Ras Al Khaimah sets free New Year's Eve festival, registration opens 15 Nov

Ras Al Khaimah has published its plans for New Year's Eve 2026/27: an eleven-hour free festival on the waterfront at Jais Festival Ground, building up to the RAK NYE Sky Show, a fireworks and drone display timed to midnight. The emirate's New Year show has become one of the UAE's biggest nights out, and many Dubai residents make the drive north for it.

The festival opens at 4pm on Thursday 31 December and runs until 3am. Food, drinks and games run until 2am, DJs play from 5pm, and three parades with roaming performers pass through at 7:30pm, 8:30pm and 9:30pm. A DJ countdown party starts at 11pm, the Sky Show runs from 11:50pm to 12:05am, and an afterparty with live DJs follows until 3am. For families who want an earlier night, a separate display at 9pm can be seen from Manar Mall and the Corniche in the city centre.

The organisers, Marjan with the Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority and the emirate's police, transport and municipal departments, have made registration compulsory for everyone, children included. Last New Year's Eve the emirate took a Guinness World Records title for the largest aerial display of a phoenix formed by drones, adding to a run of records from its New Year shows.

Getting there takes planning. Private cars cannot drive to the festival: the only public car park is at Exit 122, opening at 10am on the day, first come first served, with free shuttle buses to the festival from 4pm and back until 3am. Taxis and ride-hailing cars drop off at Exit 122 too. Roads close at 7pm and there is no roadside parking. Access to Al Marjan Island on the night is by registration only.

Entry, parking and shuttles are free. Registration opens on 15 November on the official RAK NYE website: one registration covers a main guest, up to four others and one car, and larger groups register again. Hotel guests on Al Marjan Island upload their booking confirmation, and residents of the island get two digital car passes per apartment. A QR code is emailed and must be shown at the gate. Bring a charged phone, comfortable shoes, warm layers and a small folding chair; outside food and drinks, glass, picnic blankets, coolers, large bags, pets, personal drones and fireworks are not allowed, and bags are checked at entry. Anyone staying home can watch the Sky Show on the event's live stream. The organisers say the programme and timings may change.