Magic of Winter at Yas Marina and Yas Bay Waterfront

Magic of Winter at Yas Marina and Yas Bay Waterfront is a seasonal festive celebration on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, bringing together winter decorations, family entertainment, festive activities and waterfront experiences.

The latest specifically published Magic of Winter programme ran from 8 to 31 December, transforming Yas Marina and Yas Bay Waterfront into festive destinations during the UAE's winter season. The programme included a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Santa's Grotto, festive photo opportunities, weekend parades, seasonal decorations and a Winter Market.

The celebration takes place across two neighbouring Yas Island destinations, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy festive entertainment while also experiencing the marina, waterfront promenade, restaurants and surrounding attractions.

Event Details

What Is Magic of Winter?

Magic of Winter is a festive seasonal programme held across Yas Marina and Yas Bay Waterfront. It combines waterfront scenery with Christmas and winter-themed decorations, entertainment and family activities.

At Yas Marina, the programme featured a traditional Christmas tree, Santa's Grotto, story time with Santa's elves, a life-size snow globe, festive walkways and toy-themed displays.

Yas Bay Waterfront offered a more contemporary festive setting, with winter-themed decorations, a large decorative gift box, Santa's Post Office and a Winter Market near The Emerging Man.

Magic of Winter Highlights

Visitors to the latest published programme could enjoy several festive experiences.

Christmas Tree Lighting

The celebrations opened with a tree lighting ceremony on 8 December at 8:00 PM across Yas Marina and Yas Bay Waterfront. The lighting marked the beginning of the seasonal programme.

Santa's Grotto

Yas Marina featured Santa's Grotto, where families could meet Santa and enjoy story time with his elves. This was one of the family-focused highlights of the programme.

Festive Photo Spots

Yas Marina was decorated with festive lights, traditional seasonal displays, a life-size snow globe, toy-window displays and decorated walkways, creating several photo opportunities for visitors.

Festive Parades

Weekend entertainment included roaming performers such as stilt walkers, hula hoopers, unicyclists, acrobatic performers and jugglers. The published programme listed these performances from Friday to Sunday, generally during the afternoon and evening.

Winter Market at Yas Bay

At Yas Bay Waterfront, visitors could follow the seasonal Snowflake Lane towards the Winter Market, adding shopping and festive atmosphere to the waterfront experience.

Festive Dining

Yas Bay Waterfront is also home to a selection of restaurants and dining concepts. During the festive season, the waterfront has hosted seasonal dining experiences alongside its winter decorations and entertainment.

Yas Marina & Yas Bay Waterfront

One of the attractions of this celebration is that it combines two distinctive waterfront destinations on Yas Island.

Yas Marina provides views of the marina and a relaxed waterfront environment, while Yas Bay Waterfront offers restaurants, entertainment venues and a promenade overlooking the water.

Visitors can therefore spend an evening walking between festive displays, enjoying seasonal entertainment and dining by the waterfront.

Is Magic of Winter Suitable for Families?

Yes. The programme is particularly suitable for families with children, with family-focused experiences such as Santa's Grotto, story time, festive displays and roaming entertainment.

Couples, friends and international visitors can also enjoy the waterfront atmosphere, seasonal decorations, dining and evening entertainment.

When Is Magic of Winter in Abu Dhabi?

The latest specifically published Magic of Winter programme was scheduled for 8–31 December 2025. The programme began with the tree-lighting ceremony on 8 December and continued through 31 December.

As of 15 October 2026, I could not verify a new official announcement confirming the dates for the 2026–27 Magic of Winter edition.

For this reason, visitors planning for the upcoming festive season should check the official Yas Island/Yas Marina channels for the latest programme before travelling.

Best Time to Visit

For a festive experience, the late afternoon and evening are particularly suitable because visitors can see the seasonal lighting and decorations after sunset while enjoying the waterfront atmosphere.

Families may also prefer arriving earlier if they want to combine several activities and spend more time at Yas Marina and Yas Bay.

Specific performance and activity times can change from one seasonal programme to another, so visitors should confirm the current schedule before visiting.

Things to Do Near Magic of Winter

Yas Island offers much more than its seasonal winter programme. Visitors can combine their festive visit with other attractions and experiences on the island, depending on their itinerary.

Yas Marina and Yas Bay are also close to major Yas Island entertainment destinations, making it possible to plan a full day or evening around the area.

For tourists visiting Abu Dhabi, the event can also be combined with wider UAE sightseeing and tour experiences.

Plan Your Abu Dhabi Visit With Captain Dunes

Travelling to Abu Dhabi during the festive season?

Captain Dunes can help you plan your UAE itinerary around seasonal events such as Magic of Winter, while also arranging suitable Abu Dhabi city tours, sightseeing experiences, desert adventures and other UAE tours.

You can plan your event visit alongside sightseeing so you have time to enjoy Abu Dhabi's attractions and the festive atmosphere of Yas Island.

Share your travel dates and requirements with Captain Dunes to plan your Abu Dhabi experience around the festive season.

2026–27 Event Update

The dates and programme for the 2026–27 Magic of Winter edition should be updated on this page once officially announced.

Until then, the latest specifically verified Magic of Winter programme is 8–31 December 2025. Visitors should not rely on the previous year's activity schedule for a future edition because entertainment, timings, locations and seasonal installations may change.