18 19 - Abu Dhabi Tourism

Cover Feature
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Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
As Yas Marina Circuit prepares to
host Abu Dhabi’s third Formula One
event, a host of after-race concerts
and sideline entertainment schedules
have been revealed that will ensure
motor-sport mania takes over the
emirate in November. Running under
the mantle of ‘Yasalam’, the threepillared
entertainment activation is
driven by live music on the Corniche
and on Yas Island.
Top of the Pops: A world-class line-up will perform
during Abu Dhabi’s third Grand Prix weekend.
Over the forthcoming season, a string of major events – from sporting spectacles and concert
headline-grabbers to industry-specific conferences – will roll out across Abu Dhabi emirate.
Without any doubt, two of the biggest draws will be the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi
Grand Prix (November 11 - 13) and the historic hosting of the Volvo Ocean Race fleet on New
Year’s Eve, which will kick-off a fortnight of sailing-related extravaganza all over the UAE capital.
Seyaha finds out what to expect...
Beats on the Beach
The music festival is not limited to Yas Island, and
there is an extended schedule of international artists
performing on a specially-constructed stage on the
Corniche – right in the heart of the capital. All events in
the Yasalam area of the Corniche are free-to-the-public,
with entry based on a first-come, first-served system.
Running October 14 –
November 13, the cosmopolitan
Beats on the Beach line-up
includes: British DJ Fatboy Slim,
American superstar Wyclef
Jean, R’n’B sensation Jay Sean,
Lebanese icon Najwa Karam
and Tunisian singer Saber
Robai, amongst others.
ROLL UP, ROLL UP!
After-Race Concerts
Taking place in the purpose-built venue in between
Yas Marina Circuit and Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the
following acts are free-to-enter with a regular Abu
Dhabi Grand Prix weekend pass.
11.11.11 – Pop princess Britney Spears will make her
first Abu Dhabi performance after pre-race practise.
12.11.11 – Post-qualifying on Yas Marina Circuit
track, British hard rock act, The Cult, will open for
Incubus, the American rock giants.
13.11.11 – Rock royalty, Sir Paul McCartney, will
close out Grand Prix weekend with his first-ever UAE
performance. This one will be huge!
For more information about
Yasalam and all its subsidiary
events, visit: yasalam.ae
To book tickets for the Abu
Dhabi Grand Prix, visit:
yasmarinacircuit.com
Seyaha’s Top Yasalam Picks
The show-stopping after-race concerts and Beats
on the Beach line-up aside, here are our top three
Yasalam activities.
1 - Cinema by the Sea: From October 31 to
November 3, Al Sahil Beach on Abu Dhabi Corniche
will be transformed into a huge, open-air movie
venue. The remarkable documentary ‘Senna’ – which
chronicles the life and death of arguably the mostrevered
driver in F1 history – will be screened publicly
for the first time.
2 - TROPFEST Arabia: The world’s biggest short film
festival is coming to the Middle East for the first time!
A celebrity film panel will judge the best entries from
scores of regional contributors.
3 - Cut&Paste Abu Dhabi: On November 7, the
world’s most creative artists will face-off in a unique
‘live design battle’. Quite simply, Abu Dhabi has never
seen anything like this...
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