The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that the Mother of the Nation Festival welcomed a large number of visitors to the Abu Dhabi Corniche during its first week, with the crowds enjoying an exciting line-up of live music, entertainment, sports tournaments, competitions and family-orientated activities across four themed zones.

A total of 30 musical acts performed during the first week, which featured a headline appearance from Saudi superstar Rabeh Sager that attracted thousands of fans, including many Saudi nationals, to the Festival’s Main Stage on Friday 15 March. Visitors also enjoyed a diverse selection of entertainment, with 13 acts on the Main Stage, seven performances on the Happiness Stage, and 10 local and regional artists on the GASTROBEATS Stage. In addition to live music, the crowds were treated to engaging performances from storytellers, circus acts, puppeteers, magicians and many other talented entertainers.

“We are delighted to have welcomed so many visitors already to this year’s edition of the Mother of the Nation Festival, which offers an outstanding mixture of entertainment and attractions,” said Ameera Al Mazrouei, Festivals Development Unit Head at DCT Abu Dhabi. “It’s been a wonderful experience to see people from diverse nationalities and backgrounds coming together to enjoy this vibrant multicultural celebration; the Festival truly showcases the welcoming and inclusive nature of the UAE, in line with the national Year of Tolerance initiative. We look forward to more exciting days ahead as our programme continues to contribute to our goal of further enhancing Abu Dhabi’s standing as a world-class entertainment destination. ”

The Festival’s dedicated Esports Arena welcomed several special guests over the weekend including the popular Saudi influencers Hussein and Hassan bin Mahfouz, who participated in the opening rounds of the region’s first international Fortnite tournament. The Middle East’s biggest Super Smash Bros Ultimate contest also took place on Friday 15 March, with competitors taking home total prize money of AED 25,000. The winners included Kuwait's Saud ‘SSS’ Al-Shaheen (first place, AED 10,000), together with the UAE’s Rashid ‘Snackington’ Al-Harmoudi (second place, AED 6,000) and Abdulaziz ‘Prado’ Al-Owais (third place, AED 3,000). On Saturday, attendees had the chance to play against regional gaming star Mosaad ‘Msdossary’ Aldossary, winner of the FIFA eWorld Cup 2018. More big-name guests are lined-up for later in the week, including UAE Street Fighter V pros Amjad ‘AngryBird’ Alshalabi and Adel ‘BigBird’ Anouche, and top international CS:GO players Adil ‘ScreaM’ Benrlitom and Dan 'apEX' Madesclaire.

The Art-Zoo Inflatable Park proved to be one of the Festival’s most popular attractions during the first week, with crowds of people flocking to enjoy the world’s largest inflatable park. The ‘Tree to Tree’ zip line and ‘Wanderlust’ off-road driving experiences were also a hit amongst attendees. In addition, visitors had the opportunity to take part in three fitness classes at the Main Stage, as well as a range of workshops offering eight sessions per day across a range of creative disciplines.

Meanwhile, the Souq and F&B Zone, presented by ADIB, features more than 80 delectable dining experiences. Dining options range from traditional culinary experiences to international dishes and street food to gourmet, as well as refreshing beverages and a range of sweet treats. Visitors can also explore a range of homegrown products at more than 35 retail outlets.

The Festival’s Fireworks Competition got off to an incredible start at the weekend, with breathtaking displays from Canada’s BOOM BOOM POW and Royal Fireworks from the Netherlands. Visitors can look forward to the second round of the Fireworks Competition on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 March, when South Korea’s Bisabeol Fireworks and Australia’s Xplosiv Art will have the opportunity to dazzle the judges with two 15-minute displays each. The winner will be announced on Saturday.

The Festival will continue throughout the week with a packed schedule of entertainment and fun activities. The unmissable closing weekend will feature the Abu Dhabi debut of International DJ Nicky Romero on Friday 22 March, and a presentation of ‘To Zayed, Salam’, an inspiring cine-concert starring Emirati oud master and singer Faisal Al Saari that pays tribute to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan through music and film, which will take place on Saturday 23 March.

The Mother of the Nation Festival is taking place at the Abu Dhabi Corniche until 23 March 2019, and is open from 4pm - 12am (Sunday to Wednesday) and 2pm - 12am (Thursday to Saturday). Tickets can be purchased online by visiting 800tickets.com or motn.ae. Entry tickets are priced at AED 25 per adult and AED 20 for kids between 6 and 12 years of age. A Festival Family Pass is also available (2 adults + 2 children + 2 fast track passes) for AED 290. Entry is free of charge for senior citizens and visitors (60 years and above), children below 6 years of age, and people of determination. Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank customers can enjoy 40% discount when booking using their ADIB cards across all categories of entry tickets.

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