Madar at Aljada revamps its visitor experience with bigger and better attractions in time for the UAE’s 49th National Day

Arada has revealed a revamped Madar at Aljada, the new family entertainment complex based in the heart of Sharjah’s largest lifestyle megaproject, in time for safe and socially distant UAE National Day celebrations and the start of the winter events season.

The new attractions include an expanded drive-in cinema featuring a state-of-the-art screen and sound system, which will be inaugurated with musicals and movies celebrating the spirit of the union. The experience will also include the expansion of popular dining destination Zad to accommodate 24 outlets, becoming one of the UAE’s largest food truck parks. Visitors will be able to enjoy both the new drive-in cinema and the expanded Zad food district from 1 December.

HE Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of Arada, said: “We are proud to launch the expansion of Madar at Aljada by the time of the UAE’s 49^th National Day celebrations. This milestone reinforces Madar’s position as Sharjah’s fastest-growing entertainment destination.”

“Madar at Aljada has witnessed an overwhelming response since its opening, welcoming over 700,000 guests to experience this unique family entertainment space safely and securely, during what has been a very challenging period for everyone in the country,” he added. “We will continue investing in enriching its offering, delivering experiences that cater to the preferences of families and youth in Sharjah and beyond.”

Opened in February this year by HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, Madar is the first part of the AED24 billion Aljada mixed-use megaproject to be completed.

As well as Zad and the drive-in cinema, Madar also features the Aljada Discovery Centre, which has been designed by Zaha Hadid Associates, the Playscape kids adventure playground, a skatepark and an amphitheatre, all set within a lushly landscaped park.

The largest outdoor screen in the Gulf
The new list of attractions at Aljada includes an expanded drive-in cinema, which now hosts the largest outdoor screen in the Gulf, measuring 18.4 metres in width and 13.2 metres in height. In addition to the giant new screen, Movie Nights at Aljada has also been fitted out with a state-of-the-art surround-sound system, meaning that visitors can appreciate a full, immersive cinematic experience simply by winding their car windows down.

Entry to Movie Nights at Aljada remains free of charge, and all parking spaces are socially distant, meaning that families can enjoy an evening out in a safe and secure manner. Blockbuster films are screened every night from 8pm, except for Friday nights when they kick off at 7.30pm. 

Expanded F&B offering at Zad
In addition to the cinema, popular dining destination Zad has also been expanded, with seven new food trucks offering an even bigger range of snacks and meals. With capacity for 24 outlets in total, Zad is now one of the largest food truck parks in the UAE.

The seven new arrivals at Zad are: donuts and drinks outlet DOH, healthy snacks and salads specialist Hoof; sandwich outfit Cheese House; Hoop, which has a range of coffees and sweet treats; fast food joint Steakanji; home-grown drinks and snacks outlet Kout/Albaba; and chai tea specialist Project Chaiwala. Cinemagoers parked at Movie Nights at Aljada can continue to order food safely from any of the Zad outlets and have it delivered directly to their car.

National Day Weekend celebrations
Aljada will be joining in the UAE National Day celebrations this year via a partnership with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment and the Sharjah Committee for National Day Celebrations. The partnership will see an exciting musical that highlights the achievements of the country’s founding fathers screened at the drive-in cinema.

Titled ‘Durrat Al Azman’, the musical will be screened at 7.30pm on Tuesday 1 December, 8pm on Wednesday 2 December, 7pm on Thursday 3 December and 8pm on both Friday 4 December and Saturday 5 December.

Also taking place on Thursday 3 December will be the latest edition of Sharjah International Film Festival (SIFF)’s partnership with Aljada. Once again, SIFF has carefully curated five Arabic-language short films, which will be screened from 8pm.

These films include Laymoon, directed by the UAE’s Abdulrahman Al Madani; Lost Memory, from Bahrain’s Mohammed Ebrahim; MUM, an Image Nation film directed by Emirati Mariam Alawadhi;  Social Molds Manual, from Saudi director Raghad Al Bariqi; and Voice Note, directed by Saudi Arabia’s Lulwah Abdulwahed.