‘Robust & Consistent Growth In Consumer & Business Events’: Qs With Leon Marsh, Events Director, Miral

For Pollstar’s annual Middle East Focus, we sent some questions over to Leon Marsh, event director at Miral, the main curator of (live) experiences in Abu Dhabi, most of which take place on Yas Island, an entertainment district that houses the city’s main venues for entertainment, hotels and hospitality businesses, a theme park, as well as the renowned Yas Marina Circuit, home of the F1 Grand Prix finals, as well as Saadiyat Island just off the coast of Abu Dhabi.

Pollstar: As we approach the end of 2025, what have been some of the key milestones for Miral this year?
Leon Marsh: From hosting diverse world-class AAA events such as Travis Scott, Dave Chappelle as part of Abu Dhabi Comedy Season, Mamma Mia the Musical on Yas Island, to the magical Saadiyat Nights and Harry Potter The Experience on Saadiyat Island, it has been a thrilling year for Miral.

A defining moment this year was the announcement of a Disney Theme Park Resort coming to Yas Island. It will be Disney’s first theme park destination in the Middle East and seventh globally. Saadiyat Island saw the opening of the highly anticipated immersive art experience, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, while the expansion of Yas Island’s beloved waterpark, Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, opened to the public.

In addition, summer season was highly successful for both Yas Island and Saadiyat Island as both destinations saw an impressive increase in visitations, supported by strong hotel occupancy and an engaging summer events calendar.

How have events performed across Yas Island? What have been the significant event highlights?
We are experiencing robust and consistent growth in consumer and business events on Yas Island, thanks to our strong partnership with Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) and Abu Dhabi Convention Bureau; as well as our strategic event partners and destination stakeholders.

Our annual calendar features over 200 events spanning concerts, a variety of festivals, family shows, and major sporting events. The destination hosted some incredible events this year, including an all-star Abu Dhabi Comedy Season, Hans Zimmer, Offlimits Festival with Ed Sheeran, sold-out shows from the likes of Hans Zimmer and Enrique Iglesias, return of Arijit Singh, 2025 Turkish Airlines Euro league Final Four, as well as regional debuts of globally acclaimed musicals such as Les Misérables Arena Spectacular and Beetlejuice.

We most recently announced the launch of Stranger Things: The Experience on Yas Island, introducing an immersive, story-driven experience that brings the world of Hawkins and the Upside Down to life for the first time in the region. Complementing this, we welcomed Millie Bobby Brown as Yas Island’s newest Brand Ambassador, strengthening our global reach and reinforcing Yas Island’s appeal through a campaign that celebrates imagination, adventure, and pop-culture icons.

Together, these efforts keep Yas Island at the forefront of globally recognised events while advancing Abu Dhabi’s long-term tourism ambitions.

Yas Island has successfully hosted major international festivals like Wireless and Ultra Dance Festival. How do large-scale festivals fit into Miral’s future plans for Yas Island?
Large-scale festivals are absolutely central to Miral’s plans for Yas Island, aligning directly with our strategic objectives as the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences. Attracting both consumer and business events that raise international awareness and drive significant footfall is key for Yas Island, and festivals are a powerful way to achieve this.

Offlimits Festival, anchored by Ed Sheeran debuted on Yas Island this year and was a huge success. Hugely successful festivals like Club Social (headlined this year by Raye) and Abu Dhabi Comedy Season (headlined by Dave Chappelle) have become annual events for the destination.

As a unique and integrated hub of leisure, entertainment, and hospitality, Yas Island offers the perfect synergy for festivals to craft compelling experiences. They align with our commitment to Abu Dhabi’s vision and contribute to accelerating the Emirate’s economic and tourism growth. Our ability to successfully host these major international festivals demonstrates our operational excellence and further enhances Yas Island’s position as a global destination for world class leisure and entertainment.

What is there to look forward to in terms of upcoming events?
Our calendar of events on Yas Island and Saadiyat Island continue to grow in scale and ambition, creating compelling reasons for visitors to return throughout the year while attracting new visitors globally.

Ahead of the new year, Yas Island is set to host an exciting series of events, including performances by two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inducted singer-songwriter, Rod Stewart, and iconic Bollywood singer, Arijit Singh. 2026 promises even more excitement for visitors to look forward to. Linkin Park are set to make their highly anticipated return to the UAE since 2010 as part of their From Zero World Tour, while Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician A.R. Rahman promises to dazzle Bollywood fans in an immersive spectacle. In addition, the iconic multi award-winning musical, Mary Poppins, is set to arrive to Abu Dhabi for the very first time, featuring dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs.

Over on Saadiyat Island, Saadiyat Nights makes its return with a star-studded line-up, featuring Diana Ross and Seal, Lewis Capaldi, Ricky Martin, and Mariah Carey to name a few; thanks to our partnership with DCT – Abu Dhabi.

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