The tenth session of the Al Hosn Festival begins tomorrow

ABU DHABI, 16 JANUARY / WAM / The tenth session of the Al Hosn Festival, the most prominent annual event that celebrates cultural heritage in Abu Dhabi and organized by the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi over the course of 16 days during the period from January 17 to February 1, 2026, will begin tomorrow at the Al Hosn site.

This edition of the festival offers a program full of cultural events and interactive experiences that bring together all members of society on a vibrant journey that celebrates Emirati identity and deepens their connection to Abu Dhabi’s living heritage.

This annual celebration is in line with the vision of the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, which aims to protect, preserve and promote heritage, support talent and build capabilities within the culture and creative industries system, and highlight Abu Dhabi’s position as a global cultural center, in addition to providing a platform for artistic expression and community interaction.

His Excellency Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, said that the Al Hosn Festival embodies the department’s firm commitment to preserving and sharing heritage as it is the essence of our national identity, noting that the festival creates a dialogue between generations and ensures that Emirati traditions remain alive, inherited and shared. It also enhances the sense of belonging of all members of society, and celebrates the spirit of creativity that continues to shape the cultural scene in the emirate.

Al Hosn Festival’s series of events and immersive experiences take visitors on a journey deep into Abu Dhabi’s heritage, and the festival’s program is headlined by the main show that evokes the story of the discovery of water in Abu Dhabi.

The show traces the development of Qasr Al-Hosn from a watchtower dating back to the seventeenth century to a prominent landmark around which the features of society were formed. Visitors can also explore the features of traditional life in the desert through various cultural experiences hosted by the Shallah Majlis, which includes a group of performances, including the art of Al-Taghrooda, Al-Wuna, Al-Mankus, and Al-Rada, in addition to falconry, Saluki dog shows, and interactive experiences with camels, in a live journey that celebrates the roots of the Emirati identity.

The Al Freej area includes 18 live displays of traditional handicrafts and seven workshops, in addition to traditional Emirati folk games, and a market that includes 50 stores offering a variety of perfumes, textiles and jewelry.

The fort design building workshop also allows visitors to learn closely about traditional construction methods and how the skills of craftsmen contributed to shaping the walls of the fort in that period.

The festival offers the Hazawi House experience, which is an interactive cultural puzzle room that combines fun and the use of knowledge on cultural topics such as sand, palm trees, and the sea.

Young visitors can participate in the “Little Guardians of Heritage” program, by discovering some of the items included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List in a fun and interactive way.

The Al Hosn Festival program highlights the ingenuity and creativity of Emirati craftsmen and sustainable traditional skills.

The “Threads of Gold” program, presented by the House of Craftsmen, showcases the arts of making traditional clothes and the stories of the craftsmen who create them.

The festival hosts various family workshops, which enhance joint creativity between generations, and live musical performances presented by Emirati musicians create an enjoyable atmosphere, inviting visitors to connect with Abu Dhabi’s creative heritage.

More than 40 productive families, displaying their products and handicrafts, in addition to the farmer’s market experience, contribute to creating broad opportunities for community interaction throughout the festival days.

This platform provides a space to highlight local products, enable this group to grow and participate effectively, and enhance its presence within the cultural scene.

The Emirati Coffee Liwan also occupies a pivotal place in this edition, as it offers a comprehensive journey into the world of Emirati coffee, where visitors discover its tools, aroma, etiquette and rituals that have made coffee a symbol of hospitality and communication.

This experience combines a coffee tools exhibition, live demonstrations of Emirati coffee preparation ceremonies, interactive coffee etiquette workshops for adults and children, in addition to dialogue sessions and programs dedicated to youth, and the beloved “Little Barista” event, which prepares a new generation of coffee makers.

The journey is completed in the Coffee House, where visitors find a space to meet and enjoy the aroma and craftsmanship of coffee, and learn about its social traditions in an open atmosphere that welcomes everyone.

Visitors are also invited to discover performances by local talents and emerging artists, and visitors can also enjoy family experiences that celebrate the Emirati dialect and community communication, through the “Ramsa Ahl Al Dar” experience, which is an immersive digital journey that focuses on the pronunciation, meanings and cultural context of some of the words used in Abu Dhabi society through multiple conversational topics.

In the evening, visitors listen to music sessions presented by Emirati talents, in addition to poetry programs presented by Emirati poets.

In addition, the festival includes 60 different restaurants that offer visitors the opportunity to enjoy various dishes, in addition to a group of stores that offer many products made by Emirati hands, which enriches the visitor’s experience at the festival.

Al Hosn Festival activities will be held daily during the period from January 17 to February 1, 2026, from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm and extending until midnight during the weekend.

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