Top 10: Visit the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival, enjoy Festive on the River at Riverland Dubai, and more

Your essential guide to what's happening in the Emirates

Visit the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival in Al Wathba and enjoy a variety of family and cultural activities. Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival
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Abu Dhabi

Heritage event

Enjoy a day at the Sheikh Zayed Heritage Festival, with a variety of activities that celebrate the legacy of the UAE’s Founding President. Enjoy regional and international traditional dances, camel and horse rides, arts and crafts, activities for children, handicraft demonstrations, henna, a souq and traditional food options.

Daily until January 22, Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi, www.facebook.com/zayedfestival

Abu Dhabi

Food festival

Visit Street Fest, part of the Abu Dhabi Food Festival. Discover some of the best local and international street-food vendors, with more than 40 food trucks, trailers, carts and pop-ups, featuring cuisine prepared by renowned international chefs. Enjoy an urban market and hear live musical performances by artists including J T Taylor (pictured) of Kool & the Gang, who will perform on Friday. Plus, street artists from around the world will present graffiti artworks.

Daily until Saturday, 2pm to 11pm, Dh30, Lake Park, Corniche, Abu Dhabi, www.facebook.com/streetfestuae

Enjoy a performance by JT Taylor of Kool & the Gang at Street Fest as part of Abu Dhabi Food Festival.
Enjoy a performance by JT Taylor of Kool & the Gang at Street Fest as part of Abu Dhabi Food Festival.

Abu Dhabi

Exhibition

Two exhibitions open today at Louvre Abu Dhabi. From One Louvre to Another tells the story of the origins of the Musée du Louvre, from the collections of Louis XIV at Versailles to the museum's opening following the French Revolution. See 150 masterpieces, including paintings, sculptures and ceramics. Co-Lab: Contemporary Art and Savoir-faire features four contemporary works created by UAE-based artists in collaboration with French manufacturers.

Daily until March 25 for Co-Lab: Contemporary Art and Savoir-faire; daily until April 7 for From One Louvre to Another, 10am to 8pm daily (closed Mondays), Louvre Abu Dhabi, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi, www.louvreabudhabi.ae

Abu Dhabi

Family fun

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi presents Winterfest, a fun festive event inspired by Ferrari that features the Fairytales on Ice skating show, Bjorn the polar bear, a snow-play area, an interactive elf school for children, a candy-cane hunt and more.

Daily until January 6, 11am to 10pm until Thursday; 10am to 10pm, tomorrow until December 30; 10am to 8pm, December 31 to January 6, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com

Abu Dhabi

Kids’ camp

Alliance Française Abu Dhabi presents its French Winter Camp at Le Royal Méridien, featuring games, swimming sessions, football, cooking workshops and snowman-building. Children ages 4 to 12 will improve their French language skills through a variety of activities that will keep them engaged and entertained for the duration of the winter break.

Runs until January 4, 9am to 2pm, from Dh126 per day, Alliance Française, Le Royal Méridien, Abu Dhabi, 02 612 2900, info@afabudhabi.org

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Dubai

Exhibition

Egyptian photographer Habby Khalil presents the exhibition Raya and Sakina, which is inspired by the rich cultural history of early 20th-century Alexandria. This city was the pride of the Mediterranean elite, but it was also the home of the country's most infamous serial killers, Raya and Sakina. The artist explores the story in black and white images that are intended to symbolise the conflict.

Daily until January 11, 10am to 7pm, Sundays to Thursdays (closed Fridays and Saturdays), The Empty Quarter, Building 2, DIFC Gate Village, Dubai, 04 323 1210, www.theemptyquarter.com

See the photography exhibition Raya & Sakina, which is about the infamous Egyptian serial killers. Pictured: A detail of Ceremony. The Empty Quarter
See the photography exhibition Raya & Sakina, which is about the infamous Egyptian serial killers. Pictured: A detail of Ceremony. The Empty Quarter

Dubai

Kids’ fun

Don’t forget to book your children’s spots for Santa’s Workshops at Fairmont Falcons Kids’ Club, which will be transformed into a workshop offering handicraft sessions, ornament decoration, a Christmas tree and all manner of other festive games and entertainment.

Today and tomorrow, 2pm to 4pm, from Dh120, Fairmont Falcons Kids’ Club, Fairmont The Palm, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai, 04 457 3331, keilagh.vlahakis@fairmont.com

Dubai

Festive fun

Visit Riverland Dubai and enjoy Festive on the River, a family-friendly event featuring a festive market with chalets that sell gift items, street performances, gingerbread houses, carols, ice-skating and more. Plus, there will be a Guinness World Record attempt for the world’s largest colouring book, which visitors can colour in.

Daily until January 6, 4pm to 10pm, free entry, Riverland Dubai, Dubai Parks & Resorts, Dubai, www.facebook.com/riverlanddubai

Visit the family festive events at Riverland Dubai.
Visit the family festive events at Riverland Dubai.

Dubai

Improv classes

The Courtyard Playhouse presents its next term of youth improv classes for age groups 9 to 11, 12 to 14 and 15 to 18. The classes teach kids to be more expressive and better listeners, and give them skills that will come in handy in every aspect of life. Classes are led by full-time performers and instructors, and run through to March. Participants have the opportunity to gain experience every Wednesday at the Playhouse weekly improv show, Maestro, helping with lighting, sound and more.

Starts January 16, 5pm to 7pm on Tuesdays for ages 12 to 15, from Dh1,455; January 17, 5pm to 7pm on Wednesdays for ages 15 to 18, from Dh1,455; January 19, 3pm to 4.30pm on Fridays for ages 9 to 11, from Dh1,155, The Courtyard Playhouse, Al Quoz, Dubai, www.courtyardplayhouse.com

Dubai

Kids’ camp

Register your children, ages 5 to 10, for the OliOli Winter Camp, where they can experience a programme of activities that’s guaranteed to keep them engaged during the school break. Kids will learn how to use simple tools and materials to build things that move. They’ll make wind-up helicopters, construct cards and other objects at the Marvellous Moving Machines Holiday Camp.

December 31 to January 4, 9am to 1pm, Sundays to Thursdays (closed on January 1), Dh1,200, OliOli, next to Oasis Center, Al Quoz, Dubai, 04 702 7300, www.facebook.com/olioliuae

Kids will enjoy the Marvellous Moving Machines Holiday Camp at OliOli.
Kids will enjoy the Marvellous Moving Machines Holiday Camp at OliOli.