Mother of the Nation fair returns
Ten-day event will begin on March 26 and coincides with schools break
ABU DHABI // The Mother of the Nation Festival hits the capital again next month.
A kilometre of the Corniche will be converted to displays, food stalls, cultural events and performances to highlight the efforts by mothers and families to preserve Emirati heritage.
This, the second edition of the event, will run for 10 days from March 26 until April 4.
Organisers will revamp the festival layout to increase visitors – expected to beat the 130,000-plus who attended last year – and to make the site easier to visit for the elderly and those with special needs.
ABU DHABI // More than a kilometre of the capital’s Corniche will be reserved for the return of the Mother of the National Festival next month.
The festival, which is in its second year, will take place over 10 days from Sunday, March 26.
It will feature interactive programmes, educational activities, exhibitions and performances highlighting the efforts of mothers and families in preserving Emirati heritage.
The event will highlight the work of Sheikha Fatima, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation and Chairwoman of the Supreme Council of Motherhood and Childhood. Organised by Abu Dhabi’s Tourism and Culture Authority, the festival will display Sheikha Fatima’s values and accomplishments, said Mohammed Al Mubarak, chairman of the TCA.
“The festival will uphold a powerful message of personal growth and communal collaboration, encouraging visitors to recognise the importance of a sustainable future by providing an informative and entertaining environment,” he said.
Building on last year’s inaugural event, which was visited by more than 133,000 people, this year’s festival will include Happiness and Progress zones, in addition to the returning Souq and Beach Dining areas and a Mother of the Nation pavilion.
The four zones will host more than 100 activities.
The festival’s expansion and movement of the pavilion to a more central location is a result of feedback from last year’s event, said Mubarak Al Shamsi, director of TCA’s Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau.
“The pavilion will be in a location where more visitors can be exposed to its activities,” Mr Al Shamsi said.
The change in layout also takes into consideration the movement of guests with a greater emphasis on accessibility.
“We have changed the design to ensure ease of movement and have paid special attention to the elderly and those with spe- cial needs,” said Saood Al Harethi, one of the festival’s organising committee members.
Art exhibits, creative workshops and a music stage will be open to all at the Happiness zone, which will promote good health, organisers said.
The Progress zone will aim to get visitors thinking of concepts regarding conservation and the future, said Mr Al Harethi.
“This zone will expose the young and old to the concepts related to the preservation of the environment,” he said.
Spread across different areas this year, the Souq zone will feature stalls selling traditional Emirati goods and demonstrating the methods used to make them, alongside shops offering international products.
Emirati cuisine, as well as dishes from across the globe, will be offered through a host of food lorries and stalls in the Beach Dining zone, next to the festival’s main stage.
Mr Al Harethi said the festival’s dates were chosen to coincide with school’s spring break.
The Mother of the Nation Festival will run from March 26 until April 4 from 4pm until 11pm on weekdays and from 2.30pm until midnight at the weekend.
Tickets for adults and children under the age of 12 are available at the gate for Dh20 and Dh15 respectively.
Admission is free for children aged up to 5.