There's plenty to look forward to in the Capital
The Capital is hosting a diverse range of events over the weekend. You can catch the adventures of heroic pups at Paw Patrol show, enjoy Slovak musical and dance performance, watch Manchester City’s Champions League final or grab a seat for the Korean Film Festival. Here’s a list of 10 exciting things to look forward to this weekend.
Ryder and the heroic pups are in Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena with a mission to save Mayor Goodway. ‘Paw Patrol Live! Race to The Rescue,’ the family entertainer, is an interactive live stage show filled with action, music, dance, with the characters and becoming part of the exciting adventure. The arena will be configured to provide a theatre-like experience for performances till Sunday. Ticket prices start from Dh105 and are sold exclusively through etihadarena.ae and platinumlist.net. A VIP ticket offers a photo opportunity after each show with Ryder, Marshall, Chase, Skye, Rubble, Rocky, Zuma and Everest.
The Astronomer (1668) by Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer, which travelled from Musee du Louvre to Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2021, will return to Paris this summer. On display till Sunday, the artwork depicts a picture of a seated man handling a celestial globe carefully placed on a table, the intricate detail reveals Vermeer’s mastery. The Astronomer is on view in the Cosmography Room in Wing 3 at Louvre Abu Dhabi, alongside other navigation instruments including a celestial globe and a terrestrial globe by Jodocus Hondius, on loan from Bibliotheque nationale de France.
Cultural Foundation, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, kicks off its summer programme with ‘Gypsies Go to Heaven’ on Saturday (8 pm). The performance is director and choreographer Jan Durovcik’s new musical and dance extravaganza that is a unique amalgamation of two world-renowned ensembles — the Slovak Dance Theatre and the Gypsy Devils orchestra. Packed with breath-taking dances and full of virtuoso cembalo solo highlights by Ernest Sarkozi, this mesmerising performance showcases the spontaneous culture of the wandering gypsies. The performance is presented in partnership with the Embassy of the Slovak Republic. To book tickets, visit: https://culturalfoundation.ae/en/event/GypsiesGoToHeaven.
A day-long education fair will be held by the Abu Dhabi chapter of Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) on Sunday. ET Mohammed Basheer, a visiting Member of Indian Parliament, will inaugurate the ‘Edu Festive’ fair at International Indian School, Bani Yas (10am to 5pm). Career experts and academicians from the UN programme, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Abu Dhabi University will be present. Shukoorali Kallungal, president, KMCC, Abu Dhabi, noted that students and parents will get to meet representatives from different educational institutions and learn about scholarships and higher education opportunities, new horizons in education. Also, there will be panel discussion. Toppers from CBSE Grade 12 and SSLC exams will be felicitated.
The inaugural Night Ride comes as part of the ‘Beyond the Sunset’ series of signature sports events to be held at Hudayriyat Island on Saturday (5:30-10pm). Cycling enthusiasts will be able to enjoy the first-ever reverse ride on the closed Hudayriyat cycling track. The community event will feature three races based on gender and age: men’s, women’s and junior. All participants will receive discount vouchers from Modon’s destinations, while the winners will bag gift vouchers and medals. For registrations, visit https://my.raceresult.com/246361/registration or https://www.gulfmultisport.com/en/event/hudayriyat-night-ride/. Participants can either bring their own bike or can rent from Wolfis store.
A highly anticipated event catering specifically to the vibrant Filipino community is making a return on Saturday (6pm to 11pm). Kabayan Night provides a lively atmosphere and authentic experiences. There will be a lineup of attractions and celebrations, including live Filipino bands, culinary delights, artwork, a dedicated Karaoke stage inviting Kabayans to showcase their vocal talents and belt out their favourite tunes among others at Yas Waterworld, which will transform into a mesmerising spectacle with luminous theming and lighting adorning the park and rides under the starry skies. Tickets cost Dh75, and can be booked at http://www.yaswaterworld.com.
The 2023 Korean Film Festival is underway at Yas Mall with a fine selection of movies across different genres. On Saturday, Vox Cinemas will screen animated adventure ‘Pororo and Friends: Virus Busters’ (3pm), the compelling drama ‘Confession’ (5pm) and the action-packed comedy ‘Confidential Assignment 2: International’ (7pm). On Sunday, you can watch the touching documentary ‘Fanatic’ (5pm), and the thrilling science fiction action film ‘Alienoid Part 1’ (7pm). The festival has been held by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korean Cultural Centre, UAE. Tickets can be booked at Vox Cinemas or by visiting https://koreanfilmfestival2023.splashthat.com/.
Manchester City will host a screening of the Uefa Champions League Final in Abu Dhabi’s Yas Mall on Saturday as Pep Guardiola’s boys take on Italian powerhouse Inter Milan. The screening will be on a large screen at the mall’s Town Square. While the game kicks off at 11pm, there is lots of pre-match entertainment including official City mascots Moonchester and Moonbeam, face painters, freestylers and other activities. It’s a free to attend event but pre-registration gives a chance to win seats on the VIP sofa. Also, there are signed shirts and City giveaways too. To register, visit: https://www.mancity.com/news/club/champions-league-final-screening-abu-dhabi-63821655.
In line with Ferrari’s much-awaited comeback to the 91st edition of the 24-hour Le Mans race in France, Ferrari World Abu Dhabi on Yas Island will host a sold out ‘Formula Run’ on Sunday. The race in 2.5km, 5km and 10km categories, will take participants on a journey through the theme park, venturing out into Yas Mall and returning to the finish line via the enchanting Italian Village. Additionally, children under the age of eight can take part in the Ferrari 499-m invitational dash. While check-in will be at 6:15 am and the races will commence from 7am onwards.
Community members can discover the timeless allure of Korean art as Nation Towers Mall unveils a photography exhibition titled ‘Arirang Narsha’ in collaboration with the Korean Cultural Centre, UAE. Created and presented by Korean artist and photographer Yang Jae-moon, each exhibit captures the fluid movement of traditional Korean dances through long exposure, giving every image its hazy, dreamlike quality. It showcases Jae-moon’s remarkable ability to accentuate the allure of traditional Korean dance through his lens. His photographs capture the long trails of the dancers' movements, emphasising the elegance and mystique of this art form. The exhibition runs till June 16.
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Ashwani Kumar is a versatile journalist who explores every beat in Abu Dhabi with an insatiable curiosity. He loves uncovering stories that are informative and help readers form their own opinions.