Sponsored: The capital’s top outdoor cultural celebration is back, kicking off with two days and nights of comedy and performing arts

The Abu Dhabi festival returns to the capital this month, celebrating its 16th consecutive year. It’s the largest celebration of arts and culture in the Gulf, and this year, the festival’s theme is ‘Culture of Determination’ joining forces with the Special World Olympic Games, which is also taking place in the UAE this year. Here’s a rundown of all the main events happening this year.

The month-long celebration’s youth platforms and community programme kicks off on Thursday February 28 with a free Festival In The Park – a two-day outdoor cultural celebration at Umm al Emarat Park.

Festival in the Park features a roster of exciting activities including Korean crafts workshops. There will also be a crafts fair, drumming circles, a theatre performance by people of determination and cinema screenings.

The evenings culminate in a performance by the wonderfully funny Ali Al Sayed on Thursday February 28, and the beloved Jeddah-born, Arabic-speaking and South Korean standup comic Wonho Chung on Friday March 1.

Here’s a closer look at the two-day schedule of events…

Day 1: Thursday February 28

10am: Ministry of Science – Show 1 (in Arabic)

Noon: Ministry of Science – Show 2 (in English)

4pm to 6pm: Book Reading Club with Emirati authors, and a selection of Korean crafts workshops in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Centre

4pm to 10pm: Explore the Crafts Market and browse a selection of the best locally-produced handicrafts available for purchase from the UAE’s artisans

5.45pm to 7pm: Marching drums and drumming workshops

7pm to 8pm: Elite Music Institute performance

7pm to 8pm: Cinema Club film screening of Amal’s Cloud (Directed by Rawia Abdullah)

8pm to 9pm: Comedy show performance with Ali Al Sayed and friends

DAY 2: Friday March 1

4pm to 6pm: Book Reading Club with Emirati authors, and a selection of Korean crafts workshops in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Centre.

4pm to 10pm: A full day and night of the Crafts Market, where you’ll find a selection of the best local handicrafts produced by organisations such as Zayed Higher Organisation for Special Needs and the General Women’s Union

5.45pm to 7pm: Marching drums and drumming workshops

7pm to 8 pm: Mirrors of Creativity, a UAE Theatre Circle performance by children of determination

8pm to 9.30pm: Cinema Club screening of The Brain That Sings (Directed by Amal Al Agroobi)

8pm to 9pm: Comedy performance by Wonho Chung (in Arabic)

For more information about The Abu Dhabi Festival, visit abudhabifestival.ae

— For the best of Dubai straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

Images: Supplied