Category: What’s On

Russia’s Bolshoi Theatre will make its first official tour of the United Arab Emirates with five days of opera, orchestral music and ballet at Dubai Opera from 2 to 6 December 2026. The programme, presented by Dubai Opera in collaboration with Art Seasons, will feature Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s opera The Tsar’s Bride, a symphonic concert conducted by Valery Gergiev and Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, performed by the Bolshoi Ballet’s principal dancers. The engagement brings three major elements of the Moscow institution’s repertoire to

Air passengers across the UAE could face limited flight delays as seasonal weather changes reduce visibility, prompting the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) to caution airlines and airport operators about possible operational disruptions. The authority issued its advisory on Saturday, October 17, warning that changing atmospheric conditions could restrict horizontal visibility across parts of the country. Such conditions may affect aircraft movements, depending on prevailing weather and the safety requirements governing individual flights. The GCAA emphasised that any disruption would be managed

BMC Helix will bring enterprise technology executives, customers and industry partners together in Dubai on October 22 to examine how artificial intelligence and automation can improve IT operations and service management. The company's annual roadshow, scheduled at the Museum of the Future, will focus on practical applications of AI-powered ServiceOps, including incident management, workflow automation and the integration of intelligent systems into existing enterprise technology environments. Senior executives will outline the company's AI-centred product strategy, while customers will present operational experiences and

Dubai’s Ibn Battuta Mall is adding 38 retail, dining and entertainment businesses under an expansion programme that will introduce new attractions and services through 2027, its operator Dubai Retail announced on Monday. The programme includes 21 businesses already operating and another 17 scheduled to open by the end of next year. The additions cover restaurants, cafés, fashion outlets, healthcare services and family entertainment, including a new Roxy Cinemas complex. Dubai Retail said the expansion was designed to diversify the mall’s tenant mix

Dubai's Global Village will reopen at 6pm on Wednesday, 14 October, launching its 31st season with expanded cultural displays, new entertainment productions and additional attractions. The seasonal destination will operate until May 2027 under the theme “A More Wonderful World”. Organisers have announced 29 pavilions representing more than 90 cultures, alongside over 3,500 shopping outlets. The line-up includes a standalone Sri Lanka pavilion, a combined Russia and Azerbaijan pavilion, and redesigned facades for the Syria and Kuwait pavilions. The latest programme also

Abu Dhabi has launched a new artificial intelligence training programme targeting 20,000 government employees this year, advancing its Dh13 billion strategy to establish the world's first fully AI-native government by 2027. The Department of Government Enablement announced the AiNative programme on October 7, partnering with OpenAI, Microsoft and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence to develop practical AI capabilities across the public sector and eventually among the wider population. The initiative follows the deployment of Microsoft 365 Copilot licences to 35,000

Dubai has launched a redesigned addressing system featuring colour-coded street signs, house number plates and QR codes, with more than 2,000 signs scheduled for installation or replacement this year. The initiative, announced on Wednesday by the Supreme Committee for Urban Planning in coordination with the Roads and Transport Authority and Dubai Municipality, will cover 186 areas across 19 sectors by 2030. The first phase will encompass five neighbourhoods: Za'abeel 1, Za'abeel 2, Nad Al Sheba, Al Khawaneej 1 and Nazwa. Implementation

Katherine Ryan returns to Dubai Opera on October 12 as part of the Dubai Comedy Festival, bringing her sharp observational stand-up back to the city for a 9.30pm performance. The award-winning comedian, writer, actor and presenter will appear in the Main Auditorium, with tickets starting at Dh195. The show is open to audiences aged 16 and above and is presented by GME Events as part of the festival’s seventh edition, which runs from October 9 to 18. Ryan’s Dubai appearance places her

The UAE Jiu-Jitsu National Team ended its Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games campaign with a record five gold medals, completing an eight-medal haul that marked its strongest performance at the continental event. The team collected five golds, two silvers and one bronze across the jiu-jitsu competition, improving on the four gold medals won at Hangzhou 2023 and the two secured at Jakarta 2018. Gold medals went to Balqees Al Hashmi in the women’s 48kg division, Khaled Al Shehhi in the men’s 62kg, Ahmed

Etihad Rail has added six passenger train services between Abu Dhabi and Dubai this weekend after exceptionally strong early demand, releasing more than 2,000 additional seats on the newly opened route. The operator said more than 1,000 extra seats were made available across three services on Saturday, October 3, with a further 1,000-plus seats offered on three additional services on Sunday, October 4. The move follows the start of regular passenger operations between the two emirates on September 30. The added trains

Etihad Rail is staging laser shows at passenger stations in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Fujairah on Friday night as it marks this week's expansion of the UAE's national passenger rail network. The displays are scheduled to run from 7pm on October 2 until 1am, illuminating the Mohamed bin Zayed City station in Abu Dhabi, Al Yalayis station in Dubai and the passenger station at Al Hilal in Fujairah. Etihad Rail said the shows form part of celebrations surrounding the official launch

Media Business Network has introduced a redesigned website aimed at simplifying access to its projects, services, news and business opportunities as the Dubai-based company sharpens its focus on content, public relations and hospitality-focused marketing distribution. The refreshed platform presents MBN’s activities around three principal business areas and provides a more structured route for clients, advertisers and media partners seeking information about the company’s operations. MBN said the redesign was intended to improve navigation and make communication with its teams more accessible

Dubai Comedy Festival will bring Zarna Garg’s Million Dollar Excuses to Dubai Opera on October 16, adding her family-centred stand-up to a 10-day programme of international and regional comedy across the city. Garg’s English-language performance is scheduled for 6.30pm, with tickets starting at Dh195. The show forms part of the seventh edition of the festival, which runs from October 9 to 18 and spreads performances across Dubai Opera, New Covent Garden Theatre at Mall of the Emirates, Pepperoni Comedy Club and

Baniyas Jiu-Jitsu Club moved to the front on the opening day of Round 7 of the Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Jiu-Jitsu Championship at Mubadala Arena in Abu Dhabi on Friday, with Al Jazira Jiu-Jitsu Club second and M. O. D UAE third. The first day of the three-day Gi round featured Under-18, Adults and Masters competitors, with results across the divisions contributing to club standings as the championship approaches its eighth and final round. Baniyas entered the weekend already leading the

Aldar has set Saadiyat Grove, its new luxury retail and fine-dining destination in Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District, for a fourth-quarter 2026 opening, with more than 100 global brands and 20 concepts entering the region for the first time. The development will sit between Louvre Abu Dhabi, Zayed National Museum and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, with Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi and teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi close by. Aldar said the one-square-mile destination is designed to combine shopping, dining, culture, hospitality, offices,

Dubai has approved an 80-kilometre road corridor linking Abu Dhabi and Sharjah through the emirate, a two-phase project intended to divert through traffic, strengthen freight movement and sharply reduce journey times on key sections of the network. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, approved implementation of the New Fourth Corridor, which will run from Al Faya Road in Abu Dhabi to Al Shanouf Road in Sharjah. The first

The UAE has introduced an 11-day, 10-night tourism package linking all seven emirates, with the Grand Classic itinerary priced from Dh10,446 per person. The UAE Grand Tour platform went live on Monday, allowing travellers to book accommodation, private transport, guided sightseeing, selected meals and experiences through a single itinerary. The initiative was presented during Arabian Travel Market 2026 in Dubai and is intended to encourage visitors to travel beyond individual city stays and spend more time across the country. Abdulla bin Touq

Dubai’s Theatre of Digital Art will host Disco Experience by That ’70s Band on September 25, pairing live renditions of major 1970s dance hits with choreography, period-inspired costumes and the venue’s 360-degree digital projections. The show is scheduled to begin at 8pm, with doors opening at 7.30pm, according to the venue and ticketing information. Tickets are priced from Dh180, with several seating categories available. That ’70s Band will centre the production on three singer-dancers backed by a live ensemble featuring keyboards, bass,

The National Media Authority has joined the 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair, using its pavilion to highlight media regulation, publishing services and content-sector initiatives. The authority is taking part in the fair from September 13 to 18 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, where its pavilion in Hall 5 is hosting sessions, initiatives and activities focused on media, culture and content creation. The participation places the federal regulator alongside publishers, authors, cultural institutions and creative-industry representatives. The NMA said its presence reflects

Dubai’s Al Marmoom Oasis is offering visitors a four-hour Emirati cooking and Bedouin dining experience that combines hands-on food preparation with cultural activities in a desert setting. The programme, operated at Al Marmoom Desert Resort, allows participants to prepare traditional Emirati dishes under the guidance of a chef before eating the meal in a Bedouin-style lounge. Booking platforms list chicken, lamb and vegetarian options, giving visitors a choice of menus while retaining the same cooking-and-dining format. Participants are introduced to dishes associated

Tickets are now on sale for the 2026 Emirates Dubai 7s, which will bring six sports, international rugby, live music and expanded family entertainment to The Sevens Stadium from November 27 to 29. Gaelic football will make its debut at the three-day festival, joining rugby, netball, cricket, fitness and padel as organisers broaden the sporting programme. The event will also stage the opening round of the 2026-27 HSBC SVNS series, bringing leading men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams to Dubai. Organisers have

A free-to-use co-working area at 25hours Hotel One Central is giving Dubai residents and visitors a central workspace without a membership or advance booking, combining high-speed Wi-Fi, café access and informal seating beside the Museum of the Future. The hotel’s first-floor gallery contains a 189-square-metre co-working space with seating for up to 80 people, a bar and café island, and views over the lobby. The property describes the area as a light, airy workspace designed for creative thinking, meetings and productive

Abu Dhabi’s Warner Bros. World is moving ahead with its long-planned Harry Potter-themed land on Yas Island, with construction under way and new project details pointing to Hogwarts Castle, Diagon Alley and at least three rides and attractions. The development, announced by Miral and Warner Bros. Discovery in 2022 as the Middle East’s first Harry Potter-themed land, is being built as part of a substantial expansion of the indoor theme park. Warner Bros. World’s official website now lists the attraction

Moscow is hosting more than 1,200 competitors this weekend as the Abu Dhabi Jiu-Jitsu Grand Slam brings one of its biggest international fields to the Russian capital for the 2026-2027 season. The two-day competition, running on August 29 and 30 at the Dynamo Sports Academy, has attracted 1,220 male and female athletes from 32 countries. The field includes 85 black belts, giving the Moscow stop a strong concentration of elite-level competitors alongside athletes seeking international ranking points and experience. The tournament

Egyptian writer, DJ and radio host Nihal El Aasar is challenging narrow definitions of Arab music by using radio, live performances and artistic collaborations to showcase underground sounds spanning electronic music, experimental composition, hip-hop, drill and regional club culture. Raised in Cairo and now based in London, El Aasar has built a multidisciplinary career that connects music with writing, politics and cultural analysis. Her approach rejects the idea that music from Arab countries can be represented by a single recognisable

The UAE National Golf Team will leave for Beijing early on Saturday as a three-player squad prepares to contest the Nomura Cup, one of the Asia-Pacific region’s leading amateur team championships. Mohammad Skaik, Sayed Rayan Ahmed and Sam Mullane will represent the UAE at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Team Championship, scheduled from September 1 to 4 at Bayhood No. 9 International Golf Club in Beijing. The delegation will be headed by Emirates Golf Federation Secretary General Khalid Mubarak Al Shamsi and

Dubai's most talked-about skin booster may also have its most confusing name. “Salmon DNA” sounds like one treatment, but it is a popular label for a wider group of injectable products. Behind the nickname are different materials, concentrations and uses. Those details matter more than the trend. Many patients want hydrated, smooth and rested skin without obvious facial volume. Polynucleotide treatments fit this move towards gradual skin-quality improvement, but online language often makes related products sound identical. How a strange nickname became

Ferrari World Yas Island will mark Emirati Women’s Day with a women-only indoor running event on August 30, offering 2.5km, 5km and 10km races through the Abu Dhabi theme park and neighbouring Yas Mall. The third edition of the Ladies Run will be staged entirely in air-conditioned surroundings, allowing participants to compete during the summer without exposure to outdoor heat. The event has been structured for different fitness levels, ranging from beginners and walkers to recreational athletes and experienced runners. The

Dubai has added a new community shopping and lifestyle destination with the opening of The Grand at Nad Al Sheba Gardens, bringing grocery, retail and everyday services to the expanding residential district. The two-storey centre began its phased opening on August 19 and is anchored by the first Waitrose & Partners supermarket in Nad Al Sheba. The initial line-up also includes MMI, Heart Cottage Lane, Maple Bear Nursery, Al Jaber Optical and Fixperts, with restaurants, healthcare, beauty and fitness operators scheduled

Abu Dhabi will host the 35th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair from September 13 to 18, bringing publishers, authors and cultural organisations back to ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi for one of the region’s largest literary gatherings. Held under the patronage of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the fair is being organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi. The September schedule replaces the event’s previously

Disneyland Abu Dhabi is set to receive fresh global exposure through Disney Worldbuilders, a feature documentary examining how the entertainment group turns screen stories into physical destinations and offering glimpses of projects still being developed. The film, directed by Academy Award and Emmy-nominated filmmaker Leslie Iwerks, will receive its debut screening at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in Anaheim, California, on August 16. It is scheduled to stream on Disney+ from August 20. The production looks behind the walls of

Dubai residents and visitors can exercise free of charge at an outdoor gym on JBR Beach, combining strength training with uninterrupted views of Ain Dubai and the Bluewaters waterfront. The fitness area is located near the pedestrian bridge connecting Jumeirah Beach Residence with Bluewaters Island. It provides a range of exercise equipment beside the sand, allowing users to add resistance work, calisthenics and cardiovascular training to a run or walk along the beachfront. Access to the gym is free, with no membership,

Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will open to the public on 11 December 2026, bringing one of the world’s longest-awaited cultural projects to Saadiyat Island after two decades of planning, redesigns and construction delays. The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi confirmed the date as preparations accelerate for the launch of the largest museum in the Guggenheim network. The institution will focus on global modern and contemporary art, with particular attention to artists and movements connected to West Asia, North Africa

Dubai-based mobility platform Zed is offering passengers 15 per cent cashback on completed rides throughout August, seeking to build customer loyalty as competition intensifies across the emirate’s app-based transport market. The reward is credited automatically to a passenger’s Zed Wallet after each qualifying journey and can be used towards later bookings on the platform. Customers can receive up to Dh20 for an individual trip, giving regular commuters a direct incentive to remain within the company’s digital ecosystem. Zed says the programme does