ABU DHABI // Sparks will be literally flying on the Corniche this week when the Abu Dhabi Science Festival opens on Thursday.
The capital’s beachfront promenade will be home to 42 workshops, five stage shows and three large-scale interactive exhibitions aimed at children ages five to 15 years old.
All festival activities in Abu Dhabi will be held on the Corniche’s East Plaza.
In Al Ain, visitors to the zoo can take part in six festival workshops, watch three science shows and interact with science demonstrators at one of the “busking bikes”.
The festival will also concurrently be staged in Sharjah with nine workshops, one large interactive exhibition, three science shows and more busking science bikers.
“We’ve got a significant number of new workshops this year,” said Linda Silver, the festival’s associate director of content. “Every year we strive to make at least 60 per cent of the content new.”
Many of the participating workshop presenters this year are based in the UAE. One of the local workshops, provided by Bidaya Media, gives young children an opportunity to learn about space from one of the world’s most popular puppets.
“They’re going to be doing hands-on activities and working with science communicators to learn about the stars in the Abu Dhabi sky. They’re going to be learning about the phases of the moon and about planets – with Elmo as their guide,” Dr Silver said of the new Reach for the Sky workshop.
Tickets, which cost Dh10 for children 15 and under and Dh5 for adults, are available online at www.abudhabisciencefestival.ae/ or on site.
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