A live re-creation of an Emirati wedding, a food hub dedicated to local cuisine and a retail district featuring Abu Dhabi fashion lines are some of the new additions to this year’s Al Hosn Festival.
Set across the buildings and outdoor spaces of Al Hosn district, the popular cultural celebration runs from this Friday to January 22. Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi, the family-friendly event will feature an expansive programme, with the aim of providing an insight into what life was like in Abu Dhabi before the discovery of oil.
That story will be told in sights, sounds, smells and tastes through art exhibitions, pop-up stalls by some of the city's most historic restaurants and competitions specialising in Arabic coffee.
Here are 10 things to see and experience at this year’s Al Hosn Festival.
1. Visit Qasr Al Hosn
In addition to the activities and performances surrounding the palace fort, the interior of Qasr Al Hosn will be home to a pair of exhibitions.
Throughout Memories of the Palace, visitors can learn about the history of everyday life spent in the regal venue, from the cultural festivities to colourful anecdotes recorded by early generations.
Meanwhile, the Music and Crafts exhibit captures the atmosphere of the palace through historic field recordings and vintage photographs.
2. Discover the House of Artisans
The popular House of Artisans will once again be a treasure trove for those seeking authentic Emirati arts and crafts.
From installations and local retailers to design workshops, this is the place to learn about Abu Dhabi's rich crafts scene and land a bargain in the process.
3. Sample the best coffee at the Gahwa Championships
Not every gahwa is the same.
Take in the earthy aromas and taste the best of regional coffee from some of the UAE's coffee artisans at a special stand.
The festival will also host a competition to see who makes the best local brew.
4. Sample a taste of Abu Dhabi history
A handful of Abu Dhabi food gems will be honoured with a prized place at the festival.
As part of the Urban Treasures programme launched by the Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi, restaurants Lebanese Flower and India Palace as well as the dessert shop Tripoli Sweets will showcase a menu that inspired generations of Abu Dhabi residents.
5. Try the best of Emirati cuisine
For those looking for richer local flavours, the festival has space dedicated to Emirati food outlets creating a range of bite-sized traditional fare.
Some of the storied dishes on offer are harees and thareed, in addition to dry and salted fish with rice. Plates can be purchased through tokens that cost Dh5 each.
6. You are invited to an Emirati wedding
Any long-term resident can tell you that an Emirati wedding is an enriching experience.
Al Hosn Festival will recreate the cultural pomp and deep traditions of the nuptial ceremony at the centre of the festival site daily at 9pm.
Visitors will be encouraged to participate and join in the various different moments to showcase the important role weddings play in Emirati communities.
7. The community spirit of Al Freej
Al Freej is more than just a name for an Emirati village, it also channels a particular way of life with its own customs and traditions.
The festival will recreate the intimate vibe with its own Al Freej that comes with its own market, blacksmith, palm weaving stations and goat pen.
8. Shop at Darb Al Zain
A new addition to the festival, Darb Al Zain is a site dedicated to Emirati fashion, with local retailers selling and showcasing traditional clothes and accessories.
A photo booth will also be on hand to take snaps of your new outfits and a women-only majlis will also be on hand to try your latest items and relax with some gahwa.
9. Local music and dance performances
Emirati music and dance will be in full swing throughout the festival, with concerts by local folk musicians.
Each day will also have troupes performing a range of Emirati dances, including the much-loved Ayyala.
10. The best of regional art
Art lovers should also make time to visit The Cultural Foundation and see a range of ongoing exhibitions.
Highlights include Fahrelnissa and the Institutes: Towards a Sky, an exhibition of abstract work by prominent regional women artists and Two Trees in Harmony by veteran Jordanian artist Fouad Mimi.
Scroll through images of the Cultural Foundation exhibitions below
Info
What: 11th edition of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship
When: December 27-29, 2018
Confirmed: men: Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Kevin Anderson, Dominic Thiem, Hyeon Chung, Karen Khachanov; women: Venus Williams
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.ae, Virgin megastores or call 800 86 823
The Intruder
Director: Deon Taylor
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good
One star
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
How to book
Call DHA on 800342
Once you are registered, you will receive a confirmation text message
Present the SMS and your Emirates ID at the centre
DHA medical personnel will take a nasal swab
Check results within 48 hours on the DHA app under ‘Lab Results’ and then ‘Patient Services’
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
SPECS
Mini John Cooper Works Clubman and Mini John Cooper Works Countryman
Engine: two-litre 4-cylinder turbo
Transmission: nine-speed automatic
Power: 306hp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: JCW Clubman, Dh220,500; JCW Countryman, Dh225,500
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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UAE
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Japan
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Norway
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Canada
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David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
'Texas Chainsaw Massacre'
Rating: 1 out of 4
Running time: 81 minutes
Director: David Blue Garcia
Starring: Sarah Yarkin, Elsie Fisher, Mark Burnham
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series
Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Retirement funds heavily invested in equities at a risky time
Pension funds in growing economies in Asia, Latin America and the Middle East have a sharply higher percentage of assets parked in stocks, just at a time when trade tensions threaten to derail markets.
Retirement money managers in 14 geographies now allocate 40 per cent of their assets to equities, an 8 percentage-point climb over the past five years, according to a Mercer survey released last week that canvassed government, corporate and mandatory pension funds with almost $5 trillion in assets under management. That compares with about 25 per cent for pension funds in Europe.
The escalating trade spat between the US and China has heightened fears that stocks are ripe for a downturn. With tensions mounting and outcomes driven more by politics than economics, the S&P 500 Index will be on course for a “full-scale bear market” without Federal Reserve interest-rate cuts, Citigroup’s global macro strategy team said earlier this week.
The increased allocation to equities by growth-market pension funds has come at the expense of fixed-income investments, which declined 11 percentage points over the five years, according to the survey.
Hong Kong funds have the highest exposure to equities at 66 per cent, although that’s been relatively stable over the period. Japan’s equity allocation jumped 13 percentage points while South Korea’s increased 8 percentage points.
The money managers are also directing a higher portion of their funds to assets outside of their home countries. On average, foreign stocks now account for 49 per cent of respondents’ equity investments, 4 percentage points higher than five years ago, while foreign fixed-income exposure climbed 7 percentage points to 23 per cent. Funds in Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan are among those seeking greater diversification in stocks and fixed income.
• Bloomberg
Honeymoonish
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nag%20Ashwin%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrabhas%2C%20Saswata%20Chatterjee%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%2C%20Shobhana%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Profile of VoucherSkout
Date of launch: November 2016
Founder: David Tobias
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers
Sector: Technology
Size: 18 employees
Stage: Embarking on a Series A round to raise $5 million in the first quarter of 2019 with a 20 per cent stake
Investors: Seed round was self-funded with “millions of dollars”
Profile
Company: Libra Project
Based: Masdar City, ADGM, London and Delaware
Launch year: 2017
Size: A team of 12 with six employed full-time
Sector: Renewable energy
Funding: $500,000 in Series A funding from family and friends in 2018. A Series B round looking to raise $1.5m is now live.
Why it pays to compare
A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.
Route 1: bank transfer
The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.
Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount
Total received: €4,670.30
Route 2: online platform
The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.
Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction
Total received: €4,756
The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.
The five pillars of Islam
