Sky Elements prepares must-see drone show for New Bedford's New Year's Eve festivities.

NEW BEDFORD — In place of fireworks, City Celebrates New Year's will feature 100 drones hovering 400 feet over the pier providing a must-see performance to kick-off 2024.

"I don't see ourselves as competition to fireworks, because I see this as being a completely separate thing," said Kyle Pivnick, VP of Business Development for Sky Elements.

"A firework show is always going to be impressive no matter what. We have a lot of clients who kind of flip flop because they're both cool, I think the drones really fit a really fun, family-friendly entertainment option," added Pivnick.

More: City Celebrates New Year's Eve to feature LED drone show. Here's everything we know.

Where can you see the New Year's drone show in New Bedford?

Starting promptly at 8:30 p.m., the 15-minute drone show will be visible on Union Street facing the pier. According to Pivnick, the further back you are on Union Street, the better experience you will have watching the show.

"One of the coolest things I like about our drone show is you really get that visual seeing the turnover from 2023 to 2024," he said. "It's an amazing visual."

What is a drone show?

According to the Sky Elements official website, a drone light show is an impressive and innovative aerial display using a coordinated group of drones equipped with LED lights to create stunning formations, patterns, and animations in the night sky.

Sky Elements flies about 60% of the drone performances seen across the country and will have a New Year's Eve show not only in New Bedford but also in Truckee, California; Seattle; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and Auburn, Maine, that night.

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The company offers a one-of-a-kind, customizable, and environmentally friendly form of entertainment with the drones following pre-programmed routes, showcasing an array of colors and designs with their onboard lights.

Leaders from the Tourism Office and Destination New Bedford had a hand in designing the drone show with Sky Elements.

Each show is unique, but they typically involve a group of drones programmed to create a display of 3D images, animations, and intricate lighting effects. The New Bedford show will feature 100 drones, but recently the company produced a record-breaking 1,600 drone show.

The performance is controlled by a central computer system that ensures the safety of the drones. "It's definitely a shared experience not to be missed," Pivnick said.

At the YMCA lawn on Union Street, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., attendees are invited to join in on a dance party and groove to the music during the drone show.

Is the drone show safe?

Professional teams use "safety measures such as maintaining a safe distance from the audience, using high-quality drones, implementing redundancy in communication systems, ensuring flight paths are secure and following a strict safety process," according to Sky Elements.

What else is going on in the city on New Year's Eve?

At the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., guests can enjoy a magic show and have some fun with roaming circus characters as well as observe unique balloon creations. A sing-along to family-friendly classics will feature acoustic tunes by local musician Richie Oliver.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., will also host a photo booth to capture the memories with your loved ones. The Toe Jam Puppet Band will also be there having a dance and sing along with the "family fun band" in the Jacob's Family Gallery as well as Vinny's Miracle Fish Puppets roaming around the museum.

As 222 Union Restaurant & Bar at the New Bedford Harbor Hotel, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., guests can relax and enjoy some fine dining and cocktails while listening to the jazz tunes of the Buttonwood Brass Band.

Standard-Times staff writer Seth Chitwood can be reached at schitwood@s-t.com. Follow him on twitter:@ChitwoodReports. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Standard-Times today.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Sky Elements produces New Bedford New Year's Eve drone show