Mansour Festival returns to Yas Island in 2025 as one of Abu Dhabi’s most ambitious family events, mixing Emirati culture, live entertainment and hands-on learning in a park-sized playground for children and adults alike. Organised by Bidaya, the studio behind the popular Mansour animated series, the festival now moves into its second edition with an expanded programme and higher daily visitor expectations. Running from Thursday 20 November to Sunday 23 November 2025, it fills Yas Gateway Park North each evening with shows, inflatables, workshops and fireworks aimed at families from across the UAE. Gates are scheduled to open daily at 16:00, with programming continuing until 23:00, long enough for families to enjoy rides, food and the nightly drone show. Because it combines culture, play and community in one outdoor setting, Mansour Festival is positioned as a key late-November highlight for Abu Dhabi’s family calendar (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Mansour Festival story and purpose
The festival grew out of the success of the Mansour animated series, which Bidaya created to celebrate Emirati identity, family values and curiosity about science and technology. Organisers describe the event as a four day celebration that turns these themes into physical spaces, with children encouraged to build, experiment and explore rather than passively watch. Media briefings indicate that the inaugural edition drew large family crowds, prompting a scaled-up 2025 programme with more zones and live moments spread across Yas Gateway Park North. Coverage from Abu Dhabi outlets notes that the festival aims to attract around 12,000 visitors per day, which places it among the capital’s busiest dedicated family gatherings. At its core, Mansour Festival functions as a live extension of the cartoon universe, designed so parents and children can share Emirati culture in a playful, contemporary format (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Dates, timings and ticket prices
For 2025, Mansour Festival is scheduled from Thursday 20 November to Sunday 23 November at Yas Gateway Park North on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Official event and tourism listings confirm that the festival opens daily at 16:00 and closes at 23:00, which conveniently covers the post-school and post-work evening window for most families. Current information from ticketing and tourism platforms lists entry prices starting from approximately 55 AED, with different ticket tiers and family categories detailed on the booking pages. People of Determination can enter free of charge when they present a valid POD card, while accompanying companions are required to purchase standard tickets. Allow for possible dynamic pricing and promotions by treating 55 AED as an approximate starting point and checking closer to the date for any changes (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Activities, shows and festival zones
Yas Gateway Park North is set to transform into a map of themed zones that echo the characters and values of the Mansour series, giving families multiple ways to spend an evening. Age of AI Inflatable Park brings a collection of large inflatables themed around science and technology, while Mansour & Sara: World of Discovery focuses on curiosity and problem-solving through interactive installations. Dhabia’s World offers a softer, heritage-driven environment with crafts, storytelling and activities inspired by Emirati culture, and Makers’ Workshops host hands-on sessions where children can tinker, build and experiment. Desert Riders introduces camel and horse riding, and the main stage programme stitches the evening together with live shows, parades and character appearances, leading up to the drone show and fireworks finale over Yas Island. Families who want to see everything should plan for at least three to four hours inside the park, especially if children want repeated turns on inflatables and rides (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Food, comfort and on site facilities
Obaid’s Food Corner expands in 2025 with a larger line-up of themed food trucks, giving visitors a mix of regional favourites and international street food within the festival fence. Food and drink prices at similar Yas Island family events usually fall in the several tens of dirhams per main item, so families can budget for approximately 30 to 70 AED per person for a simple meal and drink, depending on choices. Because the festival runs across dinner hours, many families choose to eat inside rather than leaving the site mid-evening, which keeps queues steady around 19:00 to 21:00. The park layout typically includes shaded seating areas, rest zones and wide paths that can accommodate strollers and wheelchairs, an important detail for younger children and multigenerational groups. Given the long evening hours, comfortable walking shoes, a refillable water bottle and a light extra layer for breezy nights will make the visit smoother (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Planning a visit with children and teens
Because the entire concept revolves around family engagement, most activities cater to primary and early secondary school ages, with older teens still likely to enjoy the inflatables, drone show and fireworks. Parents with younger children can use the 16:00 to 18:00 window for quieter exploration of the zones before the park gets busier after sunset. Organisers expect heavy attendance on Friday 21 November and Saturday 22 November 2025, so families who prefer shorter queues may want to consider Thursday 20 November or Sunday 23 November as alternatives. Noise-sensitive children might appreciate ear defenders during the fireworks and any particularly loud stage moments, especially near the main performance area. Overall, the layout and programming favour families who are happy to move slowly between zones, taking frequent breaks and treating the festival as a relaxed evening walk rather than a checklist of attractions (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Travel from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and other emirates
From central Abu Dhabi, drivers can follow signs to Yas Island via the E10 or E12 highways and then follow local signs to Yas Gateway Park North; the journey typically takes 25 to 35 minutes in normal evening traffic. Several city bus routes serve Yas Island, and a short taxi ride from nearby hubs such as Yas Mall or Yas Marina Circuit usually costs approximately 15 to 30 AED, depending on distance and time of day. Visitors coming from Dubai can travel along E11 towards Abu Dhabi, then follow signs to Yas Island, a journey that often takes between 60 and 90 minutes, so leaving around 14:00 or 14:30 for a same-day trip usually allows for a relaxed arrival before the 16:00 opening. From Sharjah or Ajman, families should plan for at least 90 minutes to two hours of driving, while those coming from Al Ain generally face a two hour drive and may wish to combine the festival with an overnight stay or additional Yas Island attractions. Whichever emirate you start from, building in an extra 30 minutes for possible delays on weekend evenings can prevent rushing and help you start the festival in a calmer frame of mind (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Weather, traffic and Yas Island planning tips
Forecasts for Abu Dhabi across the key weekend days of Friday 21 November, Saturday 22 November and Sunday 23 November 2025 indicate hazy sunshine with daytime highs close to 31°C and evening lows between about 20°C and 23°C, with no significant rain expected at the time of writing; Thursday 20 November is likely to follow a similar pattern. Light, breathable clothing works well for the late afternoon heat, while a thin extra layer can be useful after 21:00 when the breeze over Yas Island picks up near the water. Comfortable trainers or closed shoes are more practical than sandals for moving between inflatables, workshops and grassy or paved areas, especially after dark. Drivers should expect heavier traffic around Yas Island from about 17:30 to 19:30 on Friday and Saturday, both on the main approach roads and at the entrances to Yas Gateway Park North, with parking areas busier closer to the nightly drone show and fireworks; taxis and ride-hailing are good options if you want to avoid parking altogether, though fares from central Abu Dhabi to Yas Island often sit around 35 to 60 AED approximately, and from central Dubai you should budget roughly 220 to 300 AED each way. Make your booking and transport plan a few days early, because experience shared with the editors at www.few.ae shows that Mansour Festival evenings feel far more enjoyable when tickets, timings, clothing and traffic choices are decided before the family steps into the car (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo, and ticket prices and on-site costs remain approximately and may change closer to the event).
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