The Mansour Festival 2026 in Abu Dhabi

The Mansour Festival returns to Abu Dhabi for its third edition from Thursday 26 to Sunday 29 November 2026, filling Gateway Park North on Yas Island with rides, heritage activities, animals and evening drone shows. Built around the Emirati cartoon hero Mansour and his friends, it is a family festival through and through, with seven themed areas and something happening from late afternoon until well into the night.

If your children already know Mansour and his robot sidekick Nano, expect excitement. If they do not, there is still plenty here to fill an evening.

Who Is Mansour? The Cartoon Behind the Festival

Mansour is one of the best-known homegrown children’s characters in the UAE. The computer-animated series was created by Emirati producer Rashed Al Harmoodi, premiered on Cartoon Network Arabic in 2014 and ran until 2019, with Mubadala as its main funder. The stories follow an Emirati boy, his family and friends, and Nano, the robot Mansour invented, who acts as a walking encyclopaedia.

The franchise has since been rebooted by Bidaya Media as Mansour: Age of AI, with support from Mubadala and the Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority, and it now streams on MBC’s Shahid platform. That AI theme carries straight into the festival, where children can meet a hologram version of their hero.

Mansour Festival Abu Dhabi: How It Has Grown

The festival began as a three-day event at Zayed Sports City, billed as the first-ever live event for the character. It moved to Yas Gateway Park North for its second edition in November 2025, which opened on International Children’s Day with the premiere of the new animated series Mansour and Sara. Over four days, that edition drew around 29,000 visitors, a record for the event, with stage shows, science demonstrations, camel and horse rides, nightly drone shows and an appearance by Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansoori. The 2026 edition keeps the same park and the same four-day, Thursday to Sunday format, so families can choose a school-night visit or save it for the weekend.

Seven Zones to Explore

The site is split into seven areas, each with its own theme, linked by live stage shows, roaming performers, parades and competitions.

Mansour’s House is the place to start for fans, with rooms children will recognise from the show and games built around the character. Nano’s Funfair is the fairground corner, with carnival rides and classic funfair attractions for younger and older children alike.

Dhabia’s Tent holds the heritage side of the festival, with workshops, storytelling and hands-on activities that introduce Emirati customs in a relaxed, playful way. Little Explorer is the creative zone, packed with games and craft workshops; its human claw machine is a favourite, and there are plenty of photo spots.

The Adventure Hub is the tech-minded corner, exploring Mansour’s take on the age of AI. Children can chat with a hologram of Mansour and try a range of digital activities. Animal lovers should head to Dhabia’s Friends for close-up encounters with Dhabia’s animal pals, along with horse and camel rides. When everyone needs a break, Bites and Vibes is the food and entertainment area, with live performances on stage while you eat.

Evenings close with drone displays that bring Mansour’s world into the sky over Yas Island, together with fireworks, so it is worth planning to stay after dark.

Passes and Planning Your Visit

Several ticket types are on offer: single-entry passes, multi-day passes and family passes for groups of four or six, so it pays to compare them before booking, especially if you think the children will want a second evening. With seven zones, it also helps to agree on a few must-sees before you arrive and work your way round from there. If plans change, the ticket page allows tickets to be passed on to someone else.

The mix suits families with children from toddlers to pre-teens, grandparents keen to share Emirati traditions with younger relatives, and visitors who want a cultural evening with plenty of fun built in.

Getting to Gateway Park North on Yas Island

The festival takes over Gateway Park North on Yas Island, just off Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Highway. Drivers should take the E10 (Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Street) northbound, leave at Exit 34B for Yas Island East and join Ad Durar Street; setting the park as your destination makes the final roundabouts easy. Parking is available on site at Yas Gateway Park North, with overflow parking at Yas Gateway Park South and a shuttle running between the two. Taxis and ride-hailing apps are a simple alternative.

For more family days out, see our kids’ events guide, the full list of things to do in Abu Dhabi and our things to do in November page.

Rides, camels, a talking hologram and fireworks in one park on Yas Island: choose your day and book your passes for The Mansour Festival 2026.