The Sheikh Zayed Festival is returning for another four-month run from November 18. Named in honour of <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/heritage/2022/04/20/remembering-sheikh-zayed-how-the-founding-father-introduced-the-uae-to-the-world/" target="_blank">UAE Founding Father</a>, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the event celebrates the country’s history and cultural heritage, showcases the rich diversity of its traditions and educates visitors about the legacy of the nation’s founder and the UAE’s arts, crafts, customs and food. <b>Scroll through the gallery above to see images from last year's Sheikh Zayed Festival</b> The event will be hosted in Al Wathba, a 50-minute drive from Abu Dhabi's Corniche. It will run until March 18, and attracts more than a million visitors every year. The event takes place in a venue that resembles a fort. Past festivals have featured international cultural pavilions, eclectic music performances and amusement park rides. However, details have yet to be revealed for this year’s programme. Last year’s Sheikh Zayed Festival celebrated the Year of the 50th with National Day celebrations as well as a special zone that detailed the country’s journey and achievements over the past 50 years. Highlights included the mission to Mars and the construction of landmarks such as Louvre Abu Dhabi. There were also exhibitions and neighbourhood zones that featured markets selling traditional Emirati handicrafts. Past events have also included a number of competitions for visitors to take part in, including the Sheikh Zayed Dhow Sailing Race, the Zayed Grand Prize camel race and the Sheikh Zayed Falconry competition. An Arabian saluki show also focused on the age-old tradition of keeping and caring for the elegant desert hounds. <i>More information is at </i><a href="https://zayedfestival.ae/en/" target="_blank"><i>zayedfestival.ae</i></a>
