Abu Dhabi, UAE: The Sheikh Zayed Festival, currently being held at Al Wathba, has announced that it welcomes the public and visitors from all over the world over the weekend with a wide range of heritage and cultural events, activities, and entertainment shows that are interesting and fun for all family members, in addition to the opportunity to win valuable prizes through many competitions starting from 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. in a cultural, fun and entertaining atmosphere.

Over the weekend, visitors to the Festival will enjoy fireworks displays that will form exciting figures in the sky of Al Wathba, featuring luminous colors and eye-catching shapes with accompanied by musical rhythms. The Emirates Fountain, the largest water fountain of its kind in the region, will present shows with lights, colours, music, laser beams, and holograms with giant screens.

Weekly Parades

Weekly parades will be held for celebrations and will roam the Festival grounds . It will provide visitors with different interactive themes each week, in addition to providing different experiences through many engaging roaming shows accompanied by lively musical rhythms across the Festival, enhancing the cultural heritage experience of all visitors in a happy outdoor atmosphere.

The pavilions of participating countries at the Festival will provide visitors with the opportunity to wander among depictions of popular neighbourhood mock-ups of different countries of the world to learn about their various products and traditions. The public will have the opportunity to enjoy the traditional arts and crafts of each country through performances presented by their folk groups in a destination full of joy and inclusivity.

Miscellaneous Events

Visitors from all over the world will experience the heritage of the UAE represented at the Heritage Village that highlights the four Emirati environments, namely the marine, the mountain, desert, and agriculture environment. Emirati culture is also highlighted through heritage events, competitions, handicrafts, and products that reflect the traditional atmosphere of the old Emirati way of life. During the weekend, the Festival includes a variety of weekly activities that include workshops such as a clay chimney painting workshop, a live painting show, in addition to a photo exhibition that expresses a special journey to a glorious past.

Prizes and competitions

Visitors to the Festival will have opportunities to win many valuable prizes from competitions and raffle draws, including the "H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Zayed AL Nahyan Rasing Festival" raffle draws where visitors can participate in a car draw in addition to valuable gifts and valuable prizes. The public will be delighted to watch the Arabian Horse shows with the participation of the Emirates Arabian Horse Association, which began on Thursday and will continue until March 9, 2024.

For thrill seekers who love joining competition and winning prizes, the Sheikh Zayed Festival, in cooperation with the UAE Camel Racing Federation, is organizing the Zayed Grand Prize Camel Race 2023 at Al Wathba Arena starting from November 25, 2023, until December 1, 2023, as one of the most important and prominent heritage and sports events. Fans and enthusiasts of camels, as well as owners from the UAE and from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries will participate and compete for trophies.

On Friday, November 24, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., SSMC, the gold sponsor of the Festival, will present events and activities for children and their families, offering them a chance to win special prizes. Workshops for children will be hosted on the stage, teaching them how to conduct medical examinations as they play the role of a doctor. Additionally, doctors from Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City will conduct workshops for parents on child safety. Children will have the opportunity to engage in drawing and coloring activities, and they will receive special gifts. At the end of the day, prizes, including 20 car seats, can be won by answering questions related to child safety.

The Fun Fair City offers an atmosphere of fun and enjoyment through diverse games suitable for all age groups. Additionally, there is an exceptional adventure for thrill-seekers inside the House of Horror. The Children's City includes various workshops for children up to 14 years old, along with various activities, including competitions, prizes, and live shows on the stage. Children will experience an exciting atmosphere at the VR and E-sports area, as well as the theatrical performances, talent segments, and much more.

Experiments and discoveries

For the first time in Abu Dhabi, visitors to the Festival will have an exceptional experience of enjoying activities at an altitude of 40 meters through the "Flying Cup" restaurant, a dining experience to eat with family and friends. A wildlife experience will also entertain visitors as they learn about rare animals and birds through direct interaction with some of them. Visitors can take precious souvenir photos and watch various shows in the “Wildlife Secrets”.

Festival visitors can shop from different pavilions and sections, in addition to exploring Chinese and Asian products and foods through the Chinatown , which reflects Chinese and Asian culture.

The Festival also provides new dining experiences in more than 50 restaurants that cater to the preferences of all tastes, offering a variety of local and international dishes in a cultural and entertaining atmosphere that brings together all family members.

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