Held from December 12, 2025 to January 3, 2026, the festival attracted families, motorsports enthusiasts and culture lovers from across the UAE and abroad, reinforcing Liwa’s position as a major seasonal draw despite its remote desert setting.

A key attraction this year was Liwa Village, which recorded 274,440 visitors. Expanded for 2026, the village featured five themed zones offering cultural activities, live entertainment, dining, retail and family-friendly attractions. Organisers also increased seating capacity and introduced new experiences for both adults and children, while solar power supplied a significant portion of the site’s daily energy needs.

Motorsports remained a defining element of the festival, with participation rising 47 per cent year-on-year. The programme included the Tal Moreeb Car Championship, freestyle and drift competitions, drag racing, off-road challenges and UTV races, alongside large-scale crowd-pullers such as Monster Jam and Extreme MudFest.

Heritage activities also formed a central part of the festival, with traditional competitions and cultural showcases held around Tal Moreeb and nearby historic sites, highlighting Al Dhafra’s desert traditions and living heritage.

The festival was organised by Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi in collaboration with Liwa Sports Club and several Abu Dhabi government and media entities.

Organisers confirmed that the next edition of Liwa International Festival will take place from December 11, 2026 to January 2, 2027, as Abu Dhabi continues to expand its winter events calendar beyond the capital’s urban centres.