Liwa Festival 2026 kicks off with dazzling Burj Khalifa lights, drones, fireworks

The much-anticipated Liwa International Festival 2026 kicked off in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Region on Friday with a spectacular opening ceremony.
Marking the occasion, the Burj Khalifa lit up in the festival’s red colours, displaying its logo in a dazzling light show. Messages flashed across the tower, announcing that the festival “is back with more thrilling action, cultural highlights, electrifying entertainment, and family-friendly fun.”

In Liwa, Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region, and Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Ain Region, attended the opening ceremony.
Visitors were treated to a mesmerising combination of sound and laser effects, accompanied by a drone show featuring striking formations, including 4X4 vehicles, a falcon, a helmet, and hot air balloons, followed by a grand fireworks display over the dunes.

Earlier, Al Fursan delivered a special acrobatic performance that wowed the audience.

By evening, hundreds of motorsport enthusiasts lined up in their four-wheelers to take on the towering Tal Moreeb dune, testing their skills in one of the festival’s most thrilling attractions.
Meanwhile, Liwa Village buzzed with activities celebrating Emirati culture, offering family-friendly rides, creative workshops, and live entertainment for all ages.

Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT), Liwa Festival presents a diverse programme combining family fun, cultural experiences, and high-octane motorsports. The festival’s extensive sporting lineup includes speed races, dune driving challenges, freestyle shows, sand racing, drift and burnout competitions, drag races, and UTV circuit challenges. For the first time, the festival is also hosting the Extreme Mud Fest driving challenge.

Other highlights include falconry championships, electronic freestyle competitions, sand wrestling and boxing matches.
Visitors can enjoy hot air balloon rides, drone flights, light shows, and weekend fireworks displays, alongside a vibrant culinary scene featuring both authentic Emirati dishes and international offerings.

Liwa 2026 is the perfect destination to ring in the New Year amid adventure, music, and family fun. A special concert on New Year’s Eve will culminate in a spectacular fireworks show, while the Moreeb Dune Car Championship promises adrenaline-packed thrills as 2025 draws to a close.