{"id":20307,"date":"2015-07-05T12:52:53","date_gmt":"2015-07-05T04:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/?p=20307"},"modified":"2015-08-13T22:30:20","modified_gmt":"2015-08-13T14:30:20","slug":"national-day-parade-ndp-2015-firworks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/2015\/07\/national-day-parade-ndp-2015-firworks\/","title":{"rendered":"National Day Parade (NDP) 2015 – Soaking in the Action at the Fringe"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here it is, finally! The event the whole country has been waiting for: The 2015 National Day Parade to commemorate Singapore\u2019s SG50 Jubilee year.<\/p>\n

For us, we are continuing our family\u2019s little \u2018tradition\u2019 to chase, or to catch the fireworks and the aerial displays. We were thrilled to know that although the celebration proceedings has moved to the Padang \u2013 site of the first National Day Parade, the fireworks and the position of the general aerial displays have not changed much. In fact, there are MORE aerial displays, MORE fireworks, everything is bigger and better . After all, at 50, we have much to celebrate as a nation considering the challenges we had had to overcome.<\/p>\n

Granted that the best seats in the house are, well IN the house (or rather at the Padang), the rest of us mortals who are unable to get within a whisker of the grandstand but still want to soak in the revelry and experience the euphoria of the displays, we share our tried and testing opinions of the best alternative locations to view this year\u2019s NDP aerial displays and fireworks as well as giving you a sneak peek of the action we caught during yesterday’s rehearsal on July 4th<\/sup> 2015.<\/p>\n

Jubilee Bridge:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best alternative place to view, in my opinion, would be none other than the Jubilee Bridge. \u201cWhat bridge?\u201d you may ask. Yes, opened on 29 March 2015, it\u2019s the new pedestrian bridge next to the existing Esplanade Bridge that links Merlion Park and the Esplanade waterfront promenade. It\u2019s even more significant that the bridge, which is built as part of Singapore\u2019s jubilee celebrations was actually mooted by the late Mr. Lee Kuan Yew to provide Singaporeans with a safe and comfortable walk to enjoy the vista of the Marina Bay. True to his sharp vision, the bridge provides one of the most ideal location to take in the Jubilee Celebrations. Here are some reasons:<\/p>\n

\"JubileePicture Credit<\/a><\/p>\n

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  1. Best vantage for the aerial displays: The fighter jets would enter the bay with the formation of 5 and 0. It is best viewed from that angle, which is exactly the same angle as the folks in the padang. All the other aerial displays enter from that same angle as well and you\u2019ll have lots of time to take in the displays and get a good shot.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    1. Best vantage point to \u2018greet\u2019 the contingents: At the end of their march past at the Padang, the troops gather for debrief at the Esplanade Bridge! It\u2019s a wonderful opportunity to see them marching pass us within a nose\u2019 reach and to see them fall out subsequently. Awesome.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      \"NDPR-2015263<\/p>\n

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      1. Bright and Safe: The Jubilee Bridge has wide and illuminated pathways. It is a purpose-built pedestrian bridge therefore it is safe for young kids to toddle around while you enjoy a leisurely picnic while waiting for the action to unfold. Besides, there are lots of security personnel on duty and shelter nearby at the Esplanade and One Fullerton.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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        1. Transport and Parking: The Jubilee Bridge is right in the middle of the Esplanade and One Fullerton where you\u2019ll have a wide choice of eateries and toilet facilities within a short stroll. It is also near Esplanade MRT and Raffles Place MRT. For those who drive, do note that roads leading to Esplanade would be closed early. Therefore parking at the Esplanade would be closed. We parked at One Fullerton from 5pm and paid $5 for carpark when we collected our car at the end of the event.  The carpark fees might be steeper on NDP Actual Preview and on National Day itself.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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          \nTimings of Aerial Display and Fireworks:<\/strong><\/p>\n

          Due to the increased number of displays as part of the Jubilee Celebrations, there\u2019s been a slight change in the time of these aerial displays and the fireworks. Here\u2019s a general guide on the approximate timings on when to expect what, as seen from the Jubilee Bridge.<\/p>\n

          5:30 pm \u2013 The Red Lions\u2026look up!<\/p>\n

          6:05 pm \u2013 The Black Knights Aerial Display\u2026look ahead towards MBS!<\/p>\n

          6:30 pm – The A380 makes it debut over the Padang! Look to the left of MBS.<\/p>\n

          6:40 pm \u2013 The National Flag Fly Past \u2026 look ahead, to the right of MBS and salute!<\/p>\n

          6:45 pm \u2013 The Fighter Jets Salute \u2026 look ahead and up.<\/p>\n

          6:50 pm \u2013 The Cannon Salute\u2026near the Esplanade Merlion Park, it’s loud\u2026.very loud. Close the kids\u2019 ears!<\/p>\n

          6:50 \u2013 7:00 pm \u2013 More Aerial Displays. Look head, look up.<\/p>\n

          7:15pm \u2013 Contingents March onto the Esplanade Bridge\u2026look to the back and wave \u2018Hi!\u2019<\/p>\n

          7:30 \u2013 7:40pm \u2013 A Burst of Fireworks from the Bay.<\/p>\n

          7:50 \u2013 8:00pm \u2013 Another Burst of the Fireworks<\/p>\n

          8:15 \u2013 8:25pm- National Anthem and Pledge Moment at 2015 (20:15 hours) This is it! Raining fireworks! The whole sky is lit up! Keep your eyes open and mouths closed! There are so much fireworks this time around that the we were soaked in gun powder (or GSR for CSI fans!) so do expect some debris of the fireworks to rain down\u2026be prepared, put on hats on little kids and soak in the moment. It\u2019s part of the experience!<\/p>\n

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          Views from other Popular Sites:<\/strong><\/p>\n

          I’ve compiled the annual NDP fireworks shot from different vantage points in this video to commemorate NDP 2014 where the parade was held at the Floating Platform for the last time after 8 years. In the video, you can see the photos which I\u2019ve taken over the years from the public viewing areas around Marina Bay. Hope this post will be a useful guide for families planning to catch a slice of the NDP action from the fringe!<\/p>\n