Singapore’s first National Day was celebrated on 9 August 1966 to commemorate the country’s first year of independence. As part of the celebrations, a grand parade was held at the Padang, which was presided over by then President Yusof Ishak with members of the Cabinet in attendance. Military, police and civilian contingents took part in the parade, which was televised ‘live’ to allow more people to partake in the celebrations. The highlight of the parade was a march-past that comprised of 23,000 participants. The march-past, which started from City Hall, passed cheering crowds in Chinatown, and ended in the Tanjong Pagar area. Subsequent editions of the National Day Parade (NDP) were held at various locations besides the Padang, notably the National Stadium and the Marina Floating Platform. The NDP has grown to become a key part of Singapore’s annual National Day celebrations.
