• The show was also a tribute to the UAE as it marks its 50th year.
    The show was also a tribute to the UAE as it marks its 50th year.
  • The impressive display took place at Al Marjan Island.
    The impressive display took place at Al Marjan Island.
  • The northern emirate dazzled all with a never-before-seen fireworks display.
    The northern emirate dazzled all with a never-before-seen fireworks display.
  • The Ras Al Khaimah New Year's Eve fireworks display opened with a tower of lights more than 1km high, followed by a 'Happy New Year’ message written in the sky using drones. All photos: Getty Images
    The Ras Al Khaimah New Year's Eve fireworks display opened with a tower of lights more than 1km high, followed by a 'Happy New Year’ message written in the sky using drones. All photos: Getty Images
  • The grand finale featured a multicolour display of lights followed by a massive expanse of white that illuminated the emirate's skyline.
    The grand finale featured a multicolour display of lights followed by a massive expanse of white that illuminated the emirate's skyline.
  • It was specially choreographed, with six themes set to epic orchestral music.
    It was specially choreographed, with six themes set to epic orchestral music.
  • The spectacle lasted about 12 minutes.
    The spectacle lasted about 12 minutes.
  • The display featured innovative pyrotechnic drone performances and more than 15,000 effects.
    The display featured innovative pyrotechnic drone performances and more than 15,000 effects.
  • Ras Al Khaimah's New Year’s Eve dazzled with a fireworks display that smashed two Guinness World Records at Al Marjan Island.
    Ras Al Khaimah's New Year’s Eve dazzled with a fireworks display that smashed two Guinness World Records at Al Marjan Island.
  • The display covered a 4.7km stretch along the waterfront between Al Marjan Island and Al Hamra Village.
    The display covered a 4.7km stretch along the waterfront between Al Marjan Island and Al Hamra Village.

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Ras Al Khaimah's New Year’s Eve celebrations break two world records

The impressive display took place at Al Marjan Island

Farah Andrews
Farah Andrews

January 01, 2022

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The sky was lit with a record-breaking fireworks display in Ras Al Khaimah for New Year's Eve.

Breaking two Guinness World Records, the northern emirate "dazzled all with a never-before-seen fireworks display".

Photos from the event, which took place at Al Marjan Island, show the sky light up with a multicoloured fireworks display, with a "Happy New Year" message written in the sky.

The display lasted for 12 minutes and pyrotechnic and drone performances with more than 15,000 effects, covering a stretch of 4.7 kilometres.

The two Guinness World Records broken were for the Highest Altitude Multirotor Or Drone Fireworks Display and Most Remote Operated Multirotors Or Drones Launching Fireworks Simultaneously. The tower of fireworks stretched 1,055.8 metres high, 225.8m taller than the Burj Khalifa, and used 452 drones to launch the "Happy New Year" message in the sky.

In Abu Dhabi, the fireworks show at the Sheikh Zayed Festival officially broke three Guinness World Records. Taking place in Al Wathba, the impressive fireworks show lasted for 40 minutes, and broke the records for volume, duration and form.

As well as the fireworks, there was a dazzling drone show made up of 2,022 unmanned aircraft. The drones formed the faces of UAE leaders, including Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, President Sheikh Khalifa, and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

The drones also formed the shapes of UAE skyscrapers, planet Earth, the festival's logo and the words, "Happy New Year 2022."

Elsewhere in the UAE, there was a fireworks show on Al Maryah Island, and Dubai had several countdowns to 2022, including a light-and-fireworks show at Burj Khalifa and a concert by Robbie Williams at Atlantis, The Palm.

Updated: January 01, 2022, 7:26 AM
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