NDP 2024: Celebrations to continue in heartland on Aug 10 with fireworks, static displays

SINGAPORE – National Day festivities will continue the day after Aug 9 in five heartland areas, with live performances, fireworks and static displays.

This year’s celebrations, organised by the People’s Association in partnership with the National Day Parade (NDP) executive committee, aim to draw more than 160,000 people in Bishan, Punggol, Yishun, Paya Lebar and Buona Vista on Aug 10.

Tickets to the heartland celebrations are available for free at community centres from July 12, with each person being able to collect up to two tickets. There are 100,000 tickets available for collection on a first come, first served basis, but members of the public without tickets are still welcome to attend the event, as long as space permits.

Those with tickets can enter the respective sites and receive a

National Day Parade pack

, the People’s Association (PA) said at a media conference at its headquarters on July 12.

All five celebrations will be held in open fields – opposite Bishan MRT station, in Punggol next to Waterway Point, next to FutsalArena @ Yishun, next to Paya Lebar Quarter 1 and next to Buona Vista MRT station. The events will be held from 4pm to 9pm.

Attendees can enjoy crowd favourites such as fireworks, interactive family-friendly activities and static displays of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), Singapore Police Force and Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) vehicles.

Eight to nine vehicles at each site will showcase military and civil defence in line with

Total Defence 40

, said the NDP24 executive committee. For example, SAF’s infantry carrier vehicle Terrex and light strike vehicle will be in Buona Vista, while an SCDF light fire attack vehicle and fire bike will be on display at all five locations.

There will also be an SAF camouflage booth for members of the public to try on camo cream at all five locations.

Various schools, ActiveSG’s Dance of the Nation and Yellow Ribbon Singapore – an organisation supporting former offenders to help them get back on their feet – as well as community interest groups will put up live entertainment.

Speaking at the media preview on July 12, Mr Pow Choon Ghee, PA group director of grassroots and co-chairman of this year’s NDP heartland celebrations committee, said: “PA and our grassroots organisations hope that by bringing the National Day celebrations closer to residents, we can foster a sense of togetherness among neighbours and instil a sense of national pride.

“We have curated numerous interactive activities with a local twist. There are programmes and hands-on workshops to engage Singaporeans of all ages across five heartland locations, each with its own unique theme.”

The heartland celebrations, with themes such as “One Home” and “Moving Forward, Cherishing our Past”, will include activities such as a family-portrait photo contest, the creation of a huge birthday card for Singapore and the collection of used food cans, which will be upcycled into touch lamps.

Colonel Edwin Chua, who is another co-chairman of the celebrations committee, said that since Singapore’s birthday in 2024 falls on a Friday, the committee felt that extending celebrations to the weekend will allow families and the community to spend time together.

And the day after, a Sunday, will allow participants and volunteers to rest before returning to work on Monday. More than 2,600 grassroots volunteers are involved in this year’s heartland celebrations.

For a list of the community centres where tickets can be collected, visit the

NDP website

.