Watched Diwali fireworks in Dubai? Did you see how the streets looked hours later?

Dubai: Hundreds, if not thousands, of Indian expats celebrated Diwali in Dubai with firecrackers and fireworks on Sunday night, and by Monday morning the streets looked as though nothing had happened.

There was no official Diwali fireworks display this time as part of the Dubai events calendar, which had featured fireworks at Al Seef and Global Village for the past few years.

Residents made up for it themselves, lighting up different parts of the city under the watch of Dubai Police.

Many people posted videos online showing the celebrations in Al Mankhool, Bur Dubai, usually known as the hub of Diwali festivities in Dubai.

The clips showed people of all ages and genders coming together to burst crackers and celebrate for hours.

Several videos showed Diwali celebrations coming alive with bursts of firecrackers, the sparkle of hand-held sparklers and fountains that sent showers of bright sparks into the air.

Rockets shot into the night sky, bursting into colourful displays as families and friends gathered to mark the festival of lights with festive cheer.

Photographer and vlogger Sourav Guha Burman posted a video on Diwali 2026: Mankhool Special.

"There is a corner in Dubai which celebrates Diwali like there is no tomorrow. This is called the little India of Dubai- Al Mankhool. If you're in Dubai during this time, you cannot miss its Diwali celebration. We feel proud and thankful to be able to relive these moments every single year. This is Dubai wali Diwali," he wrote.

"Mind-blowing Mankhool," another resident's video said.

In some videos, police patrol cars could be seen parked near the areas where people were bursting firecrackers.

Several residents thanked Dubai Police for letting them celebrate in the traditional way, much as they would in India.

Kannada creator Prashant KR posted a video in which he narrated how Dubai Police were giving protection to the revellers, volunteers were offering free water to them and municipality workers were cleaning up the area while people like him enjoyed watching the firework and the buildings decked up with lights.

"It makes you happy to see families celebrating, even if your family is not around," he said.

According to some videos, police asked people to disperse only by midnight and went up to some revellers personally to ask them to stop.

Some officers were also seen being friendly with the crowd, pausing for selfies and photographs.

Other clips showed Dubai Municipality employees known as Cleaning Engineers starting work while the celebrations were still under way.

Instagram user Varsha Chandwani captioned her video: “Only in Dubai! Fireworks on one side, cleaning in full swing on the other.”

On Monday morning, residents posted videos of the open ground and surrounding area, which had been packed with cars and people, now spotless.

They thanked the municipality and its workers for the job they are already known for after major celebrations such as Eid and New Year's Eve fireworks.

Couple vloggers Sunera and Ashik known as Mr & Mrs Ashik first posted a video of the fireworks with the caption: “This is not AI. This is DubAI.”

Then they posted a video capturing the cleaning operation in which community members also assisted the Cleaning Engineers.

“Seeing Dubai Municipality and their amazing team working tirelessly to clean the city, along with so many people coming forward to participate, was truly heartwarming,” they said.

Digital creator Ladli Gaur posted a morning view of the cleaned up area and stated: “One thing that truly amazed me was how clean everything was the very next morning. No leftover fireworks, no mess, just spotless streets as if nothing had happened! That’s Dubai for you — celebrating beautifully and keeping the city beautiful too!”

Many residents also praised Dubai's spirit of inclusion, tolerance and harmony, which lets everyone follow their faith and celebrate their festivals.

Among those who thanked Dubai Police was Zahra Gourh, who described her shout-out to the force in a post as “a small” gesture and “an understatement”.

She noted that Diwali is a festival of lights and fireworks, and said she was struck by how the country lets people of every background celebrate in their own way.

“This nation helps every nationality, every culture, to celebrate what they want to celebrate,” she said, adding that police officers are constantly on their rounds to make sure everyone is safe and happy.

Amid the festivities, some residents also pointed out the risks of youngsters throwing firecrackers at each other, even if they were only having fun, and some others setting off the rockets from roads.

Some residents said that it these are reminders that fire safety hazards are real, and that caution is key while celebrating with firecrackers.

Residents said the police were not just monitoring the celebrations but keeping an eye out for those breaking the rules as well.