15 things to do this Eid al Adha | 2015

Not planning a trip abroad this Eid? Don’t panic as there are plenty of activities and events happening in the UAE to keep you entertained.

1. Check out a next-level circus 

This show will be worth the drive to Abu Dhabi: Set in the fictional factory town of Cirkopolis, the show blends the worlds of circus, dance and theatre to present a unique twist on rebellion in a setting where anonymity and monotony reigns supreme.

Twelve acrobats and multidisciplinary artists are set to perform accompanied by an original musical score and video projections – using fantasy, music and humour to overcome the encircling gloom of the city of Cirkopolis.

Critics have been raving about Cirkopolis, with the New York Post calling the show “extraordinary”, and celebrity gossip columnist Perez Hilton describing the show as “if Christopher Nolan directed the circus.”

September 23 to 26
Dubai World Trade Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai, 3pm and 7.30pm. Tickets from Dhs195 to Dhs1,295.  Buy tickets here. 

2. Hit up a music festival

Staying in the city over Eid? Well ignore your friends’ ‘Bragbook’ posts from their weekend breaks and head to one of the city’s biggest music festivals.

Running over four days from September 23 to 26 at the Dubai World Trade Centre the 2015 Dubai Music Week promises to be a ‘platform for music fans to interact with celebrities and musicians.’

Including four main segments, Dubai Music Week features concerts, with British starlet Ellie Goulding (September 24), 30 Seconds to Mars (September 25) and Jason DeRulo (September 23), celebrity guest speakers, master classes and an entertainment village.

September 23 to 26
Masterclasses and biz talks running throughout the day, main stage concert doors open at 6.30pm, September 23 to September 26. Tickets prices and timings vary. More at Dubai Music Week website. 

3. Kids eat for free at Fortnum & Mason

Going out for breakfast, lunch or dinner with the kids this Eid? Well, with every adult meal bought at this gorgeous tea and biscuit lovers’ haven from Wednesday-Saturday you’ll get two free meals for kids under 10. Bargain!

Pop up to the second floor Parlour (pictured) to get the offer.

Near Dubai Fountains, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, Sun to Wed 9am to midnight, Thur to Sat 9am to 1am. Tel: (04) 3882627. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. fortnumandmason.com

4. See Midge Ure live

The 1980s was a golden time for British pop music. One of the decade’s key figures was Midge Ure, frontman of Ultravox, who had hits with Vienna, Dancing With Tears In My Eyes and Reap The Wild Wind, and also Visage whose song Fade To Grey is considered a classic of the electronica genre. Perhaps most famously though, the Scotsman, along with his old friend Bob Geldof, was a driving force behind the historic charity song Do They Know It’s Christmas? in 1984 and the Band Aid concert at Wembley the following year. He’ll be playing at Irish Village on the Thursday night of Eid.

September 24
The Irish Village, Garhoud, Dubai, 9pm, Dhs125. Tel: +971 4 239 5000. Metro: GGICO. See the website for more.

5. Brunch at BOCA

DIFC’s Mediterranean Restaurant and Bar BOCA opens it doors to welcome the long weekenders with a special extended weekend feast. Tuck into a spread of hot and cold tapas including veal carpaccio, tuna bresaola and saffron and sea urchin aioli at this lively Spanish trattoria.

September 24 to 26
Gate Building 6, DIFC, Dubai, Mon, noon to 5pm, Dhs295 (with soft drinks), Dhs395 (with house drinks). Tel: (04) 3231833. Metro: Financial Centre. facebook.com/bocadubai

6. Eid family picnic

If you are staying in Dubai this holiday and fancy an outdoor family picnic, try the Urban Picnic Brunch at Vida at a reduced rate of Dhs195. Think pretty pastries and pizzas all freshly baked, crunchy salads in jam jars, and beloved wicker baskets galore.

September 25
3in1 Restaurant and Lounge, Vida Downtown Dubai, Fri 1pm to 5pm, Tel: (04) 4286888. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. vida-hotels.com

7. Ride the city slide

For a wet and wild Eid weekend, slide on down to Motor City for the inaugural City Slide Dubai event. Punters are able to ride down a slippery 1,000ft water chute on a giant rubber ring from 11am to 11pm over the weekend. According to the organisers, the waterslide will operate in two-hour time slots throughout the day and participants can reserve their slot via platinumlist.net now.

The wacky attraction has already proved a phenomenal hit in America, the UK and Amsterdam and now the craze is set to make waves in the UAE.

September 25 and 26
City Slide Dubai’s facebook page or platinumlist.net

8. Plan your wedding

Now in its seventh year, The Address Wedding Fair will take place over Eid weekend, on Friday September 25 and Saturday September 26. Brides-to-be will be able to chat with wedding planners, hairdressers, makeup experts, transport operators, florists, caterers, hotels and more – basically, if you’re having your wedding in the UAE this is a great one-stop shop.

Oh, and there will be complimentary hand and shoulder massages from the team at the Spa at The Address Hotel (that’s us sold). Also, until September 24, couples can upload a couple picture to any social media account such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest under the #TheAddressWeddingFair to be in to win a bridal gown and two dresses for a bridal party, supplied by Saks Fifth Avenue and made by Japanese-born American fashion designer, Tadashi.

September 25 and 26
Symphony Ballroom, The Address Downtown Dubai. Free entry, noon to 7pm. See the website for more. 

9. Check out this Edinburgh Fringe Festival award-winning play

The classic tale Arabian Nights has been read, re-imagined and re-told hundreds of times on screen, on stage and in books, in all sorts of styles. But a new theatrical production coming to Dubai in September is trying to tell the story in a way nobody has done before.

Story Pocket Theatre, a British stage company under the patronage of War Horse author Michael Morpurgo, is retelling Arabian Nights at Ductac this month for children and adults using humour, dance, music and puppets.

The show, suitable for children aged four and up, won an award at the 2014 Edinburgh Fringe, which is where Ductac’s head of programming Elizabeth Crowder first saw it.

September 25 and 26
Centrepoint Theatre, Ductac, Dubai, 11am and 3pm, Dhs120. Tel: (04) 3414777. Metro: Mall Of The Emirates. ductac.org

10. Listen to live music at The Other Side

There’s welcome movement on Dubai’s live scene with the introduction of The Other Side, held at new music venue And Lounge in Dubai Marina. The events are “inspired by the live music scenes of Williamsburg Brooklyn, SXSW Austin, Shoreditch London and New Orleans” with the line-up on select Fridays alternating between regional and international bands supported by local talent, covering all genres from rock to indie pop, jazz, blues, electro, punk to folk.

This weekend Hana And The Overthinkers perform live.  Jordanian singer-songwriter Hana is known for soul-stirring songs of “subconscious love, your inner superhero or your darkest quiet place”.

September 25
And Lounge, The Address, Dubai Marina, 8pm, Dhs75. Tel: (050) 4589439. Metro: JLT. facebook.com/TheOtherSideLiveMusic

11. Laugh out loud with Maz Jobrani 

The Persian Pink Panther aka Maz Jobrani performs at the Ritz-Carlton Dubai on September 25. The Iranian-American actor and comedian talked to What’s On earlier this month about why Dubai is ‘the Switzerland of the Middle East’ and why he loves the city (despite the jetlag): 

“The best part of the shows for me in Dubai are the international crowds. It feels like the Switzerland of the Middle East, with people from all over. Sometimes there are people from places I’ve never even heard of, like Madagascar. I thought that was a cartoon!”

September 25
The Ritz Carlton DIFC, Dubai, Dh295. Tickets can be purchased from platinumlist.ae

12. Run 10k in the desert

Test your physical and mental mettle  at the first (in a series) of 10k races taking place at the Seven Stadium. Beginners and advanced runners are all welcome to join. If a 10k sounds like far too much exertion for September, you can opt for a 3k race instead.

September 26
The Sevens Stadium, Al Ain Road, Dubai, 6.30am. Tel: (050) 6245095. premieronline.com

13. Get hoisted up in a giant claw 

Spend Dhs250 at Ibn Battuta mall and then head to the China Court for the chance to be harnessed and suspended (an opportunity for some, a nightmare for others) in the air above a mountain of presents while your child (safely) takes control of the joystick to try and drop you down to collect a prize.

Until September 26
Ibn Battuta Mall, (prizes will be offered to 10 winners every hour, every day until 10.15pm) IbnBattutaMall.com.

14. Local retreat at Manzil Downtown Dubai

Forget about packing your bags and heading to the airport, instead stay right in the ‘centre of now’ at the newly renovated Manzil Downtown Dubai, with a special UAE residents-only package. Guests receive 10 per cent off room rates, 20 per cent off all Emaar restaurants, two free Reel Cinemas tickets, two complimentary VIP ‘At The Top’ experiences, and two free tickets to Dubai Aquarium.

Valid until December
Manzil Downtown Dubai. Tel: +971 4 423 8899. Metro: Burj Khalifa/ Dubai Mall. vida-hotels.com/en/manzil

15. Family staycation at Conrad Dubai

Families that book in for an overnight stay in a deluxe room at Conrad Dubai receive Dhs100 credit for every child checked in, plus a 50 per cent discount off a second room. Guests also receive a 20 per cent discount off a range of Dubai Mall activities including Dubai Aquarium, Dubai Ice Rink, Kidzania and Sega Republic.

Until September 30
Conrad Dubai, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai. Tel: +97144447100. Metro: Trade Centre. conraddubai.com