Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Festival plans a spectacular 62-minute fireworks display and 6,500-drone performance amid an expanded lineup of cultural shows and family activities
Abu Dhabi’s Al Wathba will welcome 2026 with a monumental New Year’s Eve celebration, headlined by a 62-minute fireworks show aiming to break five Guinness World Records and a synchronized drone display featuring 6,500 aircraft.
The Sheikh Zayed Festival’s program will unfold in five segments from 8:00 p.m. to midnight, with the main pyrotechnic and drone spectacle capping the evening. The drone show, described as the world’s largest single sortie, will run for 20 minutes and present nine original aerial formations, synchronized with a digital countdown and the fireworks finale.
Beyond the aerial displays, the festival will feature a wide range of cultural performances, including traditional Emirati arts like Al Ayala and Al Razfa with hundreds of performers, as well as international parades and musical acts. Family-friendly programming will be centered at the Kids’ Theatre and the new Wonderland entertainment city, opened in December 2025.
To manage the anticipated crowds, the Higher Committee of the Sheikh Zayed Festival has implemented expanded entry and exit points, wider walkways, and increased safety and medical services. The enhanced logistics support the festival’s goal of delivering a safe, innovative, and culturally rich welcome to the new year.
