“Impressive” is an understatement to describe the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Dubai that saw the Burj Khalifa make yet another world record. First proclaiming 2018 as the Year of Zayed, the display progressed to showcase motifs and icons of the UAE, from the falcon in flight to the national flag synchronized to music, the world’s tallest building turned international attention to the Middle East. The city certainly set a high benchmark for future New Year’s Eve celebrations in Downtown Dubai. Vogue.me breaks down the facts from the most striking spectacle that lit up one of the world’s great destinations…
The City Waits
Photo by H.H @faz3 | Instagram captioned “Two worlds, One city. #MyDubai #canon5dsr”
With roads across the city closed for the preparations leading up to the #MyDubaiNewYear spectacle, the final hours of 2017 in Dubai were suspended with anticipation for what was to come. The Burj Khalifa’s gravitational pull had people with specially booked spots in chichi restaurants wait in situ and families and friends go on foot across the city to get as close to the 160-storey skyscraper as possible. Thousands showed up, some allegedly walking kilometres just to witness the breathtaking light show that emanated from the 2,716.5 foot structure.
A New Record
The midnight laser show lasted for a total of ten minutes and made the Guinness World Record for the “largest laser light and sound show on a single structure.” His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum captured the momentous #LightUp2018 moment and posted the above photograph to his 6 million followers on his Instagram account with the following caption: “From: Dubai, UAE to the world: Happy New Year #2018”
It’s Not Over Yet
According to the Burj Khalifa’s Instagram account (with an ever-growing following of 793k people), you can experience the light show again and again. “You can enjoy the Guinness World Record breaking #LightUp2018 show schedule until Saturday, January 6: Monday @ 10pm, Tuesday & Wednesday @ 8pm •Thursday & Friday & Saturday @ 10pm.”
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