Abu Dhabi ushered in the New Year with a spectacular and record-breaking display of fireworks and drones at the Sheikh Zayed Festival on Monday.
The festivities kicked off with an astonishing 30-minute drone show featuring an impressive 5,000 UAVs, followed by a breathtaking 40-minute fireworks extravaganza that left visitors in awe.
Throngs of residents from across the UAE flocked to the Festival to partake in the New Year celebrations. The enthusiasm was palpable as people arrived well before Monday’s scheduled 4 pm opening time. Such was the overwhelming response that the authorities had to close the gates more than an hour before the start of the festivities due to reaching maximum capacity.
Khadjia Ahmed, a Bangladeshi national, expressed her delight, saying, “It was an amazing fireworks display. I never saw a firework which lasted so long. I just loved it. This is the best fireworks display I’ve ever watched.” Ahmed even went on to capture a 28-minute fireworks video, but her mobile phone ran out of space due to the extended duration of the mesmerising show.
Even before reaching its full capacity, the venue was buzzing with excitement as visitors queued up at various food and beverage outlets, ticketing counters, gaming stations, and other entertainment spots. The overwhelming response underscored the event’s success and the community’s eagerness to come together and celebrate the arrival of the New Year at the Sheikh Zayed Festival.