Club Social Returns As Abu Dhabi’s Ultimate Beach Festival With Headline Performances By Bastille And Oka Wi Ortega

Mark your calendar for the second edition of Club Social – the UAE’s ultimate beach festival – on Yas Island, the world’s fastest growing leisure and entertainment destination – featuring headline acts by Bastille and Oka Wi Ortega.

Taking place on 29 and 30 March, the event features a packed programme of free events, and ticket-only concerts.

“Club Social at Yas Island is the ideal place to create memories through beach entertainment, new food, music, fitness, and art installation concepts – come play, discover, and get away from your weekday routine in a destination brimming with visuals ready to be snapped, shared and liked,” said Ramzi Nakad, co-founder of events organiser BRAG.

“We have completely revamped the look and feel of the festival based on feedback from our thousands of guests in 2018, with new family fun in the daytime, complemented by more mature nightlife offerings, to make this a compelling experience for the entire weekend.”

Created by BRAG and in partnership with Yas Island, Live Nation and the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, Club Social 2019 will include an immersive programme of live music, beach sports, retail pop-ups, food concepts and entertainment suited for families and millennials throughout the two-day event.

Jam-packed entertainment includes a mixture of solo artists, bands and dance acts. British indie band Bastille, will bring their slew of hits including ‘Pompeii’, ‘Happier’ and ‘Of the Night’ to the venue’s main stage. The group released their first single in 2012, and within 18 months they skyrocketed the charts with a number one album and a sold-out US tour. They’ve since racked up more than two million YouTube followers.

Oka Wi Ortega will close the ultimate weekend with a ticketed show on Saturday, 30^th March, when they will perform the contagious ‘Elaab Yalla’, which took the Arab world by storm and garnered international attention.

With more than 1.1 million subscribers on YouTube and almost half a million followers at @okawiortega_official, fans will undoubtedly go wild to see this Egyptian act #SocialInRealLife.

Matthew Ross from Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism said: “In its second edition, Club Social is a vital new element of Abu Dhabi’s event calendar, bringing creativity, colour and community engagement to the capital.

“We are delighted to endorse Club Social as a compelling complement to our new Engine Week initiative.”

Pop-ups, culinary experiences, fitness and more

Setting the hottest social media trends in dining, foodie pop-ups will bring new flavours to Club Social, including much loved New York institution Clinton Street Bakery, homegrown healthy concept Balance, Dubai-born pizzeria C’est Cheesee, rolled ice-cream from JAM and Abu Dhabi-born, Manhattan-conceived café Coffee Architecture, which is all about minimalist design.

If you’re feeling thirsty – and are aged 21+ – browse the Club Social long bar menu for beverages to enhance the beach festival vibe.

Fitness buffs can work off those calories with a boxing session at PUNCH studio, where both novice and more experienced guests can sculp their beach bodies. If you’re up for a challenge, Simon Pepper, the Abu Dhabi-based global ambassador for Spartan races, will be running a HIIT class. Additionally, you can improve your balance and flexibility in Copeira classes by Associação Lagoa Azul Capoeira. Meanwhile, Motion Studios of Performing Arts, owned by Emirati entrepreneur Maryam Lari, will hold hip-hop and Zumba classes to help you get your groove on in the sunshine!

Beachside retail therapy will be courtesy of fashion labels VICE Jewellery, Wildwood, Artisan & Monkey, Nomadic State of Mind, and The Gentleman’s Community.

Add some sparkle to your day with Glitterati, which specialises in sparkling, shimmery body art. Party on a giant inflatable flamingo or simply drift away on your favourite blow-up shape selected from the ‘floatie fair’ – there will be plenty of activities for everyone!

For families looking to be creative, there will be art workshops for kids, and Blank Canvas Community will cater to visitors’ creative urges with a beach-inspired installation.

Among Club Social’s new zones for 2019 will be the Kids’ Teepee Park, Hammock Hang-out, Fish Market, and ‘sandcastle row’ – showcasing some impressive beachside building. The destination will be transformed after sunset for an adults-only seashore vibe.

If you really want to make the most of your weekend, why not book a staycation? Rest your head at one of the seven hotels located minutes away from Yas Beach.

Club Social 2019

Free tickets for festival entry, Dhs95 (Oka Wi Ortega), Dhs195 (Bastille). Mar 29-30, 10am -10pm. Yas Beach, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi,  www.ticketmaster.ae.

For more information, see www.clubsocial.ae/ and social media pages: www.facebook.com/clubsocial.ae/ and www.instagram.com/clubsocial.ae/ or hashtag #SocialinRealLife