Every remaining NDP 2026 show Saturday — plus National Day itself — comes with fireworks over the Kallang Basin from around 7:30pm, and you don't need a ticket to catch them. A viral Facebook post has been telling people certain July Saturdays are fireworks-free; the published schedules say otherwise. Here's the verified calendar, the timing, and exactly where to stand for free.
> Quick view: NDP 2026 fireworks Saturdays — 11 Jul (NE1) · 18 Jul (NE2) · 25 Jul (Preview 1) · 1 Aug (Preview 2) · Sun 9 Aug (actual NDP) · from ~7:30pm, finale ~8:10–8:30pm · fired from Kallang Basin, NOT Marina Bay · free spots: Stadium Riverside Walk, Tanjong Rhu Promenade, Kallang Riverside Park.
The Saturday-by-Saturday schedule (see table above)
NDP 2026 returns to the National Stadium at The Kallang for the first time in 10 years, and the show calendar runs every Saturday evening in the lead-up:
- Sat 27 Jun — Combined Rehearsal 1 (CR1) ✓ done, fireworks held
- Sat 4 Jul — Combined Rehearsal 2 (CR2) ✓ done, fireworks held
- Sat 11 Jul — NE Show 1 — the next one
- Sat 18 Jul — NE Show 2
- Sat 25 Jul — Preview 1
- Sat 1 Aug — Preview 2
- Sun 9 Aug — NDP 2026, the actual parade
CR1 and CR2 are confirmed by the official road-traffic advisories on ndp.gov.sg; the NE Show and Preview dates match the official ticket ballot sessions and every major published schedule (Time Out Singapore, The New Age Parents, BYKidO, Sassy Mama).
About that viral "no fireworks on some Saturdays" post
A widely shared Facebook post claimed there would be no fireworks on 4 and 11 July. We checked before publishing:
- 4 July (CR2) went ahead with fireworks over the Kallang Basin — that date is now moot anyway.
- For 11 July (NE Show 1) and every later date, all the published schedules we found list fireworks; no official NDP announcement supports a fireworks-free Saturday.
- Reporting notes fireworks happen at all rehearsals but at varying intensity — shows closer to 9 August run closer to the full display.
One honest caveat: the NDP EXCO doesn't publish an official per-date fireworks list. So treat any single rehearsal date as *expected* rather than guaranteed, and do a quick check of @NDPeeps on the day before making a special trip.
What time do the fireworks go up?
Plan around 7:30pm onwards. This season's reports put short bursts at roughly 7:33pm, 7:45pm and 7:58pm, with the finale around 8:10–8:30pm. At CR1 the finale reportedly went up closer to 9:10pm, so timings genuinely move around — be in position by 7:15pm and budget for a wait. There's no officially published firing time.
Where the fireworks fire from this year — and why it matters
The fireworks launch from the Kallang Basin, right beside the National Stadium — and in another first, the Presidential Gun Salute is also being fired at the Kallang Basin. Organisers have not announced any separate Marina Bay fireworks for NDP 2026.
Translation: the usual Marina Bay vantage points — Merlion Park, Esplanade, the MBS promenade — are not the place to be this year. The action is at Kallang.
Best FREE viewing spots (no ticket needed)
All of these are public and supported by this season's viewing guides:
- Stadium Riverside Walk — the closest public spot to the launch site; from 25 Jul it also hosts the official "Go Beyond" lighted display as part of NDP Celebrations@The Kallang.
- Tanjong Rhu Promenade — across the basin, wide unblocked sightlines over the water.
- Kallang Riverside Park — more room to spread out, popular with families.
- Kallang Lawn Bowl — spacious grassy area near the stadium.
- Kallang Basin lookout area — the waterfront deck on the basin's edge.
From 25 Jul to 9 Aug, the official NDP Celebrations@The Kallang adds free music performances, photo installations and activities around the precinct — built to hold up to 200,000 people, so the atmosphere on Preview weekends is a mini-festival in itself.
Getting there + crowd tips
- MRT beats driving — expect road closures around the stadium on show days (official advisories are published per rehearsal). Stadium (CC6) exits right at the venue but gets crushed after the finale; Kallang (EW10) and Mountbatten (CC7) are 10–15 min walks and empty out faster. Tanjong Rhu (TE22) serves the promenade side.
- Arrive by ~6:45–7pm for railing spots on NE Show dates; earlier for Previews and much earlier on 9 Aug.
- After the finale, linger 20–30 minutes (the Kallang Wave Mall food options help) instead of joining the first surge into Stadium station.
- Bring water and a mat — it's an outdoor wait in July heat, and evening mosquitoes near the water are real.
One last note
Rehearsal formats, timings and fireworks intensity are set by the NDP EXCO and can change — and weather has the final vote on the day. Confirm on ndp.gov.sg or @NDPeeps before heading down.
