The Sheikh Zayed Summer Festival has officially kicked off in Abu Dhabi, providing a fun and engaging blend of learning, technology, sport and entertainment for children and teenagers during the UAE summer school holidays. The inaugural event will take place from July 6 to August 23, 2026, in a fully air-conditioned, secure environment offering students a chance to acquire new skills in a fun environment filled with a variety of family-friendly activities. 

The festival is conducted under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court. It is for learners from the age of 6 to 18, and there is a vision to equip future-ready skills and build the national identity through cultural and heritage experiences. 

There are AI programmes and innovation labs, coding sessions, cybersecurity workshops, sports activities and creative learning spaces for visitors to explore. In addition, the organisers have also signed several partnership agreements with various national institutions such as the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (ACTVET), the UAE Cybersecurity Council, the Abu Dhabi Police, and other educational institutions to provide specialised training during the 7 weeks.

Sheikh Zayed Summer Festival Offers More Than Entertainment

Other activities at the Sheikh Zayed Summer Festival include football, skating, hockey, horse and camel riding, children’s and family health awareness, environmental programmes and heritage workshops. Throughout the summer, more events are added, like the Al Wathba date festival, Productive Families event, etc., for a better experience for the visitors. 

The festival will also serve as a signal to the community to encourage more involvement in the school and a passion for learning, organisers said, adding they hope it will become an annual event that extends the school curriculum beyond the classroom into the home. The education and recreation held in one place symbolises the UAE’s commitment to educating its youth with practical skills while also offering them valuable experiences during the long summer holidays.