500 drones will take to Perth’s night sky this weekend in a dazzling opening to 2022’s City of Lights Christmas series. The shows will dance and shimmer above Elizabeth Quay from 8.00pm on Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th of November.
But, the festivities kick off well before then. From 5.00pm, there will be plenty of family activities to get involved in on the ground.
Stilt walkers will roam the quay and ballerinas will shine through the night, bringing the Christmas spirit to all. LED hula-hoop workshops will be held on the Barrack Square lawn too, giving you a taste of life as a roving performer.
This Sunday night only, the Thundercorps Marching Band will be putting on a special performance. Catch them parading around the Quay, playing everyone’s favourite Christmas tunes.
Over the weekend, various food trucks will be parked around Barrack Square, showcasing cuisines from around the world. Get in early to grab a bite to eat and a front-row seat to the evening’s light show.
Drone shows are a great alternative to fireworks. They feature hundreds of light-equipped machines flying in formation to create themed shapes, objects, and words.
This weekend’s show will focus heavily on Christmas symbols, with Josh Van Ross, CEO of Drone Sky Shows, telling So Perth, “it’s going to be Santa’s journey through Perth.”
“We’re dealing with 500 drones for this show,” says Van Ross. “Right now, we are limited to 8-10 minutes for shows. But, as batteries get better, the proposed flight time is around 25 minutes.”
The ever evolving world of drones is what makes these shows spectacular, Van Ross explains.
“All Perth is seeing is the tier one market. Opening up the tier two market allows for the ‘will you marry me?’, birthdays, weddings, and engagements. All that market becomes possible as the technology advances.”
This isn’t their first rodeo, so Drone Sky Shows are well prepared and excited to put on a spectacular show for everyone. Especially those with young families.
While there’s no one best spot to watch Santa’s journey from, Van Ross advises finding anywhere around the alcove that has a good view over the bridge and around 45 degrees into the sky.
So head on down to Elizabeth Quay this weekend and check out the beginning of the Christmas festivities in Perth.
Feature image: @cityofperth
