SG50 - A Brief History of Singapore National Day Parade (NDP)

August 01, 2015

This year, Singapore celebrates it's 50 year of independence from Malaysia. Every year, the celebration of nationhood is celebrated on August 9, National Day. The biggest celebration is undoubtedly at National Day Parade (NDP).

Understanding the history of the National Day Parade would help us understand how the Parade came about to be what we know it as today.

(Image from SG50)

Here's a brief history of the National Day Parade.

Year	Years of Independence	Events
1966	1	First NDP · Held at the Padang outside City Hall, home to where Singapore was declare independent. · Morning Parade at 9am. · 23,000 participants including soldiers, uniformed groups, teachers, children, trade unionists, cultural groups, lion and dragon dancers. · Singapore's first president, Yusof Ishak, reviewed the parade on the City Hall steps.
1968	3	· Fondly remembered at the year it rained cats and dogs on the parade. · Among the first of its kind, PM Lee then in Secondary School was part of a contingent of school bands marching in the parade.
1970	5	· First Flypast of the Singapore Flag by the Republic of Singapore Airforce at a NDP · First combat simulation by the relatively new Singapore Army.
1971	6	· First parade with mobile floats. · First parades with Choirs
1973	8	· First parade held in the afternoon.
1974	9	· First colour broadcast of the parade on TV.
1975	10	· Parade decentralised to 13 different locations to increase public participation.
1976	11	· First parade at the old National Stadium (which was first opened in 1973). · Every alternate year between 1975 and 1983, the parade was held at the National Stadium and multiple decentralised sites. · First time participation by the Singapore Police Force in the parade.
1981	16	· First time participation by then Civil Defense Command (the now Singapore Civil Defense Force)
1983	18	· Final year NDP held at multiple decentralised venues.
1984	19	· Held at the Padang. · First display by the Singapore Armed Forces Military Police Silent Precision Drill Squad. · First NDP theme song – “Stand Up for Singapore”
1986	21	· First time flashlight were distributed to the audience for use.
1987	22	· First true evening NDP. · First appearance of SAF military bands.
1989	24	· First display of the Red Lions parachute team.
1990	25	Year of Silver Jubilee · Held at the Padang. And every 5 years from then held at the Padang. · Last parade held in the afternoon.
1997	32	· Primary 5 students started getting to attend NDP Rehearsals as part of National Education.
1998	33	· First theme song sung by a popular local artist (Home – Kit Chan)
2003	38	· First time electronic voting ticketing system used to tackle overcrowding issue.
2004	39	· Featured the biggest LED screen of its time measuring 31m x 7m. · First time a NDP theme song was used twice in non-consecutive NDPs – “Home”
2006	42	· Last parade held at the old National Stadium before it was demolished.
2007	43	· First parade at Marina Bay Floating platform. · First time a water curtain 30m x 90m was used as a screen
2013	48	· First theme song sung by “Sing A Nation” song contest contestants.
2014	49	· First every female Red Lion parachutist to jump at the NDP.
2015	50	Year of Golden Jubilee · The year was branded SG50. · The parade will be held at both Marina Bay Floating Platform and Padang. · Live outdoor screenings of the parade will be held at 313@Sommerset and HDB Hub. · The parade will also be screened online · Theme song “Our Singapore” – Dick Lee & JJ Lin · There will be a tribute to the late LKY who passed away earlier in the year. · Parade contingent will feature military, police and civil defence dressed in uniforms from the past. · There will also be a very significant amount of fireworks fired from the Padang, rooftop of City Hall, Suntec City, Swissotel the Stamford, Pan Pacific Hotel, Republic Plaza, Maybank Tower, and UOB Plaza One.