Come Together Singapore

August 9 is the day of Singapore's independence. A celebration of nationhood when Singaporeans come together to rejoice as a nation.
Over 400 000 Singaporeans apply each year online to participate in the draw for the tickets. Almost everyone wants to be part of the celebration which are held in the Marina Bay on the floating platform which is 120 meters long and 83 meters wide, 5% larger than the soccer field at the National stadium. The platform can bear up to 1,070 tonnes, equivalent to the total weight of 9,000 people, 200 tonnes of stage props and three 30-tonne military vehicles. The seating capacity is 27,000 people.

This year's theme, Come Together- Reaching Out, Reaching Up embodied the ‘nation’ experience – the Singapore story - where its unique past, present and future come together.

Different chapters show the founding of Singapore to the modern nation of today.
The excited and lucky crowd who managed to get tickets

Singapore's Red Lions always a crowd pleaser
Precision landing between the stage and the grand stand
The Prime Minister arrives

Different chapters showcasing the Singapore story...

...which was narrated in form of festive songs and dances....
Sang Nila Utama, a prince from Sumatra, set forth to found a new city. On the island of Temasek, he beheld sight of a fantastic beast which his ministers identified as a lion although these animals were not native to the region.

In another chapter a hypothetical terrorist attack was brought to thrilling live....
...as the audience was treated to an impressive display of Singapore’s total defense capability

Various air craft, sea craft and land vehicles converge at the floating platform.
Boats chasing the "terrorists"


and of course finally get hold of them


The Parade was the centerpiece of the celebrations and while the President was inspecting the Guard of Honor...


...Singapore's flag flew past by....
... and the 21- Gun Presidential Salute was conducted on M3G floats..
For the first time it could be seen from the audience gallery.
The next chapter documented the transformation of Singapore from the little known trading port to one of the most globalized and cosmopolitan city-states in the world.
Various musical styles, fashion, trends and dance crazes were demonstrated
A medley of songs from the National Day repertoire was performed by a 600 member choir and over 400 young performers

Every year's highlight, the fireworks, brought the National Day Celebrations to a spectacular ending

Grand Finale of the 2 hour show. Over 1000 people are on the stage now.

27,000 spectators are ready to leave the Gallery and the thousands that watched the show from all around Marina Bay and One Fullerton are trying to get to MRT, Buses or other means of transport. However a well organised chaos!
After 10 years I was very lucky to get an unexpected ticket from the leader of the drummer group. Thanks so much for that!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!!!

If you interested in more photos in a better resolution juts click the picture below and hit the slide show button on the top left of the album. I hope you'll enjoy:

NDP 2009

A SYMPHONY OF LIGHTS

Celebrating the Singapore Spirit, a totality of Singapore’s attitudes, beliefs and dreams.
27,000 lucky ones got the chance through a ballot to watch the National Day Parade from the grand stand at Marina Bay.

The huge floating platform was covered in a cloud of lights, sounds and joy with hundreds of performers to celebrate the Nations 43rd Year of Independence.“The Singapore Spirit” which has brought prosperity, peace and prominence on the international stage for this tiny (in terms of size) city state.

Plurality and the human element played a major role in the conceptualization of this Singapore Spirit. The segments of this National Day Parade showed a mirror image of Singapore’s everyday live. The precision drills of the Military Police Command reflected the discipline of the people they needed getting to where they are today.

The vibrancy and dynamism shown in the performances of the Line Dancers reflected the tendency of Singaporeans to stay young at heart.
Singaporeans from all walks of life took part in the National Day Parade – from the old to the young, from the able-bodied to the physically challenged, all had a part to play, be it participant or spectator. There was perhaps no better tribute to the old Singaporean adage of “unity amidst diversity” than this very fact.

The SAF Red Lions Parachute Display Team was up in the skies once again this year. Besides expanding the number of jumpers to 12, they increased the difficulty of their jumps to live up to expectations of the thousands of spectators. The team executed free fall display from an astonishing 10 000 feet. As a final stunt the Red Lions landed on the narrower promenade instead of the floating platform.

The State Flag fly-past is a long standing tradition at the National Day Parade, a proud and splendid sight when the large Singapore Flag hovered over Marina Bay.

The 12th Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) aerobatics team, the Black Knights, after an 8 year hiatus, was performing for the very first time at Marina Bay and made a triumphant return to the National Day Parade celebrations.

With six new red and white F-16C Fighting Falcons the Black Knights performed breathtaking aerobatics whizzing past in symmetrical formations, flying within mere feet of each other, painting patterns in the sky with their billows of white smoke which really has thrilled the crowds.

Putting the performances together, the work involved in piecing together the whole National Day Parade was a gentle reminder for the need of coordination and collaboration as one Singapore to face the challenges ahead of a globalized world, a weaker economy and higher costs of living due to the highest inflation rate since decades.

In the finale of NDP 2008, when all the performers came together, each holding a star, each and everyone shining for Singapore, all of them, tens of thousands of spectators watching from the Merlion Park, the Esplanade Bridge, the Esplanade Promenade and hundreds of thousands on TV might have experienced this transcendence from a multitude of voices to one single unified voice as well, the voice that people here call the Singapore Spirit.

Much anticipated and again spectacular fireworks ended the 43rd National Day Celebrations.

HAPPY NATIONAL DAY, SINGAPORE.

For more photos click here:

Singapore National Day 08