Abu Dhabi: The second edition of the Qasr Al Hosn festival opens its doors tomorrow (Thursday) where ongoing reconstruction work taking place on the fort’s walls will be revealed for the first time in 10 years.
Featuring a live horse show by Cirque du Soleil’s Cavalia co-founder Normand Latourelle, visitors will get a chance to witness the birth of Abu Dhabi from a cultural, artistic and an archaeological perspective.
“Being over 250 years old, the Qasr Al Hosn fort is the oldest building in the UAE. Therefore setting up this event provides visitors a golden opportunity to learn about the renovation and maintenance of the structure with the help of experts who will ensure that the fort is protected for future generations,” said Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA-AD).
The festival’s premises include some of the oldest government buildings of the capital dating back to 1968 where major federal decisions were taken. Acting as ambassadors to the festival, around 200 Emirati students will also be on site to guide guests and answer any general questions they may have.
The festival will be divided into four main areas: the Abu Dhabi Island and Fort area where children and adults will be able to explore different elements and artefacts of the structure’s history. Emulations of how traditional Emirati schools looked and operated, in addition to a Bedouin wedding house or ‘Beit Al Zehba’ will be set up in that area, taking visitors through a temporary historic portal.
The Desert area will provide guests with a unique look into Bedouin life. Emirati male dancers will perform the iconic Al Youla dance while the endangered houbara birds teach festival-goers about the UAE’s rich ecodiversity and the country’s efforts to preserve it.
The Marine section will emphasise the practices of fishing and pearl-diving, which were previously the main source of livelihood for Emiratis.
Finally, the Oasis will highlight the UAE’s natural life where guests will learn about the different medical uses of herbs and deserts plants.
The opening day (Thursday) will witness partial closure of Hamdan Street, Rashid Sin Saeed Al Maktoum Street, Zayed the First and Khalid Bin Al Waleed streets from 2pm to 8pm.
