NDP 2026 to be held at National Stadium, no Red Lions, mobile column & heartland celebrations

The 2026 National Day Parade (NDP) will be returning to the National Stadium for the first time in 10 years.

The last time the NDP was held at the new National Stadium was in 2016.

Bringing it back to the venue presents "a rare opportunity to redesign the NDP experience", said Chairman of the NDP 2026 Executive Committee Brigadier-General Lim Han Yong.

"SG61 marks the start of a new decade for Singapore, and we challenged ourselves to go beyond, bringing fresh and bold ideas for a more immersive celebration."

With a seating capacity of about 42,000 at the venue, the parade and ceremony segment will feature the largest civilian participation in over a decade.

No Red Lions & mobile columns

The National Day celebrations this year will not feature Red Lions and mobile columns, including in the heartlands.

In response to media queries, Lim noted that both elements have a special place in Singaporeans' hearts.

"When we designed the National Day Parade this year, we [did] look into the safety and operational considerations, and therefore in an enclosed environment, we decided not to have the Red Lions this year."

He added that this year's decision "should not preclude [Red Lions'] participation in future editions of the National Day Parade".

Highlights

The NDP show will be organised into five chapters under the overall Parade theme, "Majulah Singapura, Go Beyond!"

A closed-roof show, it will integrate aerial elements, stage lifts, and multimedia displays, including NDP's first-ever indoor drone light show and largest indoor special effects presentation.

There are several new experiences to be featured at this year's NDP.

For the first time, the presidential gun salute will be fired at the Kallang Basin, bringing the tradition closer to the public.

Those at the Kallang Basin will be able to watch the fireworks display in the area.

Other NDP favourites, such as the state flag flypast and feu-de-joie, will continue to be part of the ceremony.

The NDP executive committee will apply "very stringent safety protocols" to the drone performance to ensure everyone's safety, Lim emphasised.

Artists featured in the show include Najip Ali, Ric Liu, Sushma Soma, Jasmine Sokko, Iman Fandi, and Gareth Fernandez.

Pre-NDP celebrations

A six-episode NDP micro-drama "Heartbeats", exploring uniquely Singaporean stories, will be available to watch online on the NDPeeps social media platforms.

Episodes will be released from today (May 21) through May 26.

Starring Iman Fandi and Yung Raja, the series will also feature re-arranged classic songs and original compositions for NDP 2026.

There will also be the "Go Beyond: NDP 2026 Album", featuring three original songs performed by Singapore artists for this year's show.

From May 21, the songs will be released progressively in the lead-up to the Parade, on the NDPeeps YouTube channel and the NDPeeps Spotify channel.

In the Kallang area, National Day festivities will begin early from Jul. 25 all the way till Aug. 9.

Members of the public can head there to check out music performances by schools and interest groups, light displays, interactive activities, and exhibition booths.

More information will be available online at www.ndp.gov.sg.