Revelers start ringing in 2014 with fireworks

Published 10:26 am Tuesday, December 31, 2013

CANBERRA, Australia — The Sydney Opera House and harbor bridge will sparkle with tons of exploding fireworks at midnight Tuesday, and Dubai will try to create the world’s largest fireworks show to ring in 2014.

Sydney officials promised that the Australian city’s renowned pyrotechnics show would be more extravagant than ever, with more than 1.6 million revelers expected to line the harbor for a view.

Dubai, home to world’s tallest tower, is known for its glitz, glamor and over-the-top achievements, and this New Year’s Eve the city is planning to break another record by creating the largest fireworks show ever.

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Organizers plan to light up the city’s coastline with a flying falcon made out of fireworks that moves across a massive man-made palm-shaped island alongside a countdown in fireworks. Organizers say they will also create a burst of light out of fireworks to imitate a sunrise and dazzle spectators with a United Arab Emirates flag that could also break records for being the largest ever made out of fireworks.

The 6-minute extravaganza will include 500,000 fireworks from 400 firing locations, all synchronized by 100 computers from stations across the city, said Barrett Wissman, co-chairman of IMG Artists that is managing the event. Guinness World Record officials will be on hand to measure the scale of the event.