The Abu Dhabi Festival is returning this year.
It will take place from 10 October to 19 December.
This year's theme is The Wisdom of Culture.
Abu Dhabi Festival celebrates cultural diversity and artistic excellence.
Abu Dhabi Festival 2026 has unveiled a range of exciting events. Originally scheduled to run from 12 April to 16 May, this year’s festival has been altered amid regional tensions and will now continue in the capital from 10 October to 19 December 2026 under the theme, The Wisdom of Culture. This year’s festival celebrates the UAE as a living embodiment of cultural wisdom and a platform for global dialogue.
This year will mark Abu Dhabi Festival’s 23rd edition. It brings together more than 1,000 artists from 19 countries, bringing music, dance, opera, visual art, and cross-cultural dialogue to the capital. It will explore how artistic expression reflects humanity while strengthening international connections.
Running across the capital, the festival brings together leading UAE cultural institutions, Emirati performers and international artists across orchestral performances, jazz, ballet, dance, recitals and large-scale productions at Abu Dhabi’s landmark cultural venues. It continues to explore how artistic expression reflects humanity while strengthening international connections.
The UAE National Orchestra, conducted by Francois Lopez-Ferrer, will inaugurate the season at Etihad Arena on 10 October with a landmark symphonic evening. Acclaimed pianist David Khrikuli, one of the most exciting young talents of his generation, will perform in a celebration of national artistic excellence on opening night.
Furthering its commitment to bringing the best of the world to Abu Dhabi, Hans Zimmer, one of the most celebrated film composers and music producers of our time, will bring his groundbreaking arena spectacle to Etihad Arena on 13 November. The performance reimagines some of his most iconic cinematic scores as immersive orchestral and electronic soundscapes, marking a major highlight on the capital’s cultural calendar.
Alongside its concert program, and in celebration of the UAE’s declaration of 2026 as the Year of the Family, the festival will deliver its long-running community and education initiatives, widening access to arts, culture and music for schools, young people and families.
Families can also look forward to the debut of the Children’s Biennale in November, the Arab world’s first dedicated outdoor children’s art biennale. Anchored in the spirit of the UAE’s Year of the Family, the public program celebrates family ties, unity and shared creativity through the arts. The pioneering initiative will invite children to co-create artworks with teaching artists using sustainable materials, with the resulting works displayed throughout Umm Al Emarat Park during November 2026.
Beyond performances, the festival extends internationally through exhibitions, world premieres and educational initiatives, reaffirming its role as a platform for cultural exchange, education and future generations of artists.
When: 10 October to 19 December 2026
Contact: www.abudhabifestival.ae