MINDEF announces National Day Parade to be held at Padang for 2024 and 2025

SINGAPORE: The Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) confirmed today that the upcoming 2024 and 2025 National Day Parade (NDP) will be held at the historic Padang.

Both years carry significant importance for the nation.

The 2024 parade will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Total Defence, Singapore's renowned defence concept.

To mark this special year, a first-of-its-kind dynamic defence display will be showcased at the Padang, according to Brigadier-General Low Wilson, the NDP 2024 executive committee chair.

"This display will see air-land components from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force, and Singapore Civil Defence Force working collaboratively with the community," BG Low elaborated.

This show will include an engaging portrayal of how Singapore's forces handle threats, featuring dramatic pyrotechnics.

Additionally, festivities and the dynamic defence display will spread to the Marina Bay area, giving a larger number of Singaporeans the chance to partake in the celebrations.

In a unique move, NDP community events and dynamic display elements will venture into the local heartlands on 10 August 2024, taking advantage of the weekend right after the National Day.

Moving to 2025, the NDP will commemorate Singapore's 60th independence anniversary at the Padang, a venue steeped in history. BG Cai Dexian, chair of the NDP 2025 executive committee, mentioned, "The Padang hosted Singapore's first NDP in 1966, and other milestone celebrations, underscoring its historic importance."

The 2025 parade will encapsulate the concept of "three concentric rings". The central act will take place at the Padang, extending to live celebrations at Marina Bay, and finally to the heartlands. With features like a mobile column, aerial displays, and fireworks, the event is expected to attract over 250,000 participants.

While the Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen had initially voiced his preference for the 2024 parade to be held at the National Stadium in Singapore Sports Hub, BG Low justified the decision for Padang, believing it offers a richer immersive experience.

The early announcement of the venue for 2025 allows the organisers to prepare adequately. BG Cai emphasized the intent to be inclusive and consultative in the planning stages.

The NDP was held at the Sports Hub only once, in 2016. This venue replaced the former Kallang Stadium, where Singapore's National Day was traditionally celebrated. The final bill for hosting the event at the Sports Hub amounted to S$39.4 million, with 15% allocated for the venue alone.

In contrast, past parades at The Float@Marina Bay cost between S$15.7 million and S$17.9 million, while the NDP at Padang in 2019 came in at about $24.7 million.