Singapore's 60th birthday: No ticket, no problem – here are some spots to soak up National Day vibes

The Star

5 days ago

SINGAPORE: Are you trying to make plans for Saturday (Aug 9) to join in the National Day festivities but have no idea where to go? The Straits Times has you covered.
For the first time, the National Day Parade (NDP) show will extend from the Padang to Marina Bay as part of an 'expanded canvas' to mark Singapore's 60th birthday.
Members of the public can catch the aerial display, fireworks as well as the descent of the Red Lions onto the Padang and naval divers into the waters of Marina Bay.
There will also be light projections on UOB Building Plaza 1 and The Fullerton Hotel, allowing people outside the Padang to be part of the National Day experience.
Three venues with free activities
There are a few non-ticketed venues where the public can soak in the festivities while watching a live telecast of the parade: The Meadow at Gardens by the Bay, Marina Barrage and the Singapore Sports Hub.
At The Meadow, visitors can play nostalgic games in larger-than-life formats, savour complimentary traditional snacks, take part in interactive art activities, and watch live performances.
Over at Marina Barrage, people can try their hand at upcycling unwanted fabrics or jars, take on sustainability-themed challenges, and learn more about the environment through interactive booths.
Last but not least, those at the Singapore Sports Hub can participate in fitness activities, buy handcrafted products from an artisanal marketplace, and take their fur babies to a pet fair.
Look up... it's the Red Lions!
From around five minutes before 6pm, a team of seven parachutists from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), better known as the Red Lions, will leap from a height of about 3,050m above the Esplanade.
They will then get into their signature ring free-fall formation and perform a 'bomb burst' manoeuvre – complete with red smoke trails – before landing.
To catch a glimpse of their descent onto the Padang, Singaporeans can look skywards from the nearby Victoria Theatre, the rooftop of Marina Square or from Jubilee Bridge.
They can also watch the fighter jets performing their enhanced salute to the nation and two special aerial displays that mark Singapore's 60th birthday.
Fireworks fans should also linger at these spots as they provide a clear view of the explosive, colourful displays that will light up the sky from around 7.35pm onwards.
Watch naval divers splash down
Around 10 minutes before 6pm, just before the Red Lions leap, seven naval divers from the Republic of Singapore Navy will jump from a helicopter about 1,830m above the ground.
They will take about five minutes to free-fall – one after another – and deploy their parachutes, before landing in the waters of Marina Bay in front of the Esplanade.
They will approach the waters from Jubilee Bridge before getting onto small floating platforms that will move them to an area near the Merlion to perform a combined salute with the Red Lions.
Those hoping to spot the naval divers jumping into Marina Bay and watch the fireworks thereafter can try their luck at Merlion Park, Jubilee Bridge, the waterfront promenade in front of the Esplanade as well as Helix Bridge.
They can also take a closer look at the multi-axis fly-past, which involves six fighter jets flying in from opposite directions – three from above the National Gallery Singapore and three from Marina Bay – before zooming past each other over the Padang and flying almost vertically upwards.
Get up close with tanks
Families with young children may be interested in catching a glimpse of the mobile column, which showcases 170 air, land and maritime assets from the SAF, Home Team, and Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
Before 5pm, the mobile column will be stationed in the area near Exit C of Esplanade MRT station.
At around the same time, the Uncasing of Colours ceremony – a symbolic military tradition – will take place at Marina Square.
Before 7pm, the mobile column will set off for the Padang, and Singaporeans waiting along Nicoll Highway – where Exit C of Esplanade MRT station is – may be able to catch it as it makes its way towards the Padang. And 10 to 20 minutes after 7pm, after the mobile column has done its round at the Padang, some assets will go past Funan mall in North Bridge Road, while others will exit via Esplanade Drive and Fullerton Road.
Members of the public can head down earlier to secure a good viewing spot, as some of these spaces may be cordoned off closer to the start of the parade due to crowd control measures.
Getting there
According to the National Day traffic advisory posted by the NDP 2025 executive committee, roads such as Republic Avenue, sections of Crawford Street, Beach Road, Republic Boulevard, Nicoll Highway, North Bridge Road, Esplanade Drive, St Andrew's Road, Parliament Place, Supreme Court Lane and Coleman Street will be closed.
For a full list of road closures on Aug 9, refer to ndp.gov.sg/resources/advisories
The NDP website states that taxis and private-hire vehicles will be diverted due to road closures in the surrounding areas, and cautioned Singaporeans to plan their journeys accordingly.
It also advises those who are attending the parade to take public transport instead, given the large volume of people.
For those who want to drive, there are parking options in Bugis such as at Bugis Junction and Bugis+ shopping centres as well as the National Library and Duo Tower. Alternatively, they can park their vehicles in Dhoby Ghaut, at malls such as Plaza Singapura and The Cathay.
These are just an MRT ride and a short walk from the suggested vantage points.
Singaporeans watching the parade from Marina Bay should check the Crowd@Marina Bay map at https://go.gov.sg/crowd-at-marina-bay to view real-time crowd levels, and areas that may be closed due to crowd build-up. - The Straits Times/ANN