SINGAPORE - A giant birthday cake will light up Marina Bay during this year's National Day Parade.

Apart from the usual four-minute firework finale, organisers have designed a fake 60x70m cake with more than 400 flares which will be lit during the national anthem on a barge around 200m from the floating platform.

"We wanted to create something special for the nation," said fireworks committee chairman Cheong Heng Wan. "Fireworks are usually associated with an aerial showcase but we wanted to be different and to light up the bay with a birthday cake from the ground."

The nation's 49th birthday on Aug 9 will be the last time the parade will be held at the Floating Platform against the backdrop of Singapore's Central Business District.

The platform has served as a temporary site since 2007 - except in 2010 when it was held at the Padang - while the new National Stadium was being built.

Preparation for the show's pyrotechnic display started in September last year. A team of about 50 volunteers and full-time national servicemen are part of the team.