What’s On has a full list of all the things to do for the weekend in Abu Dhabi, including workshops, deals, sports, entertainment and new openings.


It’s the start of the weekend, folks! But if you’re not sure what you’re doing yet, don’t worry. What’s On has the perfect solution, whatever mood you are in.

Thursday April 20

Unlimited paella at Flooka

You can eat the classic Spanish dish all night at this seafood outlet overlooking the Eastern Mangroves.
Eastern Mangroves Promenade, Abu Dhabi, Thur 7pm to midnight, Dhs70, Dhs100 with two glasses of wine). Tel: (02) 4418244. Taxi: Eastern Mangroves. flooka.com

Friday April 21

Enjoy family fun on Reem Island
Reem Island is getting its own party weekend – Reem Weekend will feature food trucks, performances, yoga sessions, a pop-up market and lots more. The event runs from Thursday night until Saturday night.
reemisland.ae
See the Blue Man Group

The colourful performance art group from NYC are in the capital this weekend. Click here to read our exclusive interview with them.
du Forum, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, timings vary, Dhs195 to Dhs695. Tel: (04) 4573212. Taxi: du Forum. ticketmaster.ae
Celebrate World Heritage Day
Al Ain marks World Heritage Day with a series of workshops, talks and seminars to celebrate Emirati culture.
April 20 to 21
Al Ain Palace Museum, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, Thur and Fri 5pm to late, free. Tel: (03) 7517755. Taxi: Al Ain Palace Museum
Send the kids to camp
Zayed Sports City has launched a series of sessions on Fridays and Saturdays, where children can try bowling, ice skating, arts and crafts, billiards and more. The camps run every weekend throughout April.
April 21, 22
Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi, Dhs200 a day, Dhs300 for the weekend, 11am to 5pm. Tel: (02) 4034222. Taxi: Zayed Sports City. zsc.ae

Saturday April 22

See Lest We Forget

Explore Emirati history with Lest We Forget, an exhibition of weapons, jewellery and henna.
Until August 27
Warehouse421, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, Tue to Sun 10am to 8pm, free. Taxi: Warehouse421 next to COOP in Mina Zayed. warehouse421.ae, lwf.ae
Bag a bargain at a flea market
The legendary flea market takes place once again at the Sheraton Corniche this weekend. It’s your chance to bag a bargain, as old clothing, books, DVDs, toys and more are sold on stalls by fellow Abu Dhabians, with some of the proceeds going to charity.
Sheraton Abu Dhabi, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, Sat 9am to 2pm, free. Tel: (02) 6970272. Taxi: Corniche. sheratonabudhabihotel.com
New dishes at Tamba

What’s On crowned Tamba’s Aditya Kumar Jha our chef of the year at the 2016 What’s On Awards, and he’s now added nine new dishes to the menu at his Indian restaurant. To start, you can try soft-shell crab with khadai dip, scallops with chilli, lime and kumquat or Chettinad braised beef salad and wild veg. New mains include pan-fried sea bream with caramelised lemon and beef tenderloin with kalimiri. Veggies can try a Bihari litti green curry.
World Trade Center Mall, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, Sun to Wed noon until 1am, Thur to Sat noon until 2am. Tel: (02) 3048219. Taxi: World Trade Center Mall. tambarestaurant.com
Have a lazy Saturday lunch at Finz
Seafood restaurant Finz has launched a new lunch concept that sees guests enjoy a long, leisurely meal at the waterside venue every Saturday. Dubbed “Saturlaze”, the menu features everything from a fresh seafood stand (serving everything from prawns, mussels, oysters and tuna tartar) to shellfish spaghettini and grilled barramundi.
Beach Rotana, Al Zahiyah, Abu Dhabi, Sat 2pm to 6pm, Dhs275 with mocktails, Dhs350 with prosecco. Tel: (02) 6979011. Taxi: next to Abu Dhabi Mall. rotana.com

Sunday April 23

Watch jiu-jitsu (last chance)

The ninth edition of the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championships has been taking place in the capital this month, with 7,000 competitors from 100 countries taking part. It all comes to an end this weekend.
Ipic Arena, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (02) 4034222. Taxi: Zayed Sports City. uaejjf.org
Lots of art at NYU
But We Cannot See Them is a new exhibition focusing on visual artists, writers and filmmakers including Hassan Sharif, Mohamed Ahmed Ibrahim, Jos Clevers and more. The works were created between 1988 and 2008.
Until May 25
NYUAD Arts Center, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, Mon to Sat noon to 8pm, free. Tel: (02) 6284000. Taxi: NYUAD. nyuad-artgallery.org.
Visit a new art hub

Abu Dhabi Art Hub has opened a new gallery space in the heart of the city. As well as exhibitions, you can stock up on art supplies.
World Trade Center Mall, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi, Sat to Thur 9am to 7pm, free. Tel: (02) 5515005. Taxi: World Trade Center Mall. adah.ae