Heart-stopping motor stunts mark the opening of Extreme Weekends in Abu Dhabi

The weekly show is part of the ongoing Sheikh Zayed Festival at Al Wathba

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Extreme sports enthusiasts were treated to gravity-defying performances by professional motorcyclists and car drifters at the opening of Extreme Weekends on Thursday night in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

The show, part of the annual Sheikh Zayed Festival, will be performed four days a week, from Wednesday to Saturday.

Held at a customised area within the festival grounds, Extreme Weekends will feature prominent international stars and performers who will treat audiences to some impressive stunts and routines for an entire month.

Extreme Weekends shows will be performed from 7.30pm to 8.30pm until February 25.

What is the Sheikh Zayed Festival?

Launched in November, the festival, which will be open for more than four months, is an annual event like no other in the UAE.

Named in honour of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the festival 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.

Al Wathba, where the festival is being held, is a 50-minute drive from the Corniche in Abu Dhabi. It has been transformed into a celebratory ground where the UAE's achievements and its diverse community are highlighted.

The festival features numerous family-friendly events, as well as various cultural and entertainment activities. Organisers said this year's event ― held under the theme Hayakum, which means welcome ― is bigger than anything staged here before, with new and different features for visitors to enjoy.

Spread over 130,000 square metres, this year's event includes a haunted mansion, a flower glow garden with more than 400,000 flowers imported from Holland, a selfie street that hopes to break the Guinness World record for the number of pictures taken, a dessert museum, a childrens' amusement section with a 50-metre high Ferris wheel, go-karting, a crazy car district and a heritage village.

There are more than 25 country pavilions, among them Iran, India, Turkey, Uzbekistan and Oman, as well as some African nations.

There are also weekly fireworks displays every Saturday at 10pm.

Sheikh Zayed Festival runs every day from 4pm until 12am, including weekends. Entry tickets are Dh5 and available at zayedfestival.ae

Updated: January 28, 2023, 7:30 AM