The Discover Abu Dhabi Festival opened today at Manezhnaya Square in Moscow, running through 23rd August to showcase the culture, heritage, and hospitality of the UAE capital.

Organised by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi and the UAE Embassy in the Russian Federation, the five-day event is held as part of the Moscow Mayor’s "Summer in Moscow" programme, with support from the Government of Moscow.

The free public festival offers live performances, traditional craft demonstrations, authentic Emirati cuisine, and interactive workshops.

Visitors can experience traditional music ensembles alongside performances of Al-Ayyala and Al Harbiya, with Al-Ayyala being inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The event features several dedicated pavilions highlighting the UAE’s traditions. The House of Artisans showcases traditional crafts including Talli embroidery, Khos palm-leaf weaving, Sadu weaving, and pottery, featuring live workshops led by skilled artisans. Bait Al Gahwa demonstrates the traditional preparation and serving of Arabic coffee as practiced in the Emirati majlis, while the Maritime Pavilion exhibits Abu Dhabi’s seafaring history through live demonstrations of rope-making, pearl-diving equipment, fishing net crafting, and Gargoor fish-trap making. An interactive dome features 360-degree visual projections of Abu Dhabi’s landmarks, cultural sites, and natural landscapes.

The festival also features dedicated retail spaces offering traditional Emirati souvenirs, handcrafted goods, and perfumes, alongside stalls serving regional dishes. It runs daily from 10:00 to 21:00 at Manezhnaya Square.