Over 1 hour of fireworks: How Sheikh Zayed Festival prepares for NYE show
As the final moments of the year approach, the open grounds of Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba transform into a high-precision operations hub. What the public will witness on New Year’s Eve—a continuous 62-minute fireworks display is in fact the result of months of planning, weeks of rehearsals, and a final hour in which every second is calculated. Behind the colours set to light up Abu Dhabi’s sky stands an integrated system combining technology, heritage, and precise timing.Months of preparationPreparations for the New Year’s Eve show begin well before December, with multiple teams working in parallel to deliver one of the festival’s most prominent highlights. Mohammed Al Marzooqi, said planning starts early to ensure seamless coordination between fireworks teams, drone operators, safety units, and logistics services.He explained that readiness extends beyond the visual display itself, encompassing site infrastructure and crowd management plans to guarantee a safe and smooth experience for visitors throughout the night.Each segment of the fireworks timeline is carefully designed to carry a symbolic meaning. Colours reflect the UAE flag, while selected sequences are synchronised with Emirati music that blends traditional and contemporary elements. Watch this video:Large-scale logisticsDelivering a continuous 62-minute fireworks display requires thousands of shells, extensive wiring networks, and multiple launch platforms strategically positioned across the site to ensure optimal visibility while strictly adhering to safety standards.Alongside the fireworks, the New Year’s Eve show will feature approximately 6,500 drones operating with advanced technology to create three-dimensional light formations in the sky above Al Wathba. Al Marzooqi explained that the drone sequences were carefully designed to complement the fireworks, presenting a visual narrative inspired by Emirati heritage and national identity, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and precise synchronisation.Watch here how organisers are preparing for the drone show:He added that hundreds of professionals from various disciplines ranging from engineers and technicians to security and emergency teams are involved in the preparations. All systems are connected to a central control room that enables real-time monitoring and is supported by backup power and communication systems to ensure uninterrupted performance.In the weeks leading up to New Year’s Eve, nighttime rehearsals are conducted after the festival closes to the public. These sessions focus on fine-tuning timing, sequencing, and smooth transitions between scenes. Weather conditions are also closely monitored, given their direct impact on visual performance.The display goes beyond a traditional countdown, offering a visual narrative inspired by desert landscapes, the history of pearl diving, and the unity of the UAE’s seven emirates. Carefully planned pauses allow audiences moments of reflection before the celebration resumes in full colour.The final hourAround an hour before midnight, launch zones are secured, and final safety checks are completed. Al Marzooqi said every detail is reviewed once more, from testing communication channels to reassessing weather conditions, with all teams operating on a minute-by-minute schedule.Once the show begins, systems run according to pre-programmed sequences, with continuous monitoring and the ability to intervene immediately if required. As the final fireworks fade and applause echoes across Al Wathba, crews will begin to quietly dismantle equipment, already looking ahead to the next celebration.New Year's Eve in UAE: 62-minute fireworks, 6,500 drones to light up Al WathbaDubai: 48 fireworks displays across 40 locations to light up New Year's Eve 2026New Year's Eve fireworks in UAE: Over 60 spots to watch skies light up, ring in 2026
As the final moments of the year approach, the open grounds of Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba transform into a high-precision operations hub. What the public will witness on New Year’s Eve—a continuous 62-minute fireworks display is in fact the result of months of planning, weeks of rehearsals, and a final hour in which every second is calculated. Behind the colours set to light up Abu Dhabi’s sky stands an integrated system combining technology, heritage, and precise timing.
Months of preparation
Preparations for the New Year’s Eve show begin well before December, with multiple teams working in parallel to deliver one of the festival’s most prominent highlights. Mohammed Al Marzooqi, said planning starts early to ensure seamless coordination between fireworks teams, drone operators, safety units, and logistics services.
He explained that readiness extends beyond the visual display itself, encompassing site infrastructure and crowd management plans to guarantee a safe and smooth experience for visitors throughout the night.
Each segment of the fireworks timeline is carefully designed to carry a symbolic meaning. Colours reflect the UAE flag, while selected sequences are synchronised with Emirati music that blends traditional and contemporary elements. Watch this video:
Large-scale logistics
Delivering a continuous 62-minute fireworks display requires thousands of shells, extensive wiring networks, and multiple launch platforms strategically positioned across the site to ensure optimal visibility while strictly adhering to safety standards.
Alongside the fireworks, the New Year’s Eve show will feature approximately 6,500 drones operating with advanced technology to create three-dimensional light formations in the sky above Al Wathba. Al Marzooqi explained that the drone sequences were carefully designed to complement the fireworks, presenting a visual narrative inspired by Emirati heritage and national identity, while maintaining the highest standards of safety and precise synchronisation.
Watch here how organisers are preparing for the drone show:
He added that hundreds of professionals from various disciplines ranging from engineers and technicians to security and emergency teams are involved in the preparations. All systems are connected to a central control room that enables real-time monitoring and is supported by backup power and communication systems to ensure uninterrupted performance.
In the weeks leading up to New Year’s Eve, nighttime rehearsals are conducted after the festival closes to the public. These sessions focus on fine-tuning timing, sequencing, and smooth transitions between scenes. Weather conditions are also closely monitored, given their direct impact on visual performance.
The display goes beyond a traditional countdown, offering a visual narrative inspired by desert landscapes, the history of pearl diving, and the unity of the UAE’s seven emirates. Carefully planned pauses allow audiences moments of reflection before the celebration resumes in full colour.
The final hour
Around an hour before midnight, launch zones are secured, and final safety checks are completed. Al Marzooqi said every detail is reviewed once more, from testing communication channels to reassessing weather conditions, with all teams operating on a minute-by-minute schedule.
Once the show begins, systems run according to pre-programmed sequences, with continuous monitoring and the ability to intervene immediately if required. As the final fireworks fade and applause echoes across Al Wathba, crews will begin to quietly dismantle equipment, already looking ahead to the next celebration.
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