They had us at ‘Rick and Morty Laser tag’…

The Mother of the Nation Festival is returning to Abu Dhabi’s Corniche this December and, on-brand for the Year of the 50th mission, it’s going to be absolutely massive.

Taking place between December 9 and 18, with tickets going on sale soon, there will be entertainment, enwisinening and indulgences available under attraction categories — Amusement Zone; Thrill Zone; Inspire Space; Music Arena; Shopping District and Food Hub.

It’s all about paying tribute to the legacy of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, the Mother of the Nation. Full details about the event are still to be released, but we’ve been given an early sneak peek at some of the headline attractions.

We are amused

Look forward to entertainment from the World of Nickelodeon (with appearances by Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Paw Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Dora the Explorer); kids can get involved with that backhoe life at the Diggers Lab pop-up; you’ll find all the fun of the fair with traditional carnival rides and skill games. On stage you can catch chair stacking acts; a fire fiesta; tribal drum circle; kids stage shows; Acrobats; afrobeat dancers; mummy and me dance fit classes; and hip hop cardio sessions.

License to thrill

Got a taste for adventure? Take the highway to the Thrill Zone. Here you can hurl portal plasma at your nearest and dearest friends in the Rick and Morty Lazer Tag experience; take on one of the parkour workshops and learn how to make a free-running attack on the Corniche’s Urban Park; there’s a Horror Room; and Dubai anger management specialists, The Smash Room are popping by to hook Abu Dhabi up with a crash course in smash therapy. Way better than screaming into the void. Trust us; there’s the Gaming Galaxy which will offer access to Console, Mobile and VR, and arcade gaming adventures. And there’s even an ‘Off-Road Safari’ attraction, giving you a really wild experience at a city centre locale.

Thought for food

No festival in Abu Dhabi is complete without a huge dollop of foodie fun. Here you’ll find more than 20 culinary outlets to lock lips around, along with a stage that will host live music to serenade your face-stuffing.

Inspired choices

The ‘Inspire Space’ features grand interactive exhibitions including the MOTN Funhouse; a Dessert Museum; a gallery dedicated to the love of Cosplay and anime, called Aneminia; and a sporting activation with the title Ball Above All, which will apparently challenge you to demonstrate your sporting skills.

Shop till the beat drops

The shopping district will offer a carefully curated selection of retail therapy via the Luxury Pavilion and Beach Market. And the Music Arena enables the festival to host some exciting regional and international talent. Concerts by Swedish songstress Zara Larsson and Egyptian legend Sherine have been confirmed.

Tickets will be available soon from the motn.ae, website.

Images: Getty