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A Christmas-themed drone light show. Courtesy DSU/Mudbug Madness Sky Elements Drone Light Shows were finalists in the 2024 America's Got Talent show. Courtesy Sky Elements Drone Light Shows Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Rockets over the Red, the Saturday-after-Thanksgiving fireworks show on the Shreveport-Bossier City riverfront has long been the two cities' "official" kickoff to the Christmas season.
This year, it will be an even more exciting night of free entertainment. As in years past, you should expect to meet Santa, enjoy live music, sample from food trucks and buy one-of-kind gifts from local vendors. For the first time ever, Rockets over the Red will feature a drone light show, dozens of drones synchronized with lights and colors, creating shapes in the night sky timed with music.
It is going to be a blast, promises Downtown Shreveport Unlimited Executive Director Terri Matthews. She represents the nonprofit organization that works with the cities in putting on the event each year. "We're really excited about it because it's the first one ever done here," Matthews said.
She said the company flying the drones is called Sky Elements from Coppell, Texas. Star Wars' Millennium Falcon made of Sky Elements' drones. "They actually got the golden buzzer on 'America's Got Talent,'" she said.
It was a big win for the company. The golden buzzer came from judge Simon Cowell propelling them into 2024 finals, where they won third place. Matthews knows that people enjoy Rockets over the Red , but she also understands the importance of spicing things up.
"Over the last couple of years, we've been saying, hey, how do we make this look different?'" she said. "How do we attract new people or bring people back, who might say, you know, I've kind of been there, done that before?" The first-ever drone show will last 12 minutes and will physically count down to a traditional fireworks finale. The show, she said, is tailored to Shreveport-Bossier City.
"We've been meeting with them for several months to design the show, and we've been doing it on a storyboard over the computer," Matthews said. "A team will come that morning and actually stage everything." Matthews says this first drone show will feature "traditional Christmas" elements, and all will be timed with Christmas-themed music.
Matthews hopes there will be more drone light shows in the future. "We're hoping that we'll get enough interest this year that we have some people who will invest in it, and then we can grow the show." Matthews says the cost of the 12 minutes of drones about equals what it costs to do a 20- to 25-minute traditional fireworks show.
A "traditional Christmas" drone light show. Rockets over the Red will begin on the Shreveport riverfront at Riverview Park and at the Bossier City Boardwalk at 4 p.m.
with face painting, Santa photos, food trucks and vendors. At 6 p.m.
there will be the tree lighting at Riverview Park. At 7:15 p.m.
the drone light show will kick off followed by fireworks. Matthews said the drones can fly in the rain, but wind is a factor. A fly/no-fly decision will be made 24 hours in advance.
"We know it's going to be a great night, though," she said, "and we're really looking forward to it.".
