As the heat of summer drops, our calendar fills up

The weather is changing, which is a sure sign that our lives are about to get very busy

Kite Beach in Dubai brims with residents taking advantage of shockproof walking paths during the cooler months of the year. Jeffrey E Biteng / The National

The autumn is fast approaching and all around the world, the changing of the season brings with it a shift in perspective and, perhaps, the promise of greater possibilities. In America and Europe, the later months of the year bring crisp, clear days and landscapes that appear saturated with the soft hues of autumn leaves. In this country, the slow pace of the long, hot summer is replaced by the frenetic speed of life between the end of September and the end of April, as we scurry from event to exhibition and from beach to bistro.

Even if the weather didn’t quite break for good this weekend, many residents used the slowly cooling days of late September and the long Islamic New Year holiday weekend to enjoy and explore the delights of this country’s offerings. Certainly, those residents and citizens who become hyper-attuned to even the tiniest shift in temperatures during the summer months will have noticed that the high humidity of the mornings and evenings is starting to subside ever so slightly. Weather officials reported on Sunday that temperatures will be “mild” at dusk even if the temperature is high in the middle of the day.

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And as The National reported, our days are about to get much busier. Our arts and lifestyle pages presented the highlights of a busy popular culture calendar between now and the end of 2017. Among the many highlights are concerts in Dubai, as well as multi-artist events, such as Soul Jam and Party in the Park. Later this week, the annual guessing game over who will perform at the Etihad Airways Formula One Grand Prix after-show concerts will come to an end when the two remaining headline slots are announced.

This year, of course, the autumn also brings the opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi on the final day of the annual Abu Dhabi Art fair in November. Our coverage of the museum’s journey from drawing board to architectural wonder has been comprehensive, but we learnt a little more about the full scope of the museum’s ambition at the weekend and its promise to deliver a “summation of the whole history of humankind”.

The weather is cooling. Autumn is on its way and with it a calendar of events that seems brimming with delights.

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