12th Traditional Handicrafts Festival runs until 11 November 2026 in Al Ain

Under the patronage of Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region, the 12thTraditional Handicrafts Festival is taking place until 11 November 2026 at Souq Al Qattara in Al Ain Region. Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), this year’s expanded edition offers an even richer journey into the heart of Emirati heritage. The festival brings together more than 900 artisans, designers and heritage practitioners in a space for learning, interaction and exchange of expertise to celebrate, sustain and pass on living traditions across generations while reinforcing the values of generosity, cooperation, belonging and pride in Emirati identity.

Dedicated to empowering local artisans and productive families, the annual celebration provides a platform that strengthens cultural exchange, knowledge transfer and creative innovation. Through active community participation and hands-on engagement, the festival creates an immersive environment where visitors of all ages can connect with master craftspeople and discover the stories that shape the UAE’s rich cultural identity.

His Excellency Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of DCT Abu Dhabi, said: “Our traditional crafts carry generations of knowledge, skill, and creativity, offering a direct connection to the heritage that continues to shape our identity. The Traditional Handicrafts Festival celebrates the artisans who safeguard these living traditions, while creating opportunities for younger generations to learn from their experience and take pride in their cultural inheritance. By supporting our craftspeople and passing these skills on from one generation to the next, we help ensure that Emirati heritage remains a vibrant part of our society, valued today and carried forward into the future.”

Central to the 2026 edition are three interactive pavilions celebrating traditional crafts and knowledge. The Bait Al Gahwa Pavilion presents the stages of Emirati gahwa preparation, from roasting and grinding to boiling and serving, alongside Emirati hospitality etiquette, live demonstrations and interactive workshops for kids. The Traditional Fashion Pavilion highlights tailoring and sewing skills, talli crafts, shaila embroidery, burqa-making and gold jewellery-making, alongside experiences and workshops that introduce visitors to the details of Emirati attire and adornment. The Traditional Music Pavilion brings together instrument-making and playing techniques through exhibitions, live performances and workshops, helping to pass this knowledge and these skills on to younger generations.

This year’s edition also features a range of experiences that highlight different aspects of Emirati life. The Craft of the Week introduces visitors to four traditional crafts, including Al Roowag, Al Haseer, the making of Al Kheida from palm fronds and the making of wooden doors under Biban Mal Awal. The Designers’ Space allows talented Emirati designers to showcase creations that bring heritage patterns and motifs into contemporary designs.

To celebrate Emirati cuisine, the Bakhar Al Bait programme offers interactive cooking workshops where visitors can discover and prepare recipes from Emirati heritage, including loomi (dried lime) achar, Emirati bezaar spice blend and date molasses. Meanwhile, the traditional pottery experience invites visitors to explore the stages of shaping clay and decorating pieces with traditional engravings, and to take part in hands-on workshops that reveal the details and inherited techniques of the craft.

The Al Maqith Trail takes visitors on a journey through the movement of Hadhar caravans from coastal areas to the oases during the Qaiz (peak summer) season, and the knowledge and stories passed down with this tradition. The Falconry Zone offers experiences that introduce falcons, falconry equipment and how to care for them, alongside tool-making workshops and live demonstrations. The Abu Dhabi Culture Pavilion showcases a selection of the emirate’s cultural sites and the history and heritage they hold, through informative materials and visual presentations that allow visitors to discover their stories.

Family experiences include Emirati Traditional Games, which bring generations together through fun and friendly competition across a range of traditional games, alongside games adapted for People of Determination. The Heritage Carnival Games complement the experience with interactive challenges inspired by Emirati heritage, combining precision, speed, focus and a competitive spirit. The programme also includes the Library, which combines reading, discovery and creative activities inspired by heritage, as well as participation by students of the Mawhibaty Programme, who showcase their artistic talents and express their vision of heritage and the surrounding environment.

Traditional performing arts take centre stage through live showcases that celebrate the diversity of Emirati heritage, including Al Taghrooda, Al Ayyala Barri, Al Razfa, Al Wannah and Al Rababa. The Sounds of the UAE programme presents Jalasat sessions and weekend musical performances by Emirati singers, celebrating Emirati song and its melodies, and strengthening the presence of musical heritage in the visitor experience.

Al Qattara Arts Centre hosts the Hail programme, which celebrates recipes from Emirati cuisine, alongside Ghafat Suhail puppet theatre performances that reinforce values of belonging, cooperation, and the preservation of Emirati heritage and our natural surroundings.

Visitors can meet artisans and local entrepreneurs and discover a diverse range of Emirati products through 55 productive family businesses and 25 youth projects, alongside 26 restaurants that offer both traditional recipes and contemporary local flavours.

The experience is completed by the historic Souq Al Qattara, one of Al Ain Region’s oldest traditional markets. Once a hub for trade and traditional crafts and a meeting place for merchants, storytellers and poets, it retains its architectural heritage character to this day.

The Traditional Handicrafts Festival is open to visitors daily from 4pm to 11pm, and until midnight on weekends. Entry is free of charge.