NDP 2023: Fireworks, live performances, sports tryouts to be featured at heartland celebrations

This year’s National Day celebrations will be held at the Padang and five heartland stadiums, featuring fireworks, live performances and fighter jets.

The 2023 National Day Parade (NDP), held on Aug 9, will feature a Total Defence Parade, parade and ceremony as well as a show segment held at the Padang field for the first time since 2020.

Audiences can also look forward to crowd favourites such as the presidential gun salute, the Red Lions, as well as a vibrant show with mass displays.

The show segment will also feature Singaporeans who are pursuing their dreams and inspiring others, including national sprinter Shanti Pereira, the first Singaporean woman to win both the 100m and 200m gold medals at a SEA Games.

In tandem with the firework display at the Padang, Singaporeans at home can also look forward to heartland firework displays as well as the State Flag and RSAF assets flying through the heartlands.

On Aug 5 and 6, heartland celebrations will take place at Bedok, Jurong West, Toa Payoh, Woodlands and Tampines. There, Singaporeans can look forward to carnivals and sports activities co-organised with Sport Singapore.

Named the GetActive! Singapore Heartland Festivals, the events will include family-friendly activities like sport tryouts.

According to the organising committee, this year’s NDP theme “Onward as One” aims to call upon Singaporeans to look forward confidently and to move onward together in building our shared future as one united people.

The word “Onward” reflects a nation that is forward looking and resilient to any challenges that lie ahead, while “As One” underscores the collective ownership of Singapore’s future and the importance of inclusivity and unity.

This year’s NDP logo features a lion head looking forward with a number “58” embedded in the lion’s head.

The confident lion head symbolises the horizon, representing the nation coming together with the determination to build a shared future, while the number “58” commemorates the past 58 years.

This year’s theme song, Shine Your Light, is composed and written by Don Richmond, and co-written by ShiGGa Shay. The song is performed by 53A, The Island Voices, lewloh, Olivia Ong, ShiGGa Shay, Iman Fandi and Lineath.

Chairman of the NDP 2023 Executive Committee Colonel Terence Ho shared that this year’s parade aspires to achieve three outcomes – to call upon Singaporeans to look forward confidently, to strengthen the unity of Singaporeans, and to inspire Singaporeans to come together to build a shared future.

“Singaporeans can look forward to a vibrant and uplifting celebration as we return to the Padang for the first full-scale NDP at the Padang since 2019 after three years of pandemic, one that will highlight our identity, our passion and our aspirations,” he added.

The NDP committee will also promote volunteerism through campaigns like #GiveAsOneSG and #UniteAsOneSG.

 #GiveAsOneSG will partner with various non-profit organisations to give back to society, while #UniteAsOneSG encourages Singaporeans to unite in celebration of the NDP.

More information on aerial flypasts, fireworks and ticketing for the heartland celebrations will be announced at a later date.