A celebration of interaction, play, music, film, fun and games, The District is the coolest hangout in Abu Dhabi this summer!

The District, a flagship event in this year’s Abu Dhabi Summer Season by Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority, runs from August 18 to September 17 at the du Forum, Yas Island with an exciting line-up for youth aged 14 to 22 years old.

The District is a one-of-a-kind space where young people can socialize, play, create, explore, find inspiration, make connections or even disconnect if that’s what they’re in the mood for. Designed as a micro-city, the venue is comprised of five distinct zones called The Street, The Block, The Alley, The Park and The Yard, each with its own range of activations, programming and special guest appearances.

The Alley

The Alley is dedicated to all things tech where The District citizens can unleash their inner geeks. Other topics and activities that will be on offer include robotics, video games, innovation, science, skype-cons, murals, hardware labs, demo sessions and model kits.

The Street

With a multi-purpose theatre, this is where The District community comes together for offerings such as Prof X talks, life-hacking, improv and comedy, screenings, cross-fit live, drum circles, jam sessions and showcasing of local talents including bands, DJs and voice talents.

The Block

This is the hub of creativity where guests can expect apparel and photography workshops, tech sessions, art colony, master classes, video and film making, industrial design, graphic and 3D designs and instrument intros.

The Yard

The Yard is where sustenance meets sustainability. After a few hours of discovering The District, the Yard provides a venue to refuel with a variety of food on offer from the UAE’s finest of local entrepreneurs who keep an eye on sustainable practices.

The Park

Down at The Park, things slow down just that little bit, but there is still plenty to do. Expect this area to be filled with books and magazines, table top gaming, music on demand, lounges, beanbags and of course, charging stations.

In addition to the daily excitement and entertainment, special guests and celebrities will also be dropping by The District along with a weekly live performance act.

Tickets are now on sale via www.thedistrict.me/tickets/, Virgin Megastore and Ticketmaster.

Regular tickets are:

Weekday Pass: 100 AED

Weekend Pass: 175 AED

Season Pass: 1000 AED

The District will be open seven days a week from 12:00pm to 10:00pm. For more information, visit www.thedistrict.me or follow The District on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, #IAmTheDistrict, #ADSummer, #InAbuDhabi.

the district: cool things to do this summer!

Big Robot Project (with Tomislav Zidar)

Also known as Djuvedj Djuvedjevich, Tomislav Zidar is out to build a Big Robot (a few of them actually); a true labour of love that requires lots of dedication and countless man-hours of work. From concept design to dismantling one’s used-to-be-favourite tech devices, The District citizens will see it live and maybe even build their own.

Painting New Styles (with Sajaya Young Ladies)

The New Styles of Painting workshop will introduce the citizens of The District to different art formats through which they can unleash their creativity including drawing on light bulbs, doodling on wooden boxes, applying famous artwork through recycling and combining new styles of painting with stencil printing.

Drum Circles (with Dubai Drums)

Around since the dawn of time, drumming is the oldest form of teambuilding. And there’s nothing like a dynamic, powerful and unique drumming experience to unify teams, energize groups and bring The District citizens together.

(dis)connected for 48 hours (with Thorsten S. Wiedemann)

Founder and artistic director, Thorsten produces and curates festivals, exhibitions, conferences and workshops on the intersection of independent games, playful media, digital art and games culture under the international label A MAZE. He’s the first man to spend 48 hours in the VR world and he’s coming to The District to share the experience.

Cinema in The Sky (presented by Cinema Akil)

Cinema Akil, an independent cinema platform, has curated a special program for The District citizens. Showcasing directors and filmmakers across decades, geographies and genres, Cinema Akil is on a mission to raise awareness and interest in films.

Street Art (by Secret Walls)

A fixture in the global art community for over ten years, Secret Walls is the World’s premier live art event. They have conquered 50 cities around the world, and now it’s all happening at The District. It’s an experience that will connect The District citizens to the artists as they watch them freestyle on a large piece before their eyes, showing the process of the work that they are so used to seeing as finished pieces in galleries.

Home Recording (with Loopstache)

Loopstache is a project that Carl Ferneiné and Salim Naffah started for fun. It consists of producing music, going crazy, and shooting cool videos. The music they produce is a mix of the Electronic and Indie genres. The duo brings their music to The District citizens in an attempt to inspire and empower young minds to create and record their own music.

Photography (with GPP+)

Part-theory, part-practice and all fun, this hands-on experience by Gulf Photo Plus is designed to benefit newbies and seasoned photographers alike. Topics of the day include everything from snapshots to gear shots, the art of mobile as well as light room basics.

3D Printing (with Makers Builders)

As the popularity of 3D Printing rises, this class aims at igniting the ‘maker’ spirit in youth through hands-on learning of 3D design and printing starting with an understanding of the technologies, processes and materials that make 3D printing possible. The District citizens will also put what they’ve learned into practice through an introductory interaction with 3D design software.

The Sounds of Brazil (with Rubra Rosa)

Rubra Rosa in an all-female percussion band, established in 2015 in Lebanon. Headed by Capoeira and dance instructor, Roberta Meireles, the band plays beats from her hometown of Salvador de Bahia, Brazil. The girls play a repertoire of Afro-Brazilian rhythms including groovy Samba-Reggae, spiritual Afoxé and festive carnival Samba famous in Rio de Janeiro. The District citizens will be able to learn percussions with them and enjoy the Latin rhythms.

Fashion Served (with Creative Space Beirut)

The good people of CSB, a free school in fashion design providing education to talented individuals who lack resources, believe in exchange, collaboration and creativity. This is an opportunity for like-minded people to get together and share their experiences, perspectives and unique visions, by supporting one another, investing in local talents and promoting each other’s work.

Urban Plants (by The Grey Gardens)

The Gray Gardens plant studio was created to celebrate all things plants. With an affection towards the bold, they are on a mission to offer a unique solution for introducing greenery to a space. They aim to educate The District citizens and bring some greenery into their lives.

DIY Robots (with Junkbot)

Using items like plastic bottles, old CDs, wooden spoons or cardboard, The District citizens will create unique, imaginative robots that can be programmed for a variety of functions and at different levels of skill.

Creating Genesis (with Chronis Spanos)

Over the last couple of years, Chronis developed a special interest in reshaping the Real, through the use of photography and visual arts, to something new and abstract with a strong will to experiment and search new techniques and new ways of self-expression. He brings his camera, experience and lots of energy to help the citizens of The District create new worlds through a camera lens.

Acoustic Sessions (with Charlie Rayne)

Charlie Rayne grew up in Lebanon and just recently started to roam the planet and play his wonderful music in other countries. Heavily influenced by the music of Bob Dylan and other American songwriters, he uses his strong voice and melodic strumming rhythms to tell stories about love and loss. At The District, he will share his love for the guitar and his knowledge of the instrument.

Game Design (with Digital Mania)

In the beginning of 2009, an ESPRIT student, had a dream. That dream was to create the first video game company in Tunisia. Their padawan, Walid Sultan Midani, had five years of experience in the organization of video games tournaments. Motivated and hopeful, he surrounded himself with a team of dreamers and began their journey. At The District, Digital Mania helps the young guns create their own games and enjoy the journey of creation.

A Talk with India, A Shift in Perspective

Five Young Award-Winning Leaders in the fields of Technology/Digital Media, Film, Music, Dance, Creativity share their achievements and the key to successfully connecting with the Indian Creative Economy.

Cultural management – how to create a hip hop event? (by DEBO)

This workshop introduces The District citizens to a presentation of hip hop cultural management.

The Curious World of Design (with Mirko Ilic)

A co-author of several books about graphic design including Genius Moves: 100 Icons of Graphic Design, Handwritten – expressive lettering in digital age, and Anatomy of design (all of them co-authored with Steven Heller), and Design of Dissent (with Milton Glaser), an award-winning true icon of illustration and graphic design, a living legend and an inspirational character, Mirko Ilic, will join The District and empower its citizens’ minds.