Your guide to all the events taking place in the nation’s capital

Thursday April 19

Eat at the Masters Of Food

The Park Bar & Grill is hosting Masters Of Food this week – French chef Thomas Progeas from Michelin starred restaurant Pur’ by Jean François Roquette, located in the Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme, is on Saadiyat cooking a special menu. Three- and five-course options are available.
Until April 22
Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Villas, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, Dhs350 to Dhs550. Tel: (02) 4071234. Taxi: Park Hyatt Saadiyat. abudhabi.park.hyatt.com

Fashion meets art in Al Ain

The Garden City is hosting an exhibition of fashion illustrations over the next few months. Lines And Stitches features designs by UAE artists and inside you’ll find 21 pieces, along with eight art installations. There will also be workshops, hosted by fashion designers and illustrators from the UAE, every Saturday while the exhibition is running.
Until June 14
Al Qattara Arts Centre, Al Ain, Sat to Thur, 9am to 8pm, free entry. Tel: (03) 7118225. Taxi: Al Qattara Arts Centre. abudhabievents.ae

Birthday celebrations at PJ O’Reilly’s

The Irish pub is 25 years old this week and has launched a 25-day long party to celebrate, featuring drinks and certain food items priced at a bargain Dhs25 for the duration of the promotion.
Le Royal Méridien, Al Markaziyah, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (800) 101101. Taxi: Le Royal Méridien. leroyalmeridienabudhabi.com

Friday April 20

Make a splash at Yas Marina

This weekend’s family friendly event at Yas Marina is called Splash and there’ll be a plethora of water slides including a 30-metre long Slip ‘n’ Slde, a trampoline called a Blob Jump, mermaids, boat cruises, live music and more.
April 20 to 21
Yas Marina, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Fri to Sat, 3pm to 7pm, Dhs30 to Dhs50. Taxi: Yas Marina. yasmarina.ae

Calling all ballet fans

Ukrainian performers are here for the last performance of the 2017/18 Abu Dhabi Classics season – the Donetsk Opera and Ballet Theatre are in town for a performance that will also feature the UAE’s first ballerina, Alia Al Neyadi.
Emirates Palace, Corniche, Abu Dhabi, Dhs205 to Dhs625. Taxi: Emirates Palace. ticketmaster.ae

Watch the world’s best jiu-jitsu fighters

See some of the sport’s best athletes compete in the capital at the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2018. Read our full event preview here.
April 16 to 28
Mubadala Arena, Zayed Sports City, Abu Dhabi. Taxi: Zayed Sports City. uaejjf.com, @UAEJJF

There’s a family festival on at A’l Bahar

After a successful debut last week, the new area on the Corniche’s family festival returns this weekend with lots of activities for kids, including sand art, arts and crafts, wax modelling and an animal farm. There’s also a bouncy village, carnival games, jugglers, puppet shows, magicians and a giant bubble show.
April 20 to 21
A’l Bahar – Abu Dhabi Corniche, Corniche, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (800) 86823. Taxi: Abu Dhabi Corniche. al-bahar.ae

Win gold at the mall

Marina Mall is celebrating its 17th birthday by giving away a gold bar every hour for 17 hours on Friday. Spend more than Dhs300 in the Mall to enter the draw for one of 16 50g bars, plus one 250g whopper, which is the final prize. Selected stores will be offering discounts of up to 70 per cent as well.
Marina Mall, Breakwater, Abu Dhabi, 10am to 3am. Tel: (800) 6623. Taxi: Marina Mall. marinamall.ae

Send your kids to Mermaid School

Yes, you read that right – Yas Waterworld is hosting mermaid classes over the next few weekends. Aimed at kids aged six and above, they’ll spend an hour in the morning learning to swim with a tail (the park will supply one if you don’t have a mermaid tail lying around at home). If you don’t have an annual pass for the park, it costs Dhs195 for the mermaids, but the price includes entry into the park for the rest of the day.
April 13 to 14
Yas Waterworld, Abu Dhabi, Fri to Sat, 9am, 10am, 11am, Dhs95 to Dhs195. Tel: (02) 414200. Taxi: Yas Waterworld. yaswaterworld.com

Make a splash at the Corniche

Aqua Fun is now open on the waters of the Corniche, a water park that can hold 250 people full of ramps, jumps, monkey bars and more. It’s Dhs100 to have a go.
aquafun.ae

New exhibition at Warehouse421

For the past two years, UAE art has been making waves in Italy, and has been exhibited at the renowned Venice Biennale, an arts organisation based in the city. Now, those works are on display at Warehouse421 until June.
Warehouse421, Mina Zayed, Abu Dhabi, free. Taxi: Warehouse421 next to COOP in Mina Zayed. warehouse421.ae

Saturday April 21

W.A.R. is on at Wadi Adventure

One of the toughest sports events in the UAE, W.A.R., takes place in Al Ain at Wadi Adventure this weekend, and the 16th edition of the obstacle course promises to be the most gruelling yet. There are 5km, 10km and 15km routes over military-style obstacles for you to take on.
April 21
Wadi Adventure, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, 6am, Dhs315 to Dhs367.50. Tel: (03) 7818422. Taxi: Wadi Adventure. wadiadventure.ae

New 3Tox facial at Iridium Spa

The St Regis Saadiyat has a new facial that’s heralded as an alternative to Botox. 3Tox, it claims, will leave you fresh-faced thanks to mesotherapy, a technique where vitamins, minerals and amino acids are introduced to the mesodermal layer of tissue under your skin. The result? More elasticity in your skin and reduced wrinkles. The session lasts 90 minutes, although you’ll also get a 30-minute skin analysis session beforehand.
St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi, Dhs750 (usual price Dhs1,000). Tel: (02) 4988888. Taxi: St Regis Saadiyat. stregis.com

Manarat goes urban

The capital’s art hub Manarat Al Saadiyat is hosting Urban Weekend this Friday and Saturday. Head down for a street festival, a coffee festival and a garage sale where you can buy books. There’ll also be a roller disco, a silent party and a pop-up photography exhibition that looks at street culture in Abu Dhabi.
April 20 to 21
Manarat Al Saadiyat, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. Tel: (02) 657 5800 Taxi: Manarat Al Saadiyat. manaratalsaadiyat.ae

Go glamping in the city

Fancy going camping but don’t like the idea of getting covered in mud and sleeping in a tiny tent? The Westin has launched a new glamping concept in its gardens – you’ll get to spend the night in a huge tent that is big enough to hold a double bed with room to spare, plus it comes with air con. What’s more, you get an Arabic breakfast and a barbecue dinner included in the price.
The Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort & Spa, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, Dhs650. Tel: (02) 6169999. Taxi: Westin. westinabudhabigolfresort.com

New Saturday brunch at Roberto’s

The classy Italian has a family-friendly brunch on Saturdays called Pranzo in Gardino (Lunch In The Garden), which offer an “afternoon picnic vibe” plus activities for kids including face painting. To eat, you’ll get to try the oyster and cocktail bar, share five antipasti dishes, a choice of one main, ice cream, a chocolate platter and signature cocktails.
The Galleria, Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi, 12pm to 4pm, Dhs245, kids under free eat for free. Tel: (02) 6279009. Taxi: The Galleria on Al Maryah Island. robertos.ae

Seek out The New Identity

Etihad Modern Art Gallery’s latest exhibition The New Identity features an all-female cast of young UAE-based artists. Talents displaying in the exhibition include Emirati analogue photographer Amira Al Awadhi and Palestinian-Swedish rising star Alaa Mahmoud Alqedra, who sculpts and creates installations and drawings using household items such as kitchen tools and Lego.
Until April 30
Etihad Modern Art Gallery, Al Bateen, Abu Dhabi, free entry. Tel: (02) 6210145. Taxi: Al Bateen Mall. etihadmodernart.com

Check out the latest exhibition at the Louvre

Louvre Abu Dhabi has joined forces with the National library of France for its latest exhibition that examines the history of how humanity has viewed planet Earth as a sphere. Globes: Visions Of The World features more than 40 globes and spheres, some of which date back 2,500 years. In total, the exhibition features 160 works from France’s Bibliothèque nationale.
Until 2 June
Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, Dhs60, under-12s free. Tel: (600) 565566. Taxi: Louvre. louvreabudhabi.ae

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