Hawamir Freejna Festival Season 2 in Abu Dhabi

Hawamir Freejna Festival Season 2 is a family festival in Abu Dhabi, staged in celebration of the 55th UAE National Day. It is built around activities for children and the whole family, and it runs for three days, so there is room to drop in more than once or spend a long stretch of time there.

The programme centres on entertainment for kids and families. No individual performers, workshops or attractions have been named, so it is best to think of it as a relaxed, festive outing with fun things to do rather than a single show you sit through from start to finish.

The festival takes place at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental, one of the best-known landmarks of Abu Dhabi. The grand hotel sits on the waterfront on the western side of the city, close to the Corniche, with wide grounds, palm-lined approaches and views over the Gulf. For visitors from Dubai it is a drive of roughly an hour and a half by car, so many families make a day of the trip.

It suits parents with children of different ages, grandparents and friends visiting together, particularly those who want to mark National Day with something shared rather than a night out. Festivals of this kind are usually relaxed and sociable, with people moving between activities at their own pace. Because the entertainment is spread across three days, you can choose the day that fits your family's schedule.