Abu Dhabi’s Mother of the Nation Festival Draws Over 145,000 Visitors During 10-Day Event

The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi hosted successful winter event full of fun, art, food, shopping, installations and music led by global artists

The curtain has come down on this year’s Mother of the Nation (MOTN) Festival, organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), with more than 145,000 visitors attending the 10-day feast of food, music, art and retail activations.

Among highlights of the event were sold-out shows by international and regional artists, including Egyptian superstar Sherine, UK singer-songwriter Craig David, Miami Band, Khalid Fouad, Mahmoud Al Turky, and TikTok sensation Issam Alnajjar. The festival on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche also featured an exciting line up of unique activations such as the Dessert Museum, MOTN Funhouse, and Smash Room.

Adding to the array of unforgettable experiences was a larger-than-life Daniel Popper art installation, as well as eye-catching mural art, a beach-shopping experience with various luxurious local and international brands, and food vendors from across the globe, with some making their regional debut. The gastronomical experiences included the world’s first glow-in-the-dark Glow Sushi Bar by Bompas & Parr in collaboration with Akiba Dori, 50 different flavours of ice cream by UK’s Pan-N-Ice, London-based Burger and Beyond, and EL&N London, the most Instagrammable cafe in the world.

MOTN also hosted multiple fun activations for families, including carnival rides, workshops, World of Nickelodeon, a skate park, gaming hub, Rick & Morty Laser Tag, a Horror Escape Room, the Manga-themed Animenia space, and much more.

Fatima Al Baloushi, Acting Director of the Abu Dhabi Events Bureau, said: “The Mother of The Nation Festival was an absolute hit this year, setting a new benchmark for the festival. To attract 145,000 visitors over 10 days is a testament to the hard work put in by all the organisations and partner teams involved. It was great to see friends and families come together and experience all the activations, rides and food outlets we had on offer. This success encourages us further in our planning for next year’s MOTN Festival by looking into new products, new experiences and new entertainment. After the heights reached in 2021, we are really looking forward to the 2022 edition of MOTN, where we aim to bring even more fun and excitement to our visitors.”