Zakho Welcomes 2026 New Year With Fire Shows by Egyptian Circus Team
International performances draw thousands of visitors as the city reinforces its status as a leading tourism hub in the Kurdistan Region.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — New Year celebrations for 2026 have officially begun in Zakho, featuring nightly fire shows by an Egyptian circus team that have drawn large crowds of visitors from across Iraq, local officials said on Monday.
The festivities are being held at key landmarks including the historic Delal Bridge and the Zakho Corniche, where performers present fire-based acrobatics and theatrical shows as part of an expanded New Year program.
The events are scheduled to continue through Dec. 26, after which additional activities marking the arrival of 2026 will carry on into the final days of the year.
Delkhaz Mousa, Director of Culture and Arts in Zakho, told Kurdistan24 that comprehensive security and traffic plans have been put in place to ensure the smooth running of the festival. He said the city is fully prepared to receive tourists and visitors, noting that the organization of the celebrations reflects Zakho’s growing experience in hosting large public events.
An Egyptian performer, Ahmed Jamal, said the troupe would remain in Zakho for five days, presenting a series of fire and acrobatic shows.
“We hope our performances will meet the expectations of the people of the Kurdistan Region,” he said, describing Kurdistan as their “second home” and praising the hospitality of its residents.
Jamal also pointed to the continued strength of relations between the Kurdistan Region and Egypt, noting that Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani is currently visiting the Egyptian capital Cairo.
Another member of the Egyptian team, Mohammed Hisham, described Zakho as one of the most beautiful cities he has visited. He said the audience response to the opening performances had been positive and expressed hope to deliver even more engaging shows in the coming days.
Local participant Asaad Sabah explained that the performances combine fire, traditional oven-style effects, and rotating illuminated costumes, creating visually striking displays designed to captivate audiences of all ages.
Beyond the main fire shows, Zakho has scheduled a wide range of cultural and entertainment activities throughout December. City authorities say that during the final ten nights of the month, multiple events and fire-themed performances will be staged nightly across different parts of the city to welcome the New Year.
Zakho has increasingly positioned itself as one of the Kurdistan Region’s most vibrant tourist destinations, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Tourism officials attribute much of this growth to infrastructure upgrades, particularly the completion of the Zakho Corniche near the iconic Delal Bridge, which has become a focal point for visitors, festivals, and family gatherings.
The city’s rising profile aligns with the Kurdistan Regional Government’s (KRG) broader strategy to develop tourism as a key economic sector. In recent years, the KRG has invested in strategic tourism projects, improved road networks, public spaces, and hospitality infrastructure, and encouraged private-sector investment to diversify the region’s economy beyond oil.
Officials say New Year events such as those in Zakho are intended not only as celebrations, but also as showcases of the Kurdistan Region’s cultural openness, security, and capacity to host large-scale international performances—further reinforcing its appeal to both domestic and regional tourists.