Yasalam 2016 Kicks off With Colorful Carnival-Style Opening Paradet

Yestrday Yasalam 2016, the largest entertainment festival hosted by any race host city, paved the way to an exciting start as the Opening Parade kicked off 11 fast-fuelled days. The Abu Dhabi community joined in the festivities at the Corniche and witnessed a spectacular opening celebration.

The community-led parade, which featured local schoolchildren, made its way from Gate 6 to West Plaza, along the boardwalk at Abu Dhabi Corniche with the crowds awestruck by the colorful array of acts and performers. A highlight of the show included the uniquely creative over-sized puppets– each designed to represent an international race host country. The flamboyant carnival-style parade was a fitting start to the ever-popular festival and served to ratchet up the already high-peaked excitement for the days ahead.

This year the community is being brought together through a variety of eclectic city-wide activities. There is something for everyone to do as Yasalam 2016 brings entertainment to the Abu Dhabi community at race-car speeds for the eighth year.

The festival opening sees the 7-week Get Driver Fit programme brought to you by Daman’s Activelife culminate at the Corniche. Now in its successful fourth year, the initiative has witnessed more than 2,000 participants this year a total of 10,000 participants since its inception.  With a triathlon style Obstacle Course designed to get the community moving in ways they never thought they could – the finale to Get Driver Fit is attracting sports enthusiasts from across the city.  The show doesn’t stop there as popular favourites Muscle Beach and the 

Beach Fitness Classes in the GDF Fitness Zone continue to offer residents the great opportunity to get beach-fit in the great outdoors.

The opening also witnesses the start of other community festival events as the crowd pleasing F1 Fanzone™ returns to bring the rush of the ultimate F1® fan experience to residents and visitors. Motorsports enthusiasts and friends looking to step up a gear can race each other in simulations and experience virtual reality racing designed to make pulses rev like crazy.

The Urban Art Zone brought to you by Yas Mall has also begun in full swing and runs until 27 November. Bringing families together for artsy fun, this year showcases the UAE community’s artistic talent through displays, art creations and workshops in a wonderful celebration of creativity and art. There are also interactive drop-in workshops for everyone to experiment with different funky forms of urban art.

At Yas Island, Heritage Plaza will be a hub of Emirati cultural activities located in the Yas Hotel Plaza. Visitors can experience the rich Emirati culture with henna painting, an Emirati gallery showcase as well as several children’s activities. 

Following on last year’s incredible success, the Emerging Talent Competition is already well underway with the three talented finalists – Jamil Jabbour, Rashed Al Nuaimi, Hasan Malik - shortlisted. They will compete against each other on 24 November for the chance to shine as the victorious winner at the Beats on the Beach stage. The largest free music festival in the region is stepping things up for Yasalam 2016 and will be bringing the Abu Dhabi community together to bask on the beach and groove to the sensational sounds of top local, regional and international artists including Nancy Ajram, Sean Paul, Travis Scott and Shamma Hamdan and many others. From Thursday, 24 to Saturday, 26 November – you don’t want to miss them and stay tuned for a further artist to be announced next week! 

Plus, for something different trampoline acrobatics are set to match the music! Check out the Bounce experience that will be running throughout Beats on The Beach. Those wanting to chill and revive hit the Yasalam Hangout to tuck into tasty food treats from the myriad of outlets and enjoy Cinema by the Sea brought to you by Vox Cinemas from Sunday, 20 – Wednesday, 23 November with daily movie screenings at 8pm.

If that wasn’t enough, the spectacular line-up for the After-Race Concerts brought to you by du Live! will be performing at the du Arena from Thursday, 24 November to Sunday, 27 November. Award winning music legends – Pitbull, The Chemical Brothers, Lionel Richie and Rihanna, are all set to give the Abu Dhabi community memories of a lifetime!

The Pitbull After-Race Concert will be open for any race weekend ticket holder - Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sundaypasses on presentation of their Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday ticket at Entrance 2, General Admission of the du Arena. It makes Thursday one of the most action-packed days of race weekend.