1 January 2022, DUBAI — The pinnacle of Expo 2020 Dubai’s New Year’s Eve celebrations, a stunning ball drop to rival that of New York’s Times Square, ushered in 2022 with a dazzling flourish at Al Wasl Plaza at 0000 GST, complemented by two fireworks displays that lit up the night sky.
Visitors celebrated 2022 by relishing in the lights, colours, music, hoopla, and confetti during the world’s most inclusive New Year’s Eve event, as glasses clinked with midnight toasts made across the site’s Contry Pavilions, restaurants, and bars.
The incandescent crystal ball was released from the illuminated dome of Al Wasl Plaza, serving as a sign of optimism foreshadowing a brighter future.
More than 70 restaurants and 120 food concepts served to visitors until the early hours of the morning, including food trucks, food halls, restaurants, bars, and kiosks, as well as exclusive never-before-seen concepts by international chefs, keeping energy levels and spirits high.
The newly renovated Festival Garden at Expo’s Jubilee Park offered even more glitz and glam to the festivities. The atmospheric garden is open until 0200 GST and contains a lively mix of food trucks, beverage carts, and entertainment in the shape of bouncy castles, an inflatable park, treasure hunts, face painting, sporting activities, DJs, musicians, and more.
The Dubai Metro, which seamlessly connects Expo 2020 to the rest of the city, is open all day on December 31 and into the New Year, ensuring that every visitor to Expo can take advantage of the world-class experiences on offer.
RTA has announced longer operation hours for the holiday season, with trains running nonstop from 0800 on December 31 to 0215 on January 2. The RTA website has a lot more information.
Yemen celebrates their Expo 2020 National Day with musicians, traditional folkloric dancers, and a line-up of vocalists, including Hussain Moheb, one of Yemen’s best-selling performers, on 1 January at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Three of the region’s biggest Arabic singers will also be performing at Jubilee Park to celebrate the start of the year 2022: Emirati soul musician Arqam, Saudi vocalist Hamza Hawsawi, and Emirati singer and oud player Jassim Mohammed.
To read our blog on Festive enchantment – the magic behind Expo 2020’s Al Wasl Christmas shows, click here.
