THE IDEA
The Al Hosn Festival is Abu Dhabi’s flagship celebration of Emirati heritage, culture and creativity, held within the historic grounds of Qasr Al Hosn, in the heart of the city. As a cornerstone of Abu Dhabi’s cultural calendar, the festival offers immersive experiences, performances and exhibitions that bring Emirati traditions to life.
Having supported this evolving event for over a decade, People partnered once again with Encore to deliver the large-scale technical infrastructure required for this iconic event. Our longstanding relationship with the festival has enabled us to grow alongside it, continuously evolving our solutions to enhance each edition.
The creative and operational brief called for comprehensive technical delivery across an expansive 130,000 sqm site, including installing practical and theatrical lighting across the site, rigging, video projection, multi-zone audio, full site-wide power distribution and an integrated technical control system. We aimed to elevate both the visual and sonic atmosphere while ensuring complete reliability across performance stages, vendor zones, food and beverage kiosks, and back-of-house operations.
THE REALITY
Spanning several city blocks, Al Hosn Festival posed both logistical challenges and creative opportunities. Drawing on over ten years of experience with this event, our team approached the site with detailed planning and a focus on precision.
We deployed a network of truss lighting towers to bring the theatrical lighting concept to life. Practical lighting across walkways, gardens and architectural features ensured the entire space felt immersive and safe for visitors.
Audio was delivered via a site-wide PA system, linking multiple performance stages, public areas and live activation zones. All systems were connected to a central technical network, allowing for unified control and real-time response across the entire festival footprint.
One of the most critical components was site-wide power. We utilised the venue’s in-house mains power, complemented by an extensive secondary power network stretching across the entire site. This supported all AV systems, vendor operations, F&B kiosks, and the dedicated production village. The technical power plan required meticulous design and execution, delivering reliability to every corner of the site – often under tight scheduling conditions.
CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Managing a site of this scale and complexity demanded close collaboration with the client from day one. Working in partnership, we developed bespoke solutions to align with budget and scheduling requirements without compromising creative or technical integrity.
The scale of power distribution posed notable logistical and load management obstacles. Our team designed an efficient system that maximised the in-house infrastructure while extending power through kilometres of carefully routed cables and strategically placed distribution boards. Due to the historical significance of the venue, cables could not be buried underground, so we engineered alternative cable management solutions to ensure safety, preserve aesthetics, and maintain full functionality across the site.
OUTCOME
Al Hosn Festival was a complete success, and showcased a powerful blend of tradition and innovation. Audiences engaged with Emirati heritage in a vibrant, multi-sensory environment that was technically seamless from start to finish. The client praised our team’s adaptability, proactive communication and ability to deliver on every element across such a large and dynamic site.
Our long-standing relationship with this event continues to drive value and excellence, and this year’s reinforced our role as a trusted technical partner for one of the UAE’s most important cultural gatherings. As the festival continues to grow, we evolve our solutions, ensuring an even greater experience for future editions.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
“Once again, the skill, creativity and diligence of your team were a huge part in creating a beautiful, safe environment for the guests and bringing to life the ideas of the festival’s creative team. Having the familiarity of your team on site and being able to come to you, usually with ever more off-the-wall requests, safe in the knowledge that you will deal with them with good grace and professionalism makes my job much easier.”
