Here's the one thing to know before you pick your fireworks spot this year: NDP 2026 has moved to the National Stadium in Kallang, so the fireworks now go up over the Kallang Basin — not Marina Bay. Your old spot won't cut it.
> Quick view: NDP 2026 fireworks launch over the Kallang Basin (National Stadium), from ~7.30pm, finale ~8.10-8.30pm, on the two Previews (Sat 25 Jul & Sat 1 Aug) and National Day (Sun 9 Aug). Best free no-ticket spots: Stadium Riverside Walk (closest), Tanjong Rhu Promenade (wide skyline view), Kallang Riverside Park (spacious), plus quieter Kallang Lawn Bowl and the Nicoll Highway lookout. Get in position by 7pm.
Why 2026 is different — the parade is back at Kallang
For the first time in about a decade, the National Day Parade returns to the National Stadium at The Kallang. The recent home of NDP, the Marina Bay Floating Platform (The Float @ Marina Bay), is closed and being rebuilt into NS Square, so the celebration has shifted east to the Sports Hub. The practical upshot for spectators: the fireworks are fired over the Kallang Basin, right beside the stadium. Every Marina Bay-facing spot people used for years — the MBS promenade, the Esplanade, Merlion Park — no longer faces the show. This guide is all about the new geography.
The best free, no-ticket spots around the Kallang Basin
1. Stadium Riverside Walk — the front row Nearest MRT: Stadium (CC6), Exit A. This waterfront promenade hugs the basin right by the National Stadium and gives you the closest, most direct view of the fireworks. It's the obvious pick — which means it's also the most crowded, so come early. Bonus: the official 'Go Beyond' light-up display runs here as part of NDP Celebrations@The Kallang from 25 July to 9 August.
2. Tanjong Rhu Promenade — wide, unblocked, with skyline Nearest MRT: Tanjong Rhu (TE23), Exit B. Directly across the water from the stadium, this promenade offers wide, unobstructed sightlines over the basin with the city skyline as a backdrop, and a suspension bridge for an over-water vantage. Arguably the best balance of view and space — but it fills up on Previews and National Day too.
3. Kallang Riverside Park — room to spread out Nearest MRT: Lavender (EW11), Exit A (towards Crawford St). Open riverside greenery along the basin, more spacious than the promenades and popular with families who want to lay down a picnic mat. It's a little farther from the launch point, so the fireworks sit slightly lower on the horizon — but you trade that for comfort and breathing room.
4. Kallang Lawn Bowl / Kallang Sport Centre — the crowd-dodge Nearest MRT: Stadium (CC6), Exit B (towards Stadium Boulevard). A spacious grassy area set a bit further inland, so it draws noticeably smaller crowds. A solid choice if you'd rather have space than the absolute front row.
5. Nicoll Highway lookout (Area 2 @ Kallang Basin) — the quiet one Nearest MRT: Nicoll Highway (CC9), Exit B (towards Republic Ave). A lesser-known grass spot by the basin with a public toilet nearby — the quietest of the five. Bring a mat and a lawn chair and settle in.
When to go — pick a Preview, not just National Day
There are fireworks on every remaining show night, not only 9 August:
- Preview 1 — Saturday 25 July
- Preview 2 — Saturday 1 August
- National Day — Sunday 9 August
The smart move is a Preview night: you get the same full fireworks display with smaller crowds and easier transport home than on National Day itself. Whichever night you choose, the fireworks run from about 7.30pm with the finale around 8.10-8.30pm.
Timing & crowd tips
- Be in position by 7pm. Prime free spots — especially Stadium Riverside Walk and Tanjong Rhu Promenade — fill up well before the first shells.
- NDP Celebrations@The Kallang (25 Jul-9 Aug) turns the whole precinct into a festival with free performances and activities; the area can hold up to 200,000 people, so expect a buzz.
- Plan your exit. Stadium and Mountbatten MRT get packed straight after the finale; walking one stop over to Nicoll Highway or Tanjong Rhu can be faster.
- Weather plan. These are all open-air; bring a light poncho in case of an August shower.
