TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The National Day rehearsal drew crowds in front of the Presidential Office Building on Sunday (Oct. 6), with five Brave Eagle jet trainers soaring overhead. The Chinese Professional Baseball League’s (中華職棒) cheerleading teams also energized the audience with a lively performance.
The National Day Preparation Committee (國慶籌備委員會) outlined the event in three phases: a warm-up, the National Day ceremony, and thematic performances. The rehearsal began with the Brave Eagle jets flying in low-altitude formation, followed by Taipei First Girls High School’s (北一女中) music and flag team performing "United in Celebration" (團結一心慶誕辰).
Three veterans of the Battle of Guningtou (古寧頭戰役) took the stage with the gold medal-winning Nibun Chorus (尼布恩合唱團) to sing the national anthem, marking a poignant moment. “It was my first time watching the performance in person. I used to watch it on TV, and it’s pretty cool,” said one attendee. Another spectator added, “Seeing it up close makes the atmosphere feel more real.”
The rehearsal concluded with the Army Special Forces Command (陸軍特種作戰指揮部) unfurling a giant national flag. The Air Force Thunder Tiger Aerobatics Team (空軍雷虎小組) executed a seven-plane formation, trailing colored smoke, to cap off the event with a spectacular finale.
The National Day evening gala wrapped up at Taipei Dome (台北大巨蛋) on Oct. 5, and Yunlin County (雲林縣) will host the 40-minute National Day fireworks on Oct. 10.
