A live re-creation of an Emirati wedding, a food hub dedicated to local cuisine and a retail district featuring Abu Dhabi fashion lines are some of the new additions to this year’s Al Hosn Festival.
Set across the buildings and outdoor spaces of Al Hosn district, the popular cultural celebration runs from this Friday to January 22. Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi, the family-friendly event will feature an expansive programme, with the aim of providing an insight into what life was like in Abu Dhabi before the discovery of oil.
That story will be told in sights, sounds, smells and tastes through art exhibitions, pop-up stalls by some of the city's most historic restaurants and competitions specialising in Arabic coffee.
Here are 10 things to see and experience at this year’s Al Hosn Festival.
1. Visit Qasr Al Hosn
In addition to the activities and performances surrounding the palace fort, the interior of Qasr Al Hosn will be home to a pair of exhibitions.
Throughout Memories of the Palace, visitors can learn about the history of everyday life spent in the regal venue, from the cultural festivities to colourful anecdotes recorded by early generations.
Meanwhile, the Music and Crafts exhibit captures the atmosphere of the palace through historic field recordings and vintage photographs.
2. Discover the House of Artisans
The popular House of Artisans will once again be a treasure trove for those seeking authentic Emirati arts and crafts.
From installations and local retailers to design workshops, this is the place to learn about Abu Dhabi's rich crafts scene and land a bargain in the process.
3. Sample the best coffee at the Gahwa Championships
Not every gahwa is the same.
Take in the earthy aromas and taste the best of regional coffee from some of the UAE's coffee artisans at a special stand.
The festival will also host a competition to see who makes the best local brew.
4. Sample a taste of Abu Dhabi history
A handful of Abu Dhabi food gems will be honoured with a prized place at the festival.
As part of the Urban Treasures programme launched by the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi, restaurants Lebanese Flower and India Palace as well as the dessert shop Tripoli Sweets will showcase a menu that inspired generations of Abu Dhabi residents.
5. Try the best of Emirati cuisine
For those looking for richer local flavours, the festival has space dedicated to Emirati food outlets creating a range of bite-sized traditional fare.
Some of the storied dishes on offer are harees and thareed, in addition to dry and salted fish with rice. Plates can be purchased through tokens that cost Dh5 each.
6. You are invited to an Emirati wedding
Any long-term resident can tell you that an Emirati wedding is an enriching experience.
Al Hosn Festival will recreate the cultural pomp and deep traditions of the nuptial ceremony at the centre of the festival site daily at 9pm.
Visitors will be encouraged to participate and join in the various different moments to showcase the important role weddings play in Emirati communities.
7. The community spirit of Al Freej
Al Freej is more than just a name for an Emirati village, it also channels a particular way of life with its own customs and traditions.
The festival will recreate the intimate vibe with its own Al Freej that comes with its own market, blacksmith, palm weaving stations and goat pen.
8. Shop at Darb Al Zain
A new addition to the festival, Darb Al Zain is a site dedicated to Emirati fashion, with local retailers selling and showcasing traditional clothes and accessories.
A photo booth will also be on hand to take snaps of your new outfits and a women-only majlis will also be on hand to try your latest items and relax with some gahwa.
9. Local music and dance performances
Emirati music and dance will be in full swing throughout the festival, with concerts by local folk musicians.
Each day will also have troupes performing a range of Emirati dances, including the much-loved Ayyala.
10. The best of regional art
Art lovers should also make time to visit The Cultural Foundation and see a range of ongoing exhibitions.
Highlights include Fahrelnissa and the Institutes: Towards a Sky, an exhibition of abstract work by prominent regional women artists and Two Trees in Harmony by veteran Jordanian artist Fouad Mimi.
Scroll through images of the Cultural Foundation exhibitions below
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
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Dubai works towards better air quality by 2021
Dubai is on a mission to record good air quality for 90 per cent of the year – up from 86 per cent annually today – by 2021.
The municipality plans to have seven mobile air-monitoring stations by 2020 to capture more accurate data in hourly and daily trends of pollution.
These will be on the Palm Jumeirah, Al Qusais, Muhaisnah, Rashidiyah, Al Wasl, Al Quoz and Dubai Investment Park.
“It will allow real-time responding for emergency cases,” said Khaldoon Al Daraji, first environment safety officer at the municipality.
“We’re in a good position except for the cases that are out of our hands, such as sandstorms.
“Sandstorms are our main concern because the UAE is just a receiver.
“The hotspots are Iran, Saudi Arabia and southern Iraq, but we’re working hard with the region to reduce the cycle of sandstorm generation.”
Mr Al Daraji said monitoring as it stood covered 47 per cent of Dubai.
There are 12 fixed stations in the emirate, but Dubai also receives information from monitors belonging to other entities.
“There are 25 stations in total,” Mr Al Daraji said.
“We added new technology and equipment used for the first time for the detection of heavy metals.
“A hundred parameters can be detected but we want to expand it to make sure that the data captured can allow a baseline study in some areas to ensure they are well positioned.”
Third Test
Result: India won by 203 runs
Series: England lead five-match series 2-1
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Results:
6.30pm: Handicap (Turf) | US$175,000 2,410m | Winner: Bin Battuta, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer)
7.05pm: UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (Dirt) | $100,000 | 1,400m | Winner: Al Hayette, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
7.40pm: Handicap (T) | $145,000 | 1,000m | Winner: Faatinah, Jim Crowley, David Hayes
8.15pm: Dubawi Stakes Group 3 (D) | $200,000 | 1,200m | Winner: Raven’s Corner, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar
8.50pm: Singspiel Stakes Group 3 (T) | $200,000 | 1,800m | Winner: Dream Castle, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor
9.25pm: Handicap (T) | $175,000 | 1,400m | Winner: Another Batt, Connor Beasley, George Scott
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
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In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
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Abu Dhabi racecard
5pm: Maiden (Purebred Arabians); Dh80,000; 1,400m.
5.30pm: Maiden (PA); Dh80,00; 1,400m.
6pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup (PA); Group 3; Dh500,000; 1,600m.
6.30pm: Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan National Day Cup (Thoroughbred); Listed; Dh380,000; 1,600m
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup for Private Owners Handicap (PA); Dh70,000; 1,400m.
7.30pm: Handicap (PA); Dh80,000; 1,600m
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HAEMOGLOBIN DISORDERS EXPLAINED
Thalassaemia is part of a family of genetic conditions affecting the blood known as haemoglobin disorders.
Haemoglobin is a substance in the red blood cells that carries oxygen and a lack of it triggers anemia, leaving patients very weak, short of breath and pale.
The most severe type of the condition is typically inherited when both parents are carriers. Those patients often require regular blood transfusions - about 450 of the UAE's 2,000 thalassaemia patients - though frequent transfusions can lead to too much iron in the body and heart and liver problems.
The condition mainly affects people of Mediterranean, South Asian, South-East Asian and Middle Eastern origin. Saudi Arabia recorded 45,892 cases of carriers between 2004 and 2014.
A World Health Organisation study estimated that globally there are at least 950,000 'new carrier couples' every year and annually there are 1.33 million at-risk pregnancies.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last-16, second leg:
Real Madrid 1 (Asensio 70'), Ajax 4 (Ziyech 7', Neres 18', Tadic 62', Schone 72')
Ajax win 5-3 on aggregate
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
