Al Hosn Festival, Abu Dhabi’s flagship annual celebration of cultural heritage,will return tothe Al Hosn sitefrom 17 January to 1 February 2026. Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi),this year’s festival will bring the community togetherto celebrate Emirati identity and connect visitors with Abu Dhabi’s living heritagethrough immersive experiences.
With16 days of interactive cultural programming, Al Hosn Festival will provide a platform for cultural exchange and engagement with Abu Dhabi’s heritage, showcasingthe emirate’s authentic customs and traditions. The annual event aligns with DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision to protect, preserve, and promote the emirate’s heritage bysupporting talent, building capabilities in the culture and creative ecosystem, positioningAbu Dhabi as a global cultural centre, and fostering artistic expression and public engagement.
His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said:“Al Hosn Festival reflects
DCT Abu Dhabi’s enduring commitment to safeguarding and sharing the heritage at the heart of our national identity. The festival creates a meaningful dialogue between generations and ensures Emirati traditions remain lived, learned and shared. The return of this long-standingeventfurther strengthens a sense of community and belonging and celebrates the creative spirit that continues to shape Abu Dhabi’s cultural landscape. This is living heritage: rooted in history, yet carried forward by today’s artists, artisans, and creatives to inspire our future.”
Spread across the historic Al Hosn cultural site, Al Hosn Festival offers a series of immersive experiencestaking visitors into the heart of Abu Dhabi’s history and heritage, including its signature evening show, which traces the discovery of water in Abu Dhabi and follows the evolution of Qasr Al Hosn from a 18th-century watchtower into a landmark that shaped the community. Visitors can also explore traditional desert life through experiences at MajlisAl Shilla, featuring art forms like Al Taghrooda, Al Wanna, Al Mankoos, and Al Radha, along with falconry, saluki demonstrations, and interactive camel experiences, a vibrant journey celebrating the roots of Emirati identity.
There will be18 artisan demonstrations and seven workshops hosted at The Freej area, alongside Emirati traditional games and a bustling souq featuring 50 vendors offering a curated selection of perfumes, textiles, and jewellery. Meanwhile, the ‘Building Workshop: Crafting Al Hosn’ session will engage visitors with traditional construction methods to understand how craftsmanship shaped the fort’s architecture. In addition, this year’s festival will feature Bait Al Hazawi, an interactive cultural escape room that blends fun with the use of knowledge through themes such as Al Sanaa (etiquette), palm trees, and the sea. Younger visitors can participate in the Youth Heritage Guardians’ programme, discovering elements inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in an engaging way.
The festival experiences continue to spotlight the artistry and innovation of Emirati craftsmanship, showcasing traditional and sustainable skills. Programmes such as ‘Threads of Gold’, curated by House of Artisans,will explore the artistry of traditional garments and the women and men who craft them. The festival also hosts a range of family workshops designed to encourage shared creativity across generations.
Over 40 productive families’ crafts and products, along with a farmers’ market experience, aim to create opportunities for community engagement throughout the festival. This platform highlights local products and empowers this segment to grow, participate actively, and strengthen their presence within the cultural landscape.
Also central to this edition is the Emirati Gahwa Lewan, a multi-layered journey into the world of Emirati Gahwa, where visitors explore the tools, aromas, etiquette, and rituals that make Gahwa a symbol of hospitalityand connection. The experience brings together a Gahwa tools exhibition, live Emirati Gahwa ceremonies, and participatory etiquette workshops for adults and children, alongside talks, youth-focused sessions, and the beloved ‘Sanaa’ Al Gahwa Al Sagheer’ for young hosts in training. Completing the journey, the Bait Al Gahwa Café offers a warmgathering place for visitors to meet and enjoy the aromas, craftsmanship, and social traditions of Emirati Gahwa.
Visitors are also invited to discover Emirati music through performances by local talents and emerging artists.Each evening, the’Jalasat’programme will feature intimate sessions with Emirati singers and musicians performing traditional songs, alongside readings by Emirati poets. Complementing this is a family-friendlyimmersive digital experience which celebrates the Emirati dialect and community,focusing on pronunciation, meaning, and cultural context across various conversational themes.
In addition, the festival will feature 60restaurants and food trucks offering a wide variety of dishes, as well as a range of retail outlets showcasing products crafted by Emiratis, further enriching the visitor experience.
Al Hosn Festival 2026 will run daily from 17 January to 1 February 2026, 4pm to 11pm, and until 12am on the weekends. Box office closing is half an hour before closing time, at 10:30pm. Tickets are AED 35 for ages 13-59 and AED 15 for children 5-12. Entry is free for children under 5, seniors (60+), and People of Determination.Additionally,the new Al Hosn Festival webapplication offers seamless access to maps, ticketing, workshops, parking, accessibility services, and live updates, ensuring visitors stay informed and connected throughout their visit.
Complimentary parking is available for festival visitors at the Free Gold Parking on Al Hosn Street, with access granted upon presenting a valid festival ticket at the parking entrance. In addition, a parking service will be available on Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street for a fee of AED 150. Designated visitor drop-off points are located along Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Street, Zayed the First Street, and Hamdanbin Mohammed Street, ensuring convenient access to the festival entrances.
For more information, visit http://alhosnfestival.ae/
