Huge mistake spotted during Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations

While more than a billion people around the world are expected to watch Sydney’s spectacular New Year’s Eve fireworks as they prepare to ring in the New Year, spectators of Monday evening’s festivities in the Harbour City spotted a massive mistake during the event.

As more than a million people flooded Sydney’s iconic harbour to catch what many people describe as the best fireworks display in the world, some punters couldn’t help but notice an error displayed on the Harbour Bridge.

An impressive lights display was projected onto the bridge’s pylon throughout the evening in the lead up to the fireworks, but at one point, someone didn’t get the memo that Sydney was preparing for 2019.

Instead, a projection reading “Happy New Year 2018” was displayed. Eagle-eyed onlookers were quick to share the error on social media. One Twitter user known as Michelle shared a photograph of the blunder.

“Happy new year apparently it’s still 2018 here in Sydney,” she joked.

The irony is that Sydney is one of the first places in the world to ring in the New Year.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsDcXbqgSqk/

Another person said: “Great error on Sydney harbour bridge fire show. Instead of happy New tear [sic] 2019 , they wrote happy new year 2018.”

Great error on Sydney harbour bridge fire show. Instead of happy New tear 2019 , they wrote happy new year 2018 pic.twitter.com/iq39NM5EbN

— [email protected] (@abhaypandehotm1) December 31, 2018

Another photograph was shared on Instagram with the caption: “Happy new year 2018. Wait……have I got it wrong? Shouldn’t it say 2019??????”

The mistake has already been picked up by international media outlets around the world. Despite the glitch, most punters enjoyed the spectacular show.

Thunderstorms had earlier threatened to dampen the festivities but the weather held off at midnight and the skies lit up as planned.

Read more: From tattoos to skydiving: Top risky New Year’s resolutions revealed

https://twitter.com/michvllv/status/1079782485678936066

A record number of pyrotechnics and new fireworks effects captivated audiences during the 12-minute show. According to Newscorp, more than 8.5 tonnes of fireworks were used, with more than 100,000 individual effects during the display.

This year’s theme was “the pulse of Sydney” with an array of bright colours including lime, beach, silver, gold, purple lighting up the sky. In a special nod to Aretha Franklin, who died in August, her it ‘You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman’ was played.

Music by Aboriginal Australian hip-hop artist Adam Briggs was also played, while an array of singers including Kimbra, Casey Donovan, G Flip and Client Liaison entertained audiences during ABC’s coverage.

Meanwhile, an earlier show at 9:00pm included animations of water, birds, fish & plants, beamed on the Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons.

How did you ring in the New Year?