Dubai cancels New Year’s fireworks, settles for ‘safer’ option

Dubai’s popular annual New Year fireworks show will be replaced with a laser show this year called Light Up 2018, according to UAE authorities citing safety concerns.

The Emirati developer responsible for building the Burj Khalifa where the most popular fireworks show happens, Emaar Properties, announced on Wednesday that this year’s celebration will be a series of sound and light shows displayed on the tallest building in the world.

They added that more than 300 experts, including over 100 rope access professionals, are on site with five months of preparation going into the design and installation of the diverse aspects of the Light Up 2018 spectacle.

“With over 7.7 km of power cabling undertaken, and over 25.3 km of rope used for rigging the various elements that go into the display, remarkable effort has gone in to make the celebration to be on a scale never-before witnessed,” they said.

Musical show

The show will also be integrating a performance by the Dubai fountain where more than 80 musicians from the UAE have come together for the musical composition that was recorded in studios in Dubai and Cairo.

The managing director of Emaar Properties and member of the special committee for organizing and securing New Year celebrations, Ahmad Thani al-Matrooshi, said in a press conference that the goal of replacing the fireworks with this musical and visuals show is to “create something new and not keep using the same techniques every year” adding that this year’s show will be as spectacular and enjoyable to watch.

Dubai police said that an expected one and a half million people will be watching the Burj Khalifa show in Downtown Dubai. They added that the all their human resources have been placed to provide safe and easy travel routes for show-goers.

This includes the closure of certain roads, and the provision of a number of tents in Downtown Dubai to provide services such as lost and found, first aid and other services.