Tanweer Festival

The second edition of the Tanweer Festival, again located in the Mleiha Desert near the archaeological centre, is themed ‘What you Seek Is Seeking You’ and promises “an immersive journey of culture and heritage, with music, art, and nature woven into every experience”. Over the three days (21-23 November) you can expect a much-expanded line-up of artists and facilitators with starlit concerts, inspirational workshops, interactive art installations, and “a wide variety of activities that celebrate folk heritage and authentic traditions which embody the spirit of cultural exchange, sustainability, and collective transformation”.

There are three performance spaces (headliners on the main stage include Anoushka Shankar, Sohrab Pournazeri and Sahar Boroujerdi, Nass El Ghiwane, and Emel Mathlouthi) plus the Marketplace for local artisans and the Nourish F&B area (“cuisines from diverse cultures to suit all tastes”).

The festival will also feature nine bookable off-site nature activities, including guided tours of the nearby Faya Paleolandscape site.

Prices start at AED 400 for a Main Stage pass (access to the Festival site from 7.30pm to see the headliner acts). There’s a one-day general admission pass at AED 700, three days for AED 1,650. There’s also glamping, tent rental and pitches for your tent.