Sheikh Zayed Festival rings in 2026 with 62 minutes of fireworks and a record breaking drone show this New Year’s Eve in Abu Dhabi
If you like your New Year’s Eve loud, long and a little jaw dropping, Sheikh Zayed Festival is calling. The Sheikh Zayed Festival is preparing to host what it says will be one of the biggest New Year’s Eve celebrations in the UAE and the region. The main attraction is a 62 minute fireworks show that starts at 8pm and runs all the way to midnight.
The show will unfold in five stages across the evening and aims to break five new Guinness World Records.The display uses advanced launch technology and tight synchronisation, turning the skyline into a nonstop show. But fireworks will not be the only thing lighting up the sky. The festival is also planning what it calls the world’s largest drone performance.
A total of 6,500 drones will take off in a single 20 minute show, forming nine giant aerial shapes that will appear for the first time. The drone display will sync with a digital countdown and blend into the fireworks for a full sky spectacle.
What’s On Archive
On the ground, the festival keeps its cultural heart beating. Visitors can watch traditional Emirati performances including Al Ayala, Al Razfa and Al Nadooba, alongside international performance groups. Carnival style parades, live music and cultural demonstrations will run throughout the evening.
Families are covered too. Kids can catch shows at the Children’s Theatre or head to the newly opened Wonderland entertainment city.
Organisers expect big crowds and have expanded entry and exit gates, widened walkways and boosted safety and medical services. But get there early because entry will close once capacity is reached.
The Details:
Location: Al Wathba
Time: gates open at 4pm
Cost: Dhs50 per person
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