Sheikh Zayed Festival plans 62-minute fireworks spectacle and 6,500-drone performance amid expanded cultural programming and enhanced crowd management for New Year’s Eve.
The Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba will host one of the region’s largest New Year’s Eve celebrations, featuring a groundbreaking 62-minute fireworks display and a world-record drone show involving 6,500 drones.
Scheduled across five stages from 8 pm to midnight, the event aims to set five new Guinness World Records for pyrotechnics, utilizing advanced synchronization and launch technology. The fireworks will culminate at midnight in a coordinated performance with a massive drone show—the largest single sortie globally—lasting 20 minutes and featuring nine never-before-seen aerial formations.
Alongside the aerial displays, the festival will present a rich program of cultural acts, including traditional Emirati performances such as Al Ayala, Al Razfa, and Al Nadooba, with hundreds of performers. Participating countries will also stage carnival parades, music shows, and cultural demonstrations throughout the evening.
Family-friendly activities will be available at the Kids’ Theatre and the newly opened Wonderland entertainment city, launched in December 2025 as a key attraction for the festivities.
To accommodate large crowds, the Higher Committee of the Sheikh Zayed Festival has expanded entry and exit points, widened pedestrian pathways, and increased safety, medical, and logistical support. The enhanced preparations reflect the festival’s vision of combining innovation, heritage, and global entertainment to welcome 2026 in a memorable and secure environment.
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