained.

“The return to the stadium gives us a rare opportunity to challenge ourselves to redesign our National Day Parade and offer new elements and creative possibilities.”

Lights, drones & a musical extravaganza

This year’s NDP Show will be staged on an impressive platform spanning the length of a football field, integrated with aerial elements, stage lifts and multimedia displays.

The Parade’s first-ever indoor drone light show will also be complemented by NDP’s largest special effects presentation to date – more than twice the scale of past displays.

Local artistes like Najip Ali, Jasmine Sokko and Iman Fandi will be joined on stage by over 2,000 performers from various organisations, including the People’s Association, Ministry of Education schools and SOKA Gakkai Singapore.

Fans of the Parade and Ceremony (P&C) segment can enjoy perennial favourites like the State Flag Flypast and Feu-De-Joie.

Bringing NDP out to the Kallang precinct

Celebrations will be expanded to the vicinity of the Kallang area.

With the Presidential Gun Salute being fired from the Kallang Basin for the first time, members of the public can witness this iconic Parade tradition up close.

The NDP Celebrations @ The Kallang, held from 25 Jul to 9 Aug, will bring NDP cheer and festivities to the Kallang precinct.

Visitors can snap pics “for the gram” at the “Go Beyond” lighted display located along the Stadium Riverside Walk, sing along to their favourite National Day songs performed by students and music interest groups, and have fun at various exhibition booths.

Sights & sounds of NDP 2026

For the first time ever, a six-episode microdrama series will be produced for the Parade.

Starring local talents Iman Fandi and Yung Raja, Heartbeats follows a shy woman’s journey to overcoming personal challenges and finding her voice at an NDP heartlands concert. The series will debut on NDPeeps social media channels.

Audiences can easily watch the series on their phones and other devices, as the show is produced in vertical format and optimised for mobile viewing.

The series is directed by K. Rajagopal and written by Kaylene Tan, and aims to bring moments of community spirit to life, celebrating how Singaporeans go above and beyond for each other.

“In all the films I’ve made before, it’s always about finding a voice, whether for the community or for an individual,” said Mr Rajagopal, 60.

Highlighting the protagonist’s struggles with childhood traumas and insecurities, Mr Rajagopal also hopes Singaporeans can resonate with the characters and see their own journeys and growth in them.

“We wanted to tell something from a young person’s perspective,” said Ms Tan, 53.

“Having this young protagonist is like a coming-of-age story - the coming of age of a citizen and how she stands up and finds her voice.”

To play the character Juraidah, Iman explained that she drew from a lot of her own personal experiences.

"Playing her is really fun and exciting, but it was also challenging (to portray the character's vulnerability on film)," said the 25-year-old.

In addition to the microdrama, the public can look forward to a special album showcasing the musical soundtrack of this year’s NDP.

The Go Beyond: NDP 2026 album will feature three original songs: Giants, Sparkle and You’ll Be Okay. Look out for these tunes on the NDPeeps YouTube channel on 21 May and the NDPeeps Spotify channel on 22 May!

Giants, performed by Iman and written by weish, tells the story of growth from uncertainty and self-doubt to finding one’s voice, drawing from the inner self and from the people who make us who we are.

Iman, who last performed at the Parade in 2023, is happy to be returning to the NDP stage once again.

“I feel very honoured and it’s such a big weight – a good weight. This is an opportunity that doesn’t come very often. And I knew that I had to take it, (and to) be able to carry the Singapore flag high.”