The Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi will stage the annual Al Hosn Festival from January 17 to February 1 2026 at the historic Qasr Al Hosn site in the heart of the capital. Activities will take place daily from 4pm to 11pm with hours extending until midnight on weekends and last entry permitted at 10:30pm. Tickets are priced at AED 35 for adults aged 13 to 59 and AED 15 for children aged 5 to 12 while entry is free for children under five senior citizens over 60 and people of determination according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. A new festival web application will provide maps ticketing options workshop bookings and live updates to help visitors navigate the site.
Eighteen artisan demonstrations will operate across the precinct alongside seven workshops in the Freej area where participants can engage with traditional skills. A bustling souq will host 50 vendors offering perfumes textiles and jewellery many of which are produced by Emirati craftspeople. Traditional games will add to the family friendly atmosphere while the Building Workshop Crafting Al Hosn will allow visitors to explore the construction techniques that shaped the fortress itself the Abu Dhabi Media Office reported.
Visitors will also encounter representations of desert life at Majlis Al Shilla including performances of Al Taghrooda Al Wanna Al Mankoos and Al Radha as well as falconry saluki and camel demonstrations. These elements draw on longstanding Emirati customs that have shaped community identity across generations. The festival programme further includes live performances of Al Ayyala a UNESCO listed traditional dance that features synchronized drumming and movement according to multiple event guides published ahead of the opening.
Qasr Al Hosn originated as a watchtower constructed around 1761 to guard the island’s only freshwater source before evolving into the seat of the Al Nahyan rulers. A Department of Culture and Tourism assessment detailed how the structure expanded over centuries with major works in the 1930s funded by early oil concession revenues transforming it from a defensive post into a palace and governance centre. The site opened to the public after extensive restoration and has since hosted the festival as a central platform for heritage education.
This edition marks the 10th iteration of the festival which has grown into a fixture on Abu Dhabi’s cultural calendar since its launch following the palace’s rehabilitation. The event coincides with cooler winter weather that facilitates outdoor gatherings and extended evening programming across the historic precinct. Organisers have positioned the festival as an immersive experience that connects residents and tourists with the foundations of UAE cultural practices.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office emphasised that the festival celebrates shared traditions hospitality and creative expression through hands-on activities and communal performances. Retail outlets at the site will showcase additional Emirati made products complementing the artisan demonstrations and workshops. Such programming aligns with broader efforts to preserve and present the emirate’s heritage at its oldest stone landmark.
