The Liwa International Festival, one of Abu Dhabi's biggest winter events, returns this year from December 11 to January 2, staged in the Al Dhafra region around Tal Moreeb, the UAE's tallest sand dune at more than 300 metres.
This edition brings a reimagined Liwa Village along with a new international entertainment show, motorsport championships, heritage experiences and family programming. Organisers say more than half of the festival's rides and attractions are either brand new or redesigned, including a Circus Swinger, Tagada, Space Tower and a bungee jump.
On the sporting side, the festival will host drag racing, drifting and burnout challenges, with a Nitro Circus show on December 19 and 20 shaping up as one of the calendar's biggest draws. Traditional elements remain central to the event's identity, including camel riding, falconry displays and Nabati poetry recitals, alongside a community run, a cycling race and a padel tournament for sports fans.
A notable addition this year is the festival's first official app, which will let visitors track the event schedule, follow the latest announcements, book camping spots and RV parking, and explore commercial participation opportunities.
Last year's festival drew more than 700,000 visitors over 23 days and was named Best Festival of the Year at the Middle East Events Awards 2026 — a benchmark organisers are hoping to match or surpass with this year's expanded programme.