SEATTLE — For the first in-person New Year's at the Needle celebration since 2019, a unique new element complemented the fireworks show: hundreds of drones.
Sky Elements, a Texas-based drone light show provider, launched 200 drones around the Space Needle during the show, which displayed light formations in the sky, aiming to add "expression and color" to one of the world's largest structurally launched fireworks displays, according to the Space Needle.
"We love to see the crowds come out and just enjoy the spectacle. There's nothing like seeing it in person, fireworks exploding off the needle, lights exploding, and then this year of course drones flying as tall as the Space Needle right next to it in those formations," said Randy Coté, chief marketing officer at the Space Needle.
The drones flew between 200 and 600 feet above the ground, directly north of the Space Needle.
The music accompanying the show encompassed the biggest cultural moments of the past year, including the biggest hits of 2022.
"It's our 31st New Year's at the Needle so we're going into that fourth decade of the celebration, and the Space Needle stands for innovation and forward-thinking so drones perfectly align with that," Coté said.
KING 5 Evening’s Kim Holcomb, Jim Dever, Angela Poe Russell and Saint Bryan hosted the New Year's at the Needle show from T-Mobile Park.
For viewers who attended the event in person, there were hourly light shows beginning at 10 p.m. in the lead-up to the firework show, which were visible from the Seattle Center grounds.
For the 10th consecutive year, the Space Needle’s exclusive partner, T-Mobile, sponsored the West Coast’s premier New Year’s Eve celebration.