Abu Dhabi's cooler months are here, and the city's events calendar is making the most of it. Between November 9 and 12 there's a decent spread of comedy, live music, new openings and freebies across the capital — here's what's worth knowing about.
Comedy fans can catch the Zero Apologies Show at Mad Cat Comedy Club on Tuesday, November 10 at 8pm. Founder Miqdaad Dohadwala headlines at Easy Tiger Bar on the Corniche with a crowd-work-heavy standup set — expect audience interaction, roasts and callbacks. Tickets are Dhs99 and include two drinks.
Over at Al Qana, The Butterfly Gardens has added Abu Dhabi's first live glass beehive. You can watch the colony at work behind glass, and a connecting tube lets the bees fly out to collect pollen and return. It's open daily from 10am to 8pm, with entry from Dhs55.
If food and drink are more your thing, two stops on Al Maryah Island stand out. L'ETO at The Galleria runs a Siesta Hour Monday to Saturday, 3.30pm to 7.30pm, with Balearic-inspired cocktails like the Talamanca Fizz (hibiscus limoncello, bergamot, prosecco) from Dhs40. Meanwhile, La Petite Maison is marking its third Tomatini Week through November 15, with guest bartenders and its signature tomato-and-vodka cocktail finished with a crack of black pepper — culminating in World Tomatini Day on Thursday, November 12.
Yas Marina has a new arrival too: Café du Port, from the team behind Bar du Port, serves a French-Mediterranean menu of viennoiseries, pastries and savoury dishes daily from 7.30am to 8pm. Until November 18, every order comes with a complimentary coffee, hot or iced.
There's live music on Thursday night at JazzBar in the Radisson Blu on the Corniche, where singer-guitarist Chady Nashef performs after an opening band, with an open cocktail bar through the evening.
If you'd rather participate than watch, Reem Mall's Reem Superstars talent competition is holding free auditions Monday to Thursday, 6pm to 9.30pm, across three age brackets (9-13, 14-17, 18+), with Dhs100,000 worth of mall gift cards up for grabs. And for something calmer, InnerG Studios at Space 42 Arena in Al Raha offers yoga, Pilates, martial arts and dance classes daily from 7am to 10pm — a Dhs160 first class currently comes with a second one free within two weeks.
For travellers already in the UAE or passing through, this is a good snapshot of how Abu Dhabi does the winter season: mostly outdoor and waterfront venues, wallet-friendly entry prices, and plenty of one-off openings and offers. Everything listed sits within easy reach of the Corniche, Al Maryah Island, Al Qana or Yas Island, so it's realistic to fit two or three into a short stay.
