Abu Dhabi Minute: The Complete Weekend Guide – Festivals, Concerts & Winter Experiences

Good day, Abu Dhabi.

This is one of those weekends where planning early genuinely pays off.

The final stretch of December brings the capital into full winter rhythm - major festivals running at scale, headline concerts drawing large crowds, family-friendly cultural programming across the city, and nightlife filling every available slot after sunset.

This Wednesday edition is designed to be comprehensive. Not just what’s on - but what’s actually worth your time, how to group plans together, and where booking ahead is essential.

Let’s start with the backbone of the weekend: festivals and large-scale seasonal experiences.

The capital’s flagship winter festival remains the single most flexible plan of the weekend. MOTN is built for wandering - rides, food stalls, pop-up retail, live performances, and rotating concert programming that lets you decide your night as you go.

It works just as well for families in the early evening as it does for groups later at night, especially when live shows take over the main stages.

📅 Dates: Ongoing till Sun, 04 Jan
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi Corniche
💰 Cost: Free entry (rides, games & concerts vary)
👉 Explore MOTN Festival

Why this matters this weekend:
• Easy, low-pressure plan with no strict timings
• Works for mixed groups
• Multiple headline concerts are included across the weekend

Manar Abu Dhabi continues to be one of the most elegant winter experiences in the city. Large-scale illuminated art installations appear across public spaces, transforming evening walks into cultural experiences.

There’s no ticket, no schedule, and no pressure - just arrive after dark and explore.

📅 Dates: Ongoing till Sun, 04 Jan
📍 Locations: Corniche, Saadiyat, Al Reem, Jubail & more
💰 Cost: Free
👉 See locations & details

If you want festive atmosphere without scale fatigue, Al Qana’s winter festival delivers. Expect waterfront décor, family activities, food pop-ups, light entertainment, and relaxed evening energy.

It’s particularly strong if you’re pairing it with dinner nearby.

📅 Dates: Ongoing till Wed, 31 Dec
📍 Location: Al Qana
💰 Cost: Free entry
👉 Discover the festival

For those willing to drive, Liwa Festival remains one of the UAE’s most immersive winter experiences. Concerts, cultural programming, food zones, and traditional activities combine into a full desert-scale event.

This is a commitment plan - but one that rewards time spent.

📅 Dates: Ongoing till Sat, 03 Jan
📍 Location: Liwa, Al Dhafra
💰 Cost: Ticketed areas + free zones
👉 Explore Liwa Festival
👉 Liwa Village tickets

Winterfields is designed squarely for families - festive décor, rides, games, and winter-themed activities that feel controlled and accessible.

If you’re planning a daytime outing with children, this is one of the easier options to manage.

📅 Dates: Ongoing
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 View Winterfields

This weekend’s concert calendar is unusually strong - with arena-level artists and festival performances happening simultaneously.

One of the most significant Arabic music concerts of the season. Two legendary voices on one stage, drawing audiences from across the UAE.

This is the anchor concert of the weekend.

📅 Date: Sat, 27 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 Book concert tickets

Why book early:
• High demand across all seating tiers
• Rare dual-headliner performance
• One-night-only scale event

A nostalgic favourite, Rasha Rizk’s performance blends emotional connection with the easy-going MOTN festival setting.

📅 Date: Thu, 26 Dec
📍 Location: MOTN Festival
💰 Cost: Included with entry
👉 See event details

A strong contemporary booking that works especially well for younger crowds spending the full evening at MOTN.

📅 Date: Fri, 27 Dec
📍 Location: MOTN Festival
💰 Cost: Included with entry
👉 View performance

Closing out the weekend with high energy, Bilal Derkay’s set is designed for late-night festival crowds.

📅 Date: Sun, 28 Dec
📍 Location: MOTN Festival
💰 Cost: Included with entry
👉 See show info

A quieter, more reflective cultural experience focused on historic manuscripts, calligraphy, and the evolution of written knowledge across civilisations. Ideal if you’re looking for a slower-paced afternoon plan.

📅 Dates: Ongoing
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Entry applies
👉 View exhibition

A nostalgic cultural festival celebrating heritage, vintage aesthetics, classic cars, and traditional entertainment. Best visited in the evening when the atmosphere is livelier and temperatures cool.

📅 Dates: Mon, 22 Dec - Fri, 26 Dec
📍 Location: Al Ain
💰 Cost: Free
👉 See event details

A family-friendly circus experience featuring acrobatics, theatrical lighting, and visual storytelling. This is an easy win for families looking for structured entertainment with fixed timings.

📅 Dates: Ongoing
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 Book tickets

A creative pop-culture hub centred on anime, illustration, workshops, and youth-focused programming. Best suited for teens, young adults, and creative communities.

📅 Dates: Ongoing till Tue, 30 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Free / registration required
👉 Explore the hub

One of the city’s more social rooftop brunches, blending good food with upbeat music and skyline views. Popular with mixed groups, so booking ahead is recommended.

📅 Date: Sat, 27 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 Book brunch

A Mediterranean-inspired brunch offering lighter flavours, relaxed pacing, and coastal energy - ideal if you prefer atmosphere over volume.

📅 Date: Every Sunday
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: À la carte / packages available
👉 View brunch

An Italian-themed evening combining live music, classic dishes, and a calm, social crowd. A good alternative to high-energy nightlife.

📅 Date: Friday night
📍 Location: La Terrazza
💰 Cost: À la carte
👉 Event details

A rotating Asian dining concept with live entertainment and an easy-going atmosphere that transitions naturally from dinner into late evening.

📅 Date: Ongoing till Tue, 30 Dec
📍 Location: La Terrazza
💰 Cost: À la carte
👉 See details

A daytime beachside social featuring food, music, and relaxed coastal vibes. Works well as a pre-evening plan.

📅 Date: Ongoing till Sat, 27 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Varies
👉 See event

A community-led evening featuring stand-up comedy, acoustic sets, and spoken word. Casual, unpredictable, and welcoming.

📅 Date: Sun, 28 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Free / venue entry
👉 Join the night

A rotating line-up of live acts and DJs, ideal if you want a no-commitment nightlife option.

📅 Date: Sat, 27 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Venue entry
👉 View event

A high-adrenaline motorsport spectacle featuring monster trucks, live stunts, and large-scale arena energy.

📅 Dates: Fri, 26 Dec - Sat, 27 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 Get tickets

A live football fixture for sports fans looking to catch local league action.

📅 Date: Sun, 28 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 Match details

An educational winter programme offering workshops, reading sessions, and creative activities for children and teens.

📅 Dates: Ongoing till Thu, 25 Dec
📍 Location: Abu Dhabi
💰 Cost: Varies by programme
👉 See programme

Expect classic Abu Dhabi winter conditions this weekend - mild daytime temperatures and cooler evenings. Outdoor festivals, waterfront dining, and evening strolls remain comfortable, with light layers recommended after sunset.

Dubai’s largest festive village is now fully active, transforming Expo City into a winter destination with snow zones, festive markets, roaming performers, workshops, and family-friendly dining.

It’s one of the easiest December plans to commit to — flexible, atmospheric, and suitable for both daytime and evening visits.

📍 Location: Expo City Dubai
💰 Cost: Entry from AED 40 (some zones free)
👉 Visit Winter City

One of the biggest electronic music events of the festive season. Black Coffee headlines a large-scale open-air night at Dubai Harbour, drawing an international crowd and full production setup.

This is a destination event - plan transport and timing properly.

📅 Date: Sat, Dec 27
📍 Location: Dubai Harbour
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 Book tickets

Dubai Shopping Festival is now fully active, with free street entertainment, pop-up performances, and scheduled fireworks across major districts including Festival City, Downtown, and JBR.

This is one of the easiest zero-booking plans of the week.

📍 Locations: Citywide
💰 Cost: Free
👉 View DSF schedule

Rema’s Dubai appearance lands at the height of his global Afrobeats dominance. Known for crossover hits like Calm Down, his shows blend melodic hooks, crowd interaction, and high-energy production that plays especially well in club-scale venues.

This is expected to be one of the most crowded nights of the festive week, drawing a young, international crowd.

📅 Date: Thu, 25 Dec
📍 Location: BLU Dubai
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 Book tickets

Tyga closes out the festive weekend with a Sunday night performance built for late-night energy. Expect a hit-heavy set (Rack City, Taste, Loyal) paired with BLU’s full production setup and a fashion-forward crowd.

This is the strongest hip-hop booking of the week and a reliable pick if you want a big-name artist without festival-scale chaos.

📅 Date: Sun, 28 Dec
📍 Location: BLU Dubai
💰 Cost: Ticketed
👉 Book tickets

If you only pick a few plans this weekend:

• MOTN Festival (any evening)
• Hussain Al Jassmi & Kadim Al Sahir live
• Manar Abu Dhabi light installations
• Brick Rooftop Brunch
• Studio Ghibli Exhibition

That completes your Abu Dhabi Minute – Wednesday Edition.

From large-scale winter festivals and arena concerts to quiet cultural exhibitions, brunches, and genuinely free evening experiences, this weekend offers range, flexibility, and atmosphere - exactly what December in the capital does best.

If this guide saved you time, share it with someone still scrolling endlessly through event listings.

We’ll see you Friday with a tight, editor-curated Top Picks edition.

— Matthias