Abu Dhabi’s Onam calendar gets another community celebration on 23 August, with “Onam Ponnonam 2026” bringing competitions, music, family activities and Kerala festival traditions to ADCOOP Mina Center.
The programme was announced for 3:00 pm onwards at ADCOOP Mina Center in Abu Dhabi, in association with Home 92.2 FM and Malabar Adukkala.
For Malayali families in the capital, it is another example of how the Onam season in the Gulf stretches well beyond a single day or weekend.
What is happening?
The announced programme includes a mix of competitions and entertainment:
- Pookalam competition
- Payasam competition
- Malayali Manka competition
- Music and dance performances
- Game shows
- Activities for children and adults
The pookalam competition is for teams of five, with a AED 2,500 shopping voucher announced for the winning team. Winners of the payasam and Malayali Manka competitions were announced to receive AED 1,000 shopping vouchers each.
Registration and competition information were directed through the social-media channels of ADCOOP, Home 92.2 FM and Malabar Adukkala.
Anyone attending should still check the organiser’s latest update before travelling, particularly if registration is required for a competition.
Why Gulf Onam lasts longer
In Kerala, Onam follows the Malayalam festival calendar.
In the Gulf, celebrations also have to work around weekends, school schedules, annual leave, work shifts and venue availability.
That means one community may celebrate before Thiruvonam, another on the nearest weekend, and another several days later.
Rather than weakening the festival, that flexibility is one of the ways Onam has adapted to expatriate life.
Why events like this matter for families
For adults who grew up in Kerala, a pookalam competition or Onam song may immediately bring back familiar memories.
Children growing up in Abu Dhabi may experience those traditions differently.
A community event gives them somewhere to see the pookalam being made, hear Malayalam music, watch cultural performances and experience Onam with other families rather than knowing it only through stories from their parents.
These gatherings can also be useful for Malayalis who are new to Abu Dhabi and have not yet built a large local social circle.
Community celebrations can turn strangers, colleagues and neighbours into part of the festival.
There is also an Onam shopping programme
ADCOOP’s wider Onam Ponnonam offers run from 23 to 26 August, with promotions at several branches in Abu Dhabi and elsewhere in the UAE. The published list includes Mina Center, Abu Dhabi Mall and other locations.
I would keep that information secondary, however. The cultural event should remain the main story rather than allowing the article to become a retail promotion.
MalluMetro Take
Onam in the Gulf rarely happens on one perfect date.
Instead, it appears across schools, community halls, shops, associations and family gatherings, sometimes over several weeks.
Events such as Onam Ponnonam matter because they give families — especially children growing up outside Kerala — a place to experience the festival with other people.
You do not have to recreate Kerala exactly for Onam to feel familiar. Sometimes all it takes is flowers, food, music and enough people gathering together.