Abu Dhabi’s Al Maryah Island confirmed its place as an entertainment destination courtesy of a colourful and family friendly New Year’s Eve celebration on Wednesday night.
The Galleria’s outdoor space was dedicated to children and was set up with everything from a bouncy castle to henna booths, while characters from the hit Arabic cartoon Mansour posed for pictures with the kids.
The main party was located two levels below, on the promenade, where a main stage hosted locally based singers and DJs, including Alan Landry, whose rhythm and blues favourites went down well with the crowd.
Parents hanging out with their children didn’t miss out on all the fun happening below – a large screen beamed the live musical performances happening on the promenade. Normally a quiet spot, the promenade was bustling with shoppers browsing a sprawling outdoor market selling all sorts of goods, from fine carpets and clothes to holiday tat. One of the highlights of the evening was Sky News Arabia’s hourly broadcasts of NYE celebrations across Asian capitals. As the clock struck 12, fireworks filled the sky at midnight, and the promenade was packed with families.
The interior of the mall was hung with celebratory banners and posters. Most of the top restaurants – Almaz by Momo, Emporio Armani Caffee, and Bentley – were all fully booked for their New Year’s Eve specials, so hungry revellers were forced to hit the food court, Leopold’s from London and Magnolia Bakery.
While the evening was well organised, the live entertainment could use some serious improvement. With two stages on offer, one hopes next year’s line-up goes beyond hotel cover-bands and makes full use of the talented artists on the UAE entertainment scene, from musicians to comics.
sasaeed@thenational.ae
