From the world's tallest building to the world's fastest police car, Dubai holds hundreds of world records, and this week, it hopes to add another with the launch of the Palm Fountain.
Representatives from the Guinness Book of World Records will be on hand at The Pointe on Thursday evening to assess whether the two fountains, spanning a footprint of 14,000 square metres, will be big enough for the title when they fire up for the first time at 7pm. If it is successful, it will take the crown from the Dubai Fountain in Downtown Dubai, which currently holds the number one spot.
The Palm Fountain is split across the east and west wings of The Pointe, and features 128 super shooters, capable of firing water more than 100 metres in the air, as well as 3,000 led lights, which will change colour as the fountains dance to music.
“It's not just about water,” says Gail Sangster, asset director at Nakheel Malls. “It's a multicoloured show. So of course, the water is synchronised with music when they are dancing, but they will also light up.”
The fountain will launch with a 20-song catalogue, featuring a mixture of classic and contemporary tracks spanning Arabic, Indian, Russian, Chinese, English and American numbers. And, in a world first, the show will also feature Disney songs.
"We started off with literally thousands of songs," says Sangster. "Then we needed to look at what would actually work because you've got to look at the actual song's composition versus choreographing that to the fountain, so some songs just won't work. But we've got it down to a nice diverse range.
"There's something for everybody, there'll be something to ignite a memory and a happy moment. Of course, it's potluck because every night is a different night. So you've got to keep coming back to hear the whole 20."
The fountains have been in the works since 2019, months after The Pointe first opened at Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah. Since then, the destination has seen a number of restaurants and cafes open, as well as a pet-friendly beach.
“Whether it's a Dubai resident wanting to spend an evening taking in the views or tourists visiting, the fountain will add to the whole experience of coming down to The Pointe,” says Sangster.
The fountain has undergone rigorous testing to get ready for this week's launch. The shows and choreography have all been reviewed digitally before moving onto physical testing and getting tweaked, a process that has taken many months.
"It's lovely to see it finally finished and it's great to be able to share it with everybody and have it up and running every day," says Sangster. "I think a lot of people are excited, but if you missed out on registering for the launch event, everybody can come the next day and every day thereafter.
“We've got a lot of lovely restaurants with great views where people can enjoy the sunset, or stay on for dinner with the view of the fountains. There are a lot of different options across both the promenades.”
Following the official launch on Thursday, which will be attended by 5,000 people who have pre-registered for tickets and features a fireworks display, the fountains will operate 365 days a year, at half an hour intervals from sunset onwards.
During the launch event on Thursday, Nakheel will have special sanitisation crews on hand to ensure all public touch points are regularly disinfected and spectators adhere to social distancing guidelines. To celebrate the launch of the Palm Fountain, a swing has also been installed at the Pointe Beach, allowing people to swing through pouring water without getting wet, thanks to special sensors. The swing will be at The Pointe until Thursday, October 29.
