NDP 2024 celebrations continue in heartland on Aug 10
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, aims to draw more than 160,000 people in Bishan, Punggol, Yishun, Paya Lebar and Buona Vista on Aug 10.
Tickets to the heartland celebrations will be 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 site 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 beheld 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.
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.
Also at all five locations is a SAF camouflage booth for members of the public to try on camo cream.
Various schools, as well as by ActiveSG’s Dance of the Nation, Yellow Ribbon Singapore – an organisation supporting ex-offenders get back on their feet – and 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”, “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 also the 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 community to spend time together.
And the day after, a Sunday, will allow participants and volunteers to rest before returning to work the next day.
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.
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