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The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi today revealed the full programming of the Mother of the Nation Festival 2019. Residents and visitors to Abu Dhabi can experience an exciting line-up of fun-filled activities and family-friendly entertainment from 12 – 23 March, as the Festival returns to the city’s Corniche area.

The event celebrates the living legacy of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, President of the General Women’s Union, and Chairwoman of Motherhood and Childhood Supreme Council, and will highlight the UAE’s growth as a progressive and forward-thinking nation, in line with the national Year of Tolerance initiative.

Now in its fourth edition, the 12-day Festival introduces four distinct zones – the Happiness Zone, the Souq and F&B Zone, the Progress Zone, and the Special Olympics Zone – which offer an array of experiences including five first-in-region concepts. Held along a one-kilometre stretch of the Abu Dhabi Corniche, the Festival will feature 120 world-class performances, 90 delectable dining experiences and 40 shopping outlets.

His Excellency Saif Saeed Ghobash, Undersecretary, Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, commented: “The annual Mother of the Nation Festival celebrates the living legacy and noble values of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, reinforcing the UAE’s strong commitment to fostering a family-oriented society. The event is designed to inspire a deep sense of connection by bringing together people from diverse nationalities and backgrounds, a theme which is central to the national Year of Tolerance. We are proud to present this exciting line-up of entertainment and attractions, which showcases the UAE as a role model for peaceful coexistence while offering the local community and international guests a world-class entertainment experience.”

In the Happiness Zone, visitors can delight in forming deeper bonds with family, friends, and fellow attendees. Besides offering fascinating activities and fun programmes, the Happiness Zone places a special focus on advocating cultural and religious tolerance via engaging interactions and dialogue, and will feature attractions including:

  • Art-Zoo Inflatable Park: Children and adults alike can experience the wonders of nature as they explore this fun ‘bouncy castle’ playground. Visitors of all ages can look forward to running, jumping and interacting with nine large inflatable animals in the world’s biggest inflatable park, which is coming to the Middle East for the first time.
  • Adventure Wonderland: This fun-filled adventure playground features an original design that will fulfill the wildest dreams of kids, adults, and everyone in between. Visitors can take in the sights of the Festival at the ‘View from the Top’ observation platform, feel the adrenaline rush as they ride the ‘From Tree to Tree’ zip line, and get creative with drumming, Lego-building and painting activities in the ‘Tree Playhaus’.
  • The Wanderlust Tour: This exciting off-road driving experience invites visitors aged six and above to take a thrilling ride through a sand trail on an all-terrain vehicle.
  • The Mario Quest: Gaming fans are invited to step into the shoes of popular characters as they conquer various obstacles in a fun-filled quest, collecting coins along the way.
  • Zorb Safari: Visitors can get the ball rolling on their fun day out by taking a ride through the sandpit in a ‘Zorb’. These giant transparent inflatable balls promise hours of amusement for visitors as they roll and bounce through the sand dunes.
  • Sky High: The sky’s the limit at this miniature trampoline park, where visitors can show off their skills and challenge friends at the basketball hoops to see who gets the most slam dunks.
  • Art Trail – The Rainbow Connection: The Rainbow Connection is a display of suspended solar light modules that evokes a fantastical dreamscape inspired by the sea, woods, and clouds. Each light unit is made from upcycled snack containers and was co-created with the community, resulting in an art piece that represents the social fabric that holds individuals together.
  • Art Trail – Dancing Glass: Visitors can enjoy a special experience by immersing themselves in this larger-than-life glowing ‘grass’ field. The installation celebrates Abu Dhabi’s diversity and role as a vibrant melting-pot for global cultures.

The Souq and F&B Zone will ignite all five senses with a plethora of unique retail experiences, a superstar-filled concert, and food galore. This zone brings together a series of 40 home-grown retail initiatives and 50 food vendors serving a diverse range of global cuisine. In partnership with Festember, the Souq and F&B Zone will focus on inspiring interaction among diverse cultures and peoples in a vibrant marketplace that offers an eclectic mix of shopping and culinary attractions.

Guests will also be treated to world-class entertainment at the Main Stage positioned in the Souq and F&B Zone, with an exciting array of performances from storytellers, musicians, circus acts, puppeteers, magicians and many other talented entertainers. The Main Stage will feature a superstar and international DJ headliner, in addition to more than 50 performances from local and international bands, singers, shows and DJs. Details of the exciting line-up of artists will be revealed soon.

Participants are also invited to shape up with range of group exercise classes, including High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Zumba and Yoga sessions. A variety of Special Olympics-related events will take place at the Main Stage throughout the Festival, including awards ceremonies. The Main Stage, which is among the biggest seen in Abu Dhabi, will also be the venue for the Festival’s thrilling laser and light show that will light up the sky regularly throughout the 12-day event.

Creativity and innovation are taken to the next level in the Progress Zone. Visitors will be inspired to push their boundaries and immerse themselves in the mind-boggling world of science, art and technology as they explore a series of attractions that offer a glimpse into the world of tomorrow, featuring:

  • TRANSPORTA: This signature show invites visitors to embark on a journey into the fascinating world of quantum mechanics. The interactive learning experience will use digital art and multimedia experiences to examine the behaviour of atoms and bring cutting-edge science to life.
  • E-sports Arena: The arena brings an exciting esports experience to Abu Dhabi. Visitors will be able to play several popular games on PC, consoles and mobile, including Fortnite, CS:GO, League of Legends, FIFA 19, Streetfighter 5, and Super Smash Bros Ultimate. In addition to a free to play area, there will be daily tournaments where participants can compete to be crowned local champion, as well as opportunities to play with, and against, professional gamers.
  • Gastro Beats: Combining food and music, Gastro Beats brings a fresh concept to Abu Dhabi’s rich culinary scene. With entertaining live performances across more than 12 shows and a tantalizing array of global dishes to choose from, this attraction promises to be one of the highlights of the Festival for food lovers.
  • Mini Spartan Challenge: Those seeking something a little more physical can test themselves in a series of Spartan challenges in this family-friendly version of the iconic endurance race, presented by Spartan Race.
  • Creative Workshops: Visitors have a chance to participate in a wide range of creative workshops, where they can try their hand at a variety of crafts, from tote bag-making and clay sculpting to origami and bracelet-making.
  • Laser Fight Club: This VR-based experience invites participants to wield their laser swords and get ready to challenge their skills in an immersive block-slicing game.
  • Laser Vault: Participants will take part in a daring ‘Mission Impossible’-style test of agility, as they strive to avoid more than 50 beams to reach the other side of the Laser Vault.
  • Make Your Mark: Visitors will have a chance to ‘make their mark’ with temporary art on skin, and can choose from a range of templates or create their very own design.

This March, the world’s largest sports and humanitarian event is coming to the UAE with the long-awaited Special Olympics World Games Abu Dhabi 2019. The Special Olympics is a global movement which focuses on the empowerment of People of Determination through sports. At the Mother of the Nation Festival, the Special Olympics Zone will host a Beach Volleyball event from March 12-20, where teams from ten countries will compete in a four-on-four style tournament with two Special Olympics athletes and two Unified partners in each team.

The Festival introduces the UAE’s first-ever fireworks competition, which will take place for 20 minutes daily on Fridays and Saturdays. The spectacular contest will feature 360 metres of fireworks, with more than 87 thousand shells expected to be launched as internationally renowned teams from South Korea and the Netherlands (week one), and Australia and Canada (week two) showcase their pyrotechnics abilities before an expert panel of judges. The event is set to light up the skies over the Corniche in an explosion of colour that will delight visitors of all ages.

The Mother of the Nation Festival will take place at Abu Dhabi Corniche from 12 – 23 March 2019, and is open from 4pm – 10:30 (Sunday to Wednesday) and 2pm – 11:30 (Thursday to Saturday).

Entry tickets are priced at AED 25 per adult and AED 20 for kids between 6 and 12 years of age. A Festival Family Pass is also available (2 adults + 2 children) for AED 290. Entry is free of charge for senior citizens (60 years and above), children below 6 years of age, and people of determination.

Cirque du Soleil is performing for the very first time in Abu Dhabi, under the famous Cirque Du Soleil Big Top tent, with its new show, Cirque du Soleil Bazzar. The show is brought to the UAE by Alchemy Project and presented by Mother of The Nation Festival.