What to expect on New Year’s Eve in Dubai

Dubai is widely known worldwide for hosting breathtaking celebrations, record-breaking shows and lavish parties on New Year’s Eve, and this year is not an exception. In fact, hotels across the Emirate have reached almost 90% occupancy and around 100% in the sought-after areas of the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Downtown on 31 December, thanks to an influx of visitors from Expo 2020 and the Dubai Shopping Festival.

Speaking of Expo 2020, the number of attendees has risen to a total of 7,167,591 and in order to attract even more visitors, it will host a fantastic show with 2 firework displays and a line-up of world-famous DJ’s on New Year’s Eve. The celebrations will start at 3pm and last until 4am the following morning in order to align with numerous time zones. According to Tareq Ghosesh, Chief Events and Entertainment Officer at Expo 2020 Dubai, the planned festivities will make the world fair the largest event ever held in the Arab world. Armin van Buuren and Dimitri Vegas will be the stars of the upcoming festivities, with van Buuren starting at 11:30pm on Friday and Vegas overtaking the stage at 1:30am on Saturday. As well as all the above, one of the most highly-anticipated highlights of the large-scale event is a Times Square-style ball drop. Meanwhile, the countdown to 2022 will be led by drones, after which a grandiose firework show will be displayed. The second show plans to launch at 3am to celebrate the success of Expo 2020. Not forgetting the Festival Garden in the Jubilee Park, where visitors will be treated with over 120 mouthwatering food concepts including carts, kiosks and trucks.

Another spectacular event planned on New Year’s Eve is the Eve of Wonders, the organizer of which is the real estate giant; Emaar Properties. The annual extravaganza will feature a stunning fireworks display to ring in 2022 at the famous Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, as well as a brand new laser show at The Dubai Fountains. In order to attend the event, you are required to pre-register via the U by Emaar application, which will give you clear instructions on how to access the best vantage points in Downtown Dubai, as well as a QR code to enter any of the areas. Entry to the Eve of Wonders is free-of-charge, and it is possible to watch the entire event online on mydubainewyear.com from 8:30pm local time.

As well as all the above, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority launched special offers and premium services to watch the grand New Year’s Eve fireworks from the sea. The Dubai Ferry will begin cruising from 10pm on 31 December until 1:30am, while the waterbus and abra trips will start at 10:30pm and will finish at 1:30am. The abra service will commence from Al Jaddaf, Dubai Festival City and Al Ghubaiba Marine at a fare of AED 125 (USD 34) and the Dubai Ferry Journeys will begin from the Marina Mall, Al Ghubaiba and Al Seef station, with a fare of AED 300 (USD 82) for silver class and AED 450 (USD 122) for golden class. It is worth mentioning that children aged 2 and under can go free of charge on both the abra and waterbus trips.

Last but not least, the iconic Ain Dubai has announced attractive packages to fully enjoy the Bluewaters Island Drone Show and fireworks. Held in conjunction with the Rockstar Energy Drink, the spectacular event will start at 9:30pm and finish at 12:30am. The world’s largest and tallest observation wheel offers a total of 6 packages ranging from AED 500 (USD 136) with access to the Rooftop Terrace, to AED 67,500 (USD 18,400) for a private cabin of 15 people. The latter features pre-ride party access and live entertainment in the Jumeirah Lounge, besides a selection of sushi, oysters and caviar. You can choose a package to your liking on aindubai.com.

Amidst the surge in COVID-19 cases, in December, the UAE announced new guidelines to be followed during Christmas and New Year. Thus, venues for celebrations have a capacity limit of 80% and they all must be regularly sanitized. As well as this, face masks remain obligatory, while PCR tests are to be taken within 96 hours and there is a mandatory body temperature check. Meanwhile, the organizers of events are urged to regulate the entry and exit of visitors and prevent overcrowding.