New Year's Eve: 62-Minute Fireworks, 6,500-Drone Show Break Records At Sheikh Zayed Festival

Abu Dhabi welcomed 2026 with a 62-minute continuous fireworks display and a large-scale drone show involving 6,500 drones during New Year's Eve celebrations at the Sheikh Zayed Festival.

The extended fireworks display, which ran uninterrupted for more than an hour, set multiple world records, including the largest number of waterfalls, whistle-sound, thunder and ring-shaped fireworks launched within 30 seconds.

The New Year's Eve programme also featured what organisers described as the world's largest drone show, with 6,500 drones flying simultaneously for 20 minutes. The drones formed nine aerial formations, unveiled for the first time, and were synchronised with the New Year countdown.

More than 163,000 visitors attended the festival on December 31, while over half a million people watched the fireworks and drone displays from surrounding public areas.

Beyond the headline displays, the celebrations included Emirati heritage performances such as Al-Ayyala, Al-Razfa and Al-Nadba, alongside international folk shows and country pavilions. Families and children took part in activities across the festival grounds, including an amusement park, children's theatre and interactive performances.

The event also included the release of 500,000 eco-friendly balloons containing seeds of local trees and plants, linking the New Year's Eve celebrations with an environmental message.

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