BRED Abu Dhabi, Presented By Hypebeast Returns To Yas Island Next Week
From shopping exclusives to unmissable experiences, here’s what to expect at the five-day neo-culture festival.
There’s one more week left until the third annual BRED Abu Dhabi, presented by Hypebeast returns — and we’ve run down what you can expect to catch at the five-day neo-culture festival.
Taking place at the vast Yas Marina Circuit in Yas Island, this year promises an experience like no other. Celebrating the intersection of culture, the festival enlists the best from the worlds of music, fashion, sport, and art.
Whether looking for contemporary streetwear, high-fashion, vintage finds, or standout footwear, you can guarantee to grab festival exclusives, one-of-one customization spaces, immersive experiences, and much more to accommodate your style. Amsterdam’s Daily Paper and Turkey’s Les Benjamins return to the festival with new collections alongside Precious Trust and 5Pillars. Award-winning menswear label Pieces Uniques and local wonders Mesmari, Wyld x Jeeski make their debut, while Sharjah-based concept store Basement has teamed up with barbershop The Lab for a mix of streetwear and fresh haircuts.
Leading global names such as ASICS, JD Sports, New Balance, adidas, ANTA, Timberland, and New Era will also be offering everything from high-performance apparel to ready-to-wear staples, and multi-brand concepts like Sneaker District, TONE, and Foot Locker are poised to launch exclusive product releases and unmissable day-to-night activations.
As last year’s lauded Hypeart installation proved, art is a loved aspect of BRED Abu Dhabi’s programming — and platforming artists from across the world is held with just as much importance. Continuing this streak, street art legend Futura will make a special appearance at the Les Benjamins space where you can get a signed copy of his latest book and shop the exclusive collection Futura x Les Benjamins. Additionally, LA-based Marwan Shahin, Lebanese illustrator Joelle Jabbour, Armenian-Syrian artist Stephany, and Emirati designer Shamma Bu Hazza will also be producing customized artworks exclusively for the festival.
Having announced the international headline acts Nas, Nines, PARTYNEXTDOOR, Adonis, and Cairokee, as well as the BRED Abu Dhabi exclusive single “Hena” by Karim Osama, Asayel, and The Synaptik earlier this year, the latest additions to the regional lineup include the likes of Marwan Moussa, Afroto, Dana Hourani, Nayra, Odeal, Ilmond, and many more who are all looking to bring their high-energy performances to the festival’s stages.
In addition to music, when it comes to food, BRED Abu Dhabi is renowned for its diverse offering that embraces a selection of cuisines and facilitates a range of iconic collaborations. This year, Gotham Burger Social Club’s Oklahoma-style smash burgers, New York’s L’Industrie Pizzeria and French-style steak sandwiches at La Sauce Entrecôte lead the western-style dishes complemented by Choukran’s offering of soulful Moroccan specialities, Lila Taqueria with delectable Mexican tacos and Polline’s Mediterranean classics that are bound to satisfy everyone’s taste palettes. Authentic Jerusalem ka’ak by Kaak Al Quds will also be serving heritage delicacies, and South African streetwear label GRADE Africa has teamed up with local BBQ smokehouse Mattar to offer exclusive cross-disciplinary, flame-grilled menu items.
As part of the array of competitions, tournaments, and showcases throughout the five days, the ongoing TOP BALLER Gulf 1v1 Cup, presented by NUMBER 10 and adidas, will conclude at BRED Abu Dhabi where the region’s top talent have been competing for the title of the best baller in the Gulf. Elsewhere, Saturday Skateshop will be hosting skateboarding workshops for the community, whilst on the second day of the festival, 16 dancers will go head-to-head at Hip-Hop Cardio’s “BRED Battle” to win cash prizes. The dedicated NBA 2K League Gaming Zone is also set to return, where you can see some of the best players live in action as well as take part in various interactive basketball-inspired challenges.
BRED Abu Dhabi, presented by Hypebeast, will run from April 23-27 in Yas Marina Circuit, Yas Island. Get your tickets now on the official website as well as Ticketmaster, with the Festival Day Pass starting from 75 AED (approx. $21 USD); and concert tickets starting at 245 AED (approx. $67 USD).
