Nine nights, a lot of twirling and a wardrobe that changes colour every single day. Navratri 2026 runs from Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October, with Dussehra landing on Tuesday 20 October, and Abu Dhabi’s Gujarati, Rajasthani and wider Indian community is already polishing its dandiya sticks.
The capital does Navratri a little differently to Dubai. There are fewer mega-nights, the big ones land on weekends and tickets cost less than a mall coffee and a croissant. Below is every confirmed garba and dandiya night in Abu Dhabi this year, plus where to pray, what to eat while fasting and how to survive a 30-degree garba circle without melting.
Navratri 2026 in Abu Dhabi at a glance
- Navratri: Sunday 11 October to Monday 19 October 2026
- Dussehra (Vijayadashami): Tuesday 20 October 2026
- Biggest garba weekend: Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October
- Ticket prices: AED 35 to AED 50 for adults, kids under 10 free at both big nights
- Is it a public holiday? No, Navratri and Dussehra are working days in the UAE, so plan late nights around Friday and Saturday
Garba and dandiya nights in Abu Dhabi
1. United Way of Garba Season 3 – Yas Gateway Park North
The capital’s community-style garba is back for a third season and has moved from Abu Dhabi City Golf Club to the open lawns of Yas Gateway Park North. Live music comes from garba band Chogada Rhythms, and there are festive decor, multi-cuisine food stalls and fashion stalls for anyone who still needs a last-minute chaniya choli. Parking is free, which on Yas Island on a Friday night feels like a minor festival miracle.
- When: Friday 16 October 2026, 6pm to midnight
- Where: Yas Gateway Park North, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
- Tickets: Adults AED 35 early bird until 14 October (then AED 50), school students with ID AED 25, group of 10 adults AED 300, all plus 5% VAT. Kids aged 10 and under go free.
- Book: Sugarcandy Events tickets or Q-Tickets
- Organiser contact: Sugarcandy Events, +971 50 731 0603
WOW Abu Dhabi Expert Tip: The group-of-10 ticket works out at AED 30 a head before VAT, cheaper than early bird. If your building WhatsApp group is already planning outfits, get one person to buy for everyone before 14 October.
2. Red Dot Dandiya Beatz 2026 – Hudayriyat Island
Red Dot Events has been running dandiya nights in the capital since 2018, and Tanishq presents Red Dot Dandiya Beatz is now its headline Navratri party. This year it takes over the football pitches at 321 Sports on Hudayriyat Island for six hours of non-stop raas. Early bird tickets come with a free dandiya stick set and a discounted Emirates Park Zoo Explorer ticket, so you leave with props and a weekend plan. There is also a free 360 video booth, which is where your best spin goes to become a reel. Full listing on our Dandiya Beatz 2026 event page.
- When: Saturday 17 October 2026, 6pm to midnight
- Where: 321 Sports – Football, opposite Bab Al Noujoum, Al Hudayriyat Island, Abu Dhabi
- Tickets: AED 40 plus VAT (early bird, while stocks last). Kids under 10 go free. Group discounts available from the organiser.
- Getting there: Free shuttle from the Hudayriyat Parking Zone to the event gate
- Book: Red Dot Events tickets
- Organiser contact: Red Dot Events and Exhibitions, +971 55 926 9470 or info@reddotevents.co
WOW Abu Dhabi Expert Tip: You are dancing on a football pitch, so only soft-soled, non-marking shoes get through the gate. Heels, cleats and hard soles are banned. Clean white trainers or flat juttis are the move, and they will save your feet by round three.
Warm-up: Garba Workshop at Euphoria Dance & Fitness Studio
Two left feet and a big night on the calendar? Euphoria’s three-evening garba workshop runs the weekend before the big parties, so you can turn up on the 16th knowing more than the two-clap step.
- When: Thursday 8, Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October 2026, 8pm to 9.30pm
- Where: Euphoria Dance & Fitness Studio, M1-102, Sama Tower, Electra Street, Abu Dhabi
- Price: AED 150 plus VAT for all three sessions
- Book: +971 54 557 0622 (limited spots)
More community garba nights tend to get announced in the final week before Navratri. We will add them here as they are confirmed, so bookmark this page and check our what’s on in Abu Dhabi guide for everything else happening this month.
Where to pray: BAPS Hindu Mandir Abu Dhabi
For the devotional side of Navratri, the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Mureikhah is the capital’s spiritual anchor. The hand-carved pink sandstone temple holds its evening Ganga Aarti at 7.30pm on weekdays, with an extra 6.45pm aarti on weekends and holidays, which makes it a calm counterpoint to the garba nights.
- Where: P6 Al Taf Road (E16), Abu Dhabi, via Exit 366 on Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Road (E11)
- Hours: Tuesday to Sunday 9am to 8pm, closed Mondays (note that Monday 12 and Monday 19 October fall inside Navratri)
- Entry: Free, but online registration at mandir.ae is mandatory and you must carry a physical Emirates ID or passport
- Dress code: No shorts, skirts above the knee or sleeveless tops, and nothing tight or see-through. Sarongs are sold at the front desk if you get it wrong.
- Contact: +971 2 556 1982
Vibe check: People walk out talking about the carvings like they just met a celebrity, just book your slot in advance and leave the sleeveless kurta at home because security will politely send you to buy a sarong.
Bringing visiting family? The mandir is one of the top picks in our guide to things to do in Abu Dhabi with parents.
Navratri 2026 colours: what to wear each day
Each day of Navratri is linked to a form of Goddess Durga and a colour. Office colour-coordination WhatsApp groups take this very seriously.
| Day | Date | Colour | Goddess |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sunday 11 October | Orange | Maa Shailaputri |
| 2 | Monday 12 October | White | Maa Brahmacharini |
| 3 | Tuesday 13 October | Red | Maa Chandraghanta |
| 4 | Wednesday 14 October | Royal blue | Maa Kushmanda |
| 5 | Thursday 15 October | Yellow | Maa Skandamata |
| 6 | Friday 16 October | Green | Maa Katyayani |
| 7 | Saturday 17 October | Grey | Maa Kalaratri |
| 8 | Sunday 18 October | Purple | Maa Mahagauri |
| 9 | Monday 19 October | Peacock green | Maa Siddhidatri |
Handy coincidence: United Way of Garba falls on green day and Dandiya Beatz on grey day. Grey sounds dull until you see it with silver mirror work.
Where to eat during Navratri in Abu Dhabi
Fasting or simply going vegetarian for nine days? These pure-veg favourites keep things easy. Always ask for the vrat or farali options on the day, as these menus change.
- Bikanervala – North Indian vegetarian thalis and a mithai counter that makes festive gifting dangerously easy. East Bin Hamila Building 2, Plot C-27, Airport Road, Al Danah. Contact: +971 2 631 0029.
- Sangeetha Vegetarian Restaurant – South Indian breakfasts and a bargain North Indian thali at lunch. Mubarak Al Qubaisi Building, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street (Salam Street), Al Zahiyah. Contact: +971 2 676 3519.
- Pincode by Kunal Kapur – the upscale pick, with a strong meat-free menu and a mall-side table for post-fast celebrations. Level 3, Section B, The Galleria Al Maryah Island. Book: +971 2 234 0111.
For the full list, see our guide to the best Indian restaurants in Abu Dhabi.
What last year actually looked like
In 2025, United Way of Garba Season 2 took over Abu Dhabi City Golf Club on 4 October with the same AED 50 ticket and AED 35 early bird, festive decor, food and fashion stalls and free parking. Red Dot’s Dandiya Beatz 2025 made the Visit Abu Dhabi events calendar too. A few things first-timers tend to notice:
- Abu Dhabi garba nights feel more like a giant family gathering than a concert, so expect grandparents in the circle and toddlers on shoulders.
- The dancing does not really get going until after 8pm, once the food stalls have done their job.
- Outfits are taken seriously, but nobody judges a beginner who only knows the two-clap step.
What actually happens on the night
- Gates open around 6pm: the first hour is food stalls, photos and finding your group.
- Aarti first: most garba nights start with an aarti to Goddess Amba before the music kicks off.
- Garba then dandiya: circles start with clapping garba, then switch to stick-tapping dandiya raas as the tempo rises.
- Eat in the eating zones: at Dandiya Beatz, food is not allowed on the green pitch while dancing is on.
- No outside food or drinks: both events sell food and water on site.
- Tickets are non-refundable: and artist line-ups can change, so do not bank on a specific singer.
Weather and what to wear
Mid-October in Abu Dhabi is warmer than your chaniya choli would like. Daytime highs still sit in the mid-30s, the sun sets around 5.50pm and evenings hover around 28 to 30C with noticeable humidity, especially on Yas and Hudayriyat by the water.
- Cotton or georgette over heavy silk: mirror-work cotton breathes, a velvet lehenga does not.
- Flat, soft-soled shoes: mandatory at Dandiya Beatz and smart everywhere else on grass.
- A refillable water bottle: buy water on site and keep it topped up between rounds.
- Hair up, dupatta pinned: a loose dupatta and a spinning circle are not friends.
- Your own dandiya sticks: unless you have bought Red Dot’s early bird, which includes a set.
- A light layer for the drive home: sweat plus a sea breeze plus car AC is a chilly combination.
Kids, older guests and accessibility
Kids: Both big nights let children under 10 in free and run until close to midnight, so a nap after school is a solid strategy. Little ones love the food stalls and the first slow garba rounds. For more ideas over the same weekend, see our family activities in Abu Dhabi guide.
Older guests: Garba circles move at different speeds, and the outer circle is usually the gentle one. Both venues are outdoor and largely standing, so bring a folding stool if a grandparent wants to watch rather than dance, and park close or use the shuttle.
People of determination: The BAPS Hindu Mandir welcomes wheelchairs and other mobility aids and gives people of determination priority at the entry queue. Neither garba organiser has published accessibility details, so call or email them before booking to check ground surfaces, seating and drop-off points.
Navratri in Abu Dhabi: FAQs
United Way of Garba Season 3 is on Friday 16 October at Yas Gateway Park North, and Red Dot Dandiya Beatz 2026 is on Saturday 17 October at 321 Sports on Al Hudayriyat Island.
Adult tickets run from AED 35 early bird to AED 50 at United Way of Garba, and AED 40 plus VAT at Dandiya Beatz. Children under 10 go free at both.
Yes. Both major garba nights are family events and let children under 10 in free, though they run until around midnight.
No. Navratri and Dussehra are not UAE public holidays, which is why the biggest garba nights in Abu Dhabi fall on Friday and Saturday.
Yes. The mandir is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 8pm and closed on Mondays. Entry is free but online registration at mandir.ae and a physical Emirates ID or passport are mandatory.
Light cotton chaniya cholis or kurtas, flat soft-soled shoes and hair tied back. Evenings are still around 28 to 30C in mid-October, and Dandiya Beatz only allows non-marking footwear.
Details were checked in October 2026 against organiser websites and official organiser social channels. Prices, timings and line-ups can change, so confirm with the organiser before you head out.
