A spectacular firework show lit up the Siem Reap sky marking the New Year countdown nearly two hours after hundreds of revellers, tourists and locals took part in Sunday night’s 3km Angkor City Music Night Run

The run was jointly organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Siem Reap Authority, Cambodia Events Organizer and the National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, with the support of several sponsors and partners.

After warming up to loud music and dancing, nearly 800 runners of all ages and abilities took off with glowsticks at 9pm for the short circuit around the central part of the city along the riverside from Pub Street.

Well within an hour, the participants were back to indulge themselves in more music and dancing once again deep into the night as a group of professional DJs kept the swaying crowd in high spirits as the minutes ticked down for the stroke of midnight and the arrival of 2018.

Like the inaugural night run on November 5, there were no prizes to be won, but the registered runners were more than happy to pick up their participation medals as a proud reward for helping raise funds for the local children’s hospitals and creating a carnival-type sports tourism initiative.

“Pub Street has a unique culture of its own for decades. It is a tourist hotspot where nothing is in short supply when it comes to variety – music, entertainment and international food choices. There is no better place in Siem Reap than this famous entertainment hub to launch a nightly run like this,” said NOCC Secretary-General Vath Chamroeun.

Chamroeun, after performing his role as the official starter, decided to go through the grind himself and complete the run.

“The participation numbers shot up by nearly 25 percent over our inaugural run on November 5. It was encouraging to see more tourists and the excitement of New Year’s Eve added to its appeal,” said Sam Phalla, who leads Cambodia Events Organizer.

A similar event is planned for January 28.