With an exhilarating fusion of invigorating craftworks, street markets, storytelling, entertainment, demonstrations, and delectable cuisine, Abu Dhabi is set to welcome the 2nd edition of the Maritime Heritage Festival in traditional coastal life. The festival will take place at Abu Dhabi Corniche, A’l Bahar, which has been coordinated by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi. The 10 days long festival from February 17th to February 26th, 2023, will feature a genuine mash-up of marine craft displays, markets, narratives, art exhibitions, and local-made foods. Through activities like family workshops, conventional games, stage presentations, historical role-play, and culinary experiences, tourists and guests of all generations will be transported back and enthralled in the ancient coastal life and experience the lifestyle of the folks. 

The Maritime Heritage Festival’s main purpose is to honour and promote the maritime cultural heritage of the UAE, as stated by Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, the undersecretary of DCT Abu Dhabi. He follows, “Our forefathers prospered and advanced for ages because of the bounty of the sea, and it is DCT Abu Dhabi’s proud duty to maintain and conserve this rich coastal heritage and its accompanying customs in order to save priceless knowledge and skills for future generations and advance Abu Dhabi.”

The Fishing Village, Trading Village, Heritage Guardians, and Promenade are some of the few hotspots to visit during the ongoing festival. Every location offers guests a range of opportunities to learn about maritime history. There will be a souq (market area) where you could explore the exquisite qualities of local textiles. A family outing to the breathtaking beach is also encouraged to witness the spectacular panorama of the coastal side, and there are special performances every night of Al Ayyala, Ahallah, and Al Nahma, which are traditional dance art presentations. Furthermore, visitors will also get the opportunity to explore the pearl exhibition and interact with the divers. If that is not enough, there will be a slot for Traditional Games Arena, where you will get to educate yourself about the local sports and recreation practised by the forefathers and have the chance to compete to see how skilled you are. During the hours of 4 P.M. and 7 P.M., school-going youngsters will be allowed to contest; after 7 P.M., the rest of the crowd will be welcome to participate. Additionally, a local radio programme with interesting interviews, songs, and general Q&A will be broadcasted live on TV from the festival grounds.

The tickets are expected to be priced at 30 AED (around $8.42) for visitors above the age of 12 and 15 AED (approx $4.21) for kids aged 4 to 12. The tickets are on sale and you can reserve yours now here. Free admission is given to kids under four. The Maritime Heritage Festival is open from 4 P.M. to 11 P.M. from Sunday to Thursday and from Friday to Saturday, the festival will run from 4 P.M. to 12 A.M.

 

Pic Credits- Maritime Heritage Festival Official FB