Events in Abu Dhabi: A Winter of Art, Racing and Heritage

The season opens on Yas Island at Etihad Arena with Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, the city's UFC fight week, headlined by a trilogy bout on October 24, with open workouts and fan zones around the city. The arena also hosts the Abu Dhabi Comedy Season from October, with Russell Peters, Mo Amer, Maz Jobrani and Morgan Jay among the names announced so far.

From October 23, the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial places new commissions in the garden city of Al Ain, then arrives in the capital from November 15, with works on view into 2027. The Traditional Handicrafts Festival runs from October 23 to November 11, with master artisans, live demonstrations and a cultural market.

Mid-November belongs to collectors. NOMAD Abu Dhabi, a fair of collectible design, contemporary art and architecture, takes over Terminal 1 of the old Abu Dhabi Airport from November 18 to 22. Frieze makes its Abu Dhabi debut at Manarat Al Saadiyat from November 19 to 22. On the Corniche, the Maritime Heritage Festival returns for its fifth year from November 20 to 29, with storytelling, artisans and coastal cooking.

Each December, the Liwa International Festival fills the desert of Al Dhafra around Tal Moreeb, the country's tallest dune, with motorsports, music, family entertainment and a heritage village. Dates for this year's edition have not yet been announced.

The season closes in the heart of the city with the Al Hosn Festival, planned for January 15 to 30, 2027, at the Al Hosn Cultural Site, a celebration of Emirati traditions, crafts and food. Between events, there are plenty of other things to do in Abu Dhabi: the Al Ain Museum and the Natural History Museum both mark their first year since opening, and Saadiyat Nights returns for a fourth season of open-air concerts.