SINGAPORE - A few hundred metres away from the Floating Platform, the F1 Pit Building is a hive of activity as participants in this evening's National Day Parade wait for their turn in the spotlight.

The clicks of a multitude of boots after the final rehearsal and the cheers of dancers and motivators blend into an air of excitement at the holding area.

Waiting participants, some of whom have been here since 9am, are getting refreshments from food trucks or snapping photos with friends, faces moist with perspiration but lit with smiles. Others are seeking some respite from the heat in the air-conditioned waiting areas, where dancers are getting their hair and make-up done.

Student Tan Meng Wee, 17, one of some 400 Touch Community Services motivators who will rouse the crowd in the pre-parade segment, said he has enjoyed the experience in the lead-up to his first parade.

"Now I'm looking forward to the fun and joy later," he said. "We must bring out our best and I hope the spectators will feel the atmosphere and enjoy themselves."