Music, fireworks and fun were the Abu Dhabi way of celebrations
abu dhabi — New Year Eve revelry went into full swing in Abu Dhabi as hundreds of thousands of residents came out on Sunday evening to ring in 2018.
At the stroke of midnight, an incredible firework set ablaze Abu Dhabi’s skyline.
Accompanied by incredible pyrotechnic effects, the 15-minute fireworks display at the New Year’s Eve Countdown Village mesmerised the crowd as they joined the festivities at the specially designed outdoor venue on the Abu Dhabi Corniche.
Adnoc headquarters, standing tall on the Corniche stretch, ran a 10-second countdown and with it fireworks started in Corniche, Emirates Palace and Al Maryah Island.
Adnoc displayed images of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, marking the UAE’s theme for 2018 as the Year of Zayed. Messages of ‘respect’, ‘human development’ and ‘sustainability’ kept flashing on the headquarter building along with images of the founding father as fireworks lit up the sky.
Katy Perry sets stage on fire
International star Katy Perry gave a New Year’s Eve show to remember at the du Arena on Yas Island. The concert was tailor-made by the Grammy-nominated singer just for the UAE.
Twins Hanna and Jhina were among the hardcore fans who were waiting for hours to see the pop icon perform.
“We are great Katy Perry fans. We cannot wait to see her perform,”
Ahead of the show, Katy expressed her excitement about performing in Abu Dhabi, calling out to the “UAE KatyCats”, saying: “I’m so happy to see you again, and to play in Abu Dhabi for the first time! It’s going to be a wonderful way to ring in the New Year!”
From the moment she entered the stage singing ‘Dark Horse’, the award-winning artist had fans of all ages mesmerised by her brilliant performance. Featuring special effects, a mesmerising catwalk stage for an up close and personal interaction with fans, a laser show and live-action video wall, the show bought an exceptional end to a year of thrilling entertainment in Abu Dhabi.
Countdown at Corniche
At ‘Countdown Village’ on the corniche, there was something for everyone.
Local stars like Hussain Al Jasmi and regional flavours like Fouad Abdul Wahid and Tamer Hosni among other DJs pepped up the mood.
Hehet and Asim, both from Egypt, are big fans of Tamer Hosny, and were thrilled to croon their way in to 2018. “I like the way he looks and sings,” Asim said.
There were numerous events for kids, like ‘Pulse Run’ — a virtual challenge to beat a rhino or a penguin in a dash.
Innovation and creativity was at its best with digital graffiti, urban installations, LED cave and the Instagram Museum all adding to the fun quotient.