Abu Dhabi does December properly. The Grand Prix leaves town on 6 December, and the festive season moves in straight after: festivals on the Corniche and in the desert, a new Guggenheim on Saadiyat, Christmas brunches across the city and some of the biggest New Year’s Eve fireworks on the planet. Here is how Christmas in Abu Dhabi and New Year’s Eve 2026 are shaping up. We are adding brunches, markets and party details as venues confirm them.
Key festive dates for 2026
Christmas Day 2026 falls on Friday 25 December and New Year’s Eve on Thursday 31 December. New Year’s Day, Friday 1 January 2027, is a UAE public holiday, so the private sector gets a long weekend from 1 to 3 January. Christmas is not a public holiday in the UAE, but hotels, malls and restaurants across Abu Dhabi celebrate it in style.
| Event | Dates | Where |
|---|---|---|
| MOTN Festival | 9 Dec to 3 Jan | Abu Dhabi Corniche |
| Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opens | From 11 Dec | Saadiyat Cultural District |
| Liwa International Festival | 11 Dec to 2 Jan | Tal Moreeb, Liwa |
| Disney+ Movies in Concert | 18 Dec | Etihad Arena, Yas Island |
| Winter festivities | December | Warner Bros. World Yas Island |
| Christmas Day | Fri 25 Dec | Hotels and restaurants citywide |
| New Year’s Eve | Thu 31 Dec | Al Wathba, Yas, Corniche and more |
| Sheikh Zayed Festival | Until 14 Mar 2027 | Al Wathba |
Festive things to do in December
MOTN Festival on the Corniche
After its National Day run in Al Ain and Al Dhafra, MOTN Festival moves to the Abu Dhabi Corniche from 9 December to 3 January 2027, with rides, live music, food stalls and three new zones. It is the easiest festive night out for families in the city.
MOTN Festival – Abu Dhabi Corniche. Tickets and timings: motnfestival.ae.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi
The long-awaited Guggenheim opens on Saadiyat on 11 December, which makes it the cultural headline of the holidays. Our Guggenheim Abu Dhabi guide has everything we know, and our cultural things to do list covers the rest of the district.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi – Saadiyat Cultural District, Saadiyat Island.
Liwa International Festival
From 11 December to 2 January, Tal Moreeb turns into the region’s loudest desert party, with Nitro Circus and the Tal Moreeb Car Championship. It is roughly a three-hour drive from the city, so book a desert stay and make a weekend of it.
Liwa International Festival – Tal Moreeb, Liwa, Al Dhafra Region. Info: liwainternationalfestival.ae.
Disney+ Movies in Concert and festive Yas Island
Disney+ Movies in Concert plays Etihad Arena on 18 December, a ready-made family night for the start of the school holidays. Warner Bros. World Yas Island also runs winter festive celebrations through December, and the Kids Go Free offer makes a full Yas day much easier on the wallet. Start with our Yas Island guide.
Etihad Arena – Yas Bay Waterfront, Yas Island. Tickets: Etihad Arena box office and Platinumlist.
💡 WOW Abu Dhabi Expert Tip: Christmas Day brunches at the big hotels sell out weeks ahead, especially when 25 December lands on a Friday like it does this year. Book in the first week of December, not the third.
Where to watch New Year’s Eve fireworks in Abu Dhabi
The 2026 fireworks line-up is usually confirmed in mid-December. Based on recent years, these are the places to plan around:
- Sheikh Zayed Festival, Al Wathba: the record-chaser. Last New Year’s Eve it ran a 62-minute fireworks show in stages from 8pm to midnight, plus a 6,500-drone display, with entry at AED 50 and gates opening at 4pm. The 2026-27 season runs until 14 March 2027.
- Yas Island and Yas Bay Waterfront: waterfront fireworks and dinner with a view, close to the hotels.
- Abu Dhabi Corniche: free, central and walkable, with MOTN Festival running alongside this year.
Sheikh Zayed Festival – Al Wathba South, Abu Dhabi. Contact: zayedfestival.ae or info@zayedfestival.ae.
💡 WOW Abu Dhabi Expert Tip: Al Wathba closes its gates once it hits capacity on New Year’s Eve. Get there by late afternoon, eat at the festival and treat midnight as the finale, not the reason you arrived.
Christmas brunches, markets and NYE parties
Hotels and restaurants usually announce Christmas Eve dinners, Christmas Day brunches, festive markets and New Year’s Eve parties from mid-November. We are adding confirmed 2026 picks here with prices, locations and booking numbers as they land, so bookmark this page. While you wait, our date night guide and new restaurants round-up are a good place to start shortlisting.
Before the festive season starts, there is still National Day and race week to get through: see our Eid Al Etihad guide and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix guide, and keep our What’s On in Abu Dhabi calendar bookmarked.
Details checked 31 October 2026. Festive programmes, fireworks timings and prices are confirmed by organisers closer to the date and can change.
Frequently asked questions
Is Christmas celebrated in Abu Dhabi?
Yes. Christmas is not a public holiday in the UAE, but hotels, malls and restaurants across Abu Dhabi put up trees, run festive markets and serve Christmas Eve dinners and Christmas Day brunches.
Is New Year’s Day a holiday in the UAE?
Yes. New Year’s Day is a public holiday. In 2027 it falls on Friday 1 January, which gives most people a three-day weekend.
Where are the biggest New Year’s Eve fireworks in Abu Dhabi?
Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba has staged the biggest show in recent years, with record-breaking fireworks and drone displays. Yas Island and the Corniche also host waterfront fireworks.
How much is entry to Sheikh Zayed Festival on New Year’s Eve?
Entry was AED 50 per person last New Year’s Eve, with gates opening at 4pm. The 2026 price is usually confirmed in December.
What is on in Abu Dhabi over Christmas?
MOTN Festival on the Corniche, Liwa International Festival, the new Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, Disney+ Movies in Concert on 18 December and Warner Bros. World’s winter celebrations are all confirmed for December 2026.
