Things to do in Dubai this weekend
From optical illusion fun to mini music festivals here are several things to do in Dubai this weekend…
THURSDAY 3 MARCH
1. Stroll past some mind-boggling 3D art
The Dubai Canvas Festival is set to transform the streets of The Walk in JBR into a gallery, where celebrated artists from around the world are taking to the pavement to paint one-of-a-kind, giant optical illusions during daily live performance for the public, free of charge. The king of 3D street art himself, Kurt Wenner, is also going to be there. Check out our gallery from The Dubai Canvas Festival, here.
March 1 to 14
The Walk, Jumeriah Beach Residence, Dubai Marina, Dubai, free. Tel: (04) 3833333. Taxi: The Walk, JBR. mediaoffice.ae
2. Check out the prettiest canteen you’ve ever seen
For the entire length of the Dubai Food Festival, the Etisalat Beach Canteen is back, bringing along a plethora of dining and entertainment events, as well as classes, markets, open-mics and even storytelling. Get a real taste for Dubai’s food scene as 15 of the city’s best home-grown restaurants will run pop-ups along the beach (running 10am to 10pm every day). For a complete guide to The Dubai Food Festival, read on…
Beach Canteen runs from February 25 to March 12. Kite Beach, Umm Suqeim, Jumeirah, Dubai, free. Tel: (600) 555559. Taxi: Kite Beach. For more info about timings and details closer to the date, check dubaifoodfestival.com or Dubai Food Festival’s Facebook
3. Go wild at Zero Gravity’s official pool party opening
Today, Zero Gravity officially opens its new poolside extension. Dive in during the day, sip at the sunset and dance after dark to two of the world’s most energetic DJ duo, Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano. The night is free for ladies before midnight; fellas it’s free before 10pm and Dhs100 thereafter.
Check out their facebook page for more info: facebook.com/Zero.Gravity.Dubai
4. Saunter past some of the most luxurious yachts in the world
Let’s face it: Most of us can’t afford a 64ft yacht, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a nosey. The Dubai International Boat Show is back, and aside from a fleet of super yachts for sale, you’ll find the latest watersports toys and accessories. There’s also a brand new Beach Area where watersports company Watercooled have set up various taster sessions for you and the family, including wind surfing and stand up paddleboarding.
March 1 to 5
For more infromation, check out boatshowdubai.com
FRIDAY 4 MARCH
5 . Tuck into fine-dining fare for a fraction of the price
Running from February 25 until March 5, Dubai Restaurant Week will include amazing set menus at only Dhs189 from 30 of Dubai’s best-known and best-loved fine dining spots including Bread St Kitchen, The Hide, Seven Sands and Alta Badia. So if there’s that place you always wanted to try, but never felt you could splash out on – now’s your chance.
Dubai Restaurant Week, Various Locations. February 25 to March 5. Dhs189. For more details, check dubaifoodfestival.com or Dubai Food Festival’s Facebook
6. Sign up for a sporty weekend for less
Have you noticed the emergence of fitness apps offering Dubai residents the chance to take part in fitness classes around the city for less? All you have to do is pay a monthly subscription and you’ll get access to some of the coolest gyms and studios in the city. Dubai’s latest fitness community app, Classport, has just teamed up with uber-cool indoor cycling studio, Flywheel which means you can join the cult for less.
For more information visit classport.fit, or follow Instagram and Facebook
7. Embrace a healthy dose of culture at #Streetnights
Following the success of the second edition of Street Nights, this popular street culture event is back, this time, at a new location over at Bay Avenue in Business Bay. Street Nights Dubai has a line-up of more than 20 food outlets and trucks on 4-5 March 2016 (6pm to 11pm on both days) with free access to all. This year’s line-up offers a range of food from pizzas to rotis to paella to middle eastern cuisine; from street food to gourmet cuisine, it has something for everyone’s taste. Meanwhile, 16 of the region’s best graffiti and street artists including Weik, Cler, Has, Saife, and Potiks will be painting live at the event.
Street Nights, Bay Avenue Parking Lot, Business Bay. streetnights.ae
SATURDAY 5 MARCH
8. Show your mum you care (or call the florist right now, if she lives in the UK)
Okay folks, British mother’s day is Sunday March 6 and the UAE’s mother’s day is Monday March 21. If your mum’s in town, and you plan on celebrating, you can treat her to a special mother and daughter time together with a side-by-side aroma infused massage in one of the Iridium Spa’s double treatment rooms. This 60-minute massage begins with a foot ritual followed by a customised massage using your choice of fancy aromatherapy oils.
Valid from 1 to 31 March 2016
For more information or to make a booking, please contact Iridium Spa. Tel: +9714435500 or visit iridiumspadubai.com
9. ‘Piknic’ and party on a golf course
Head down for live music, food trucks, arts and crafts and more in the fourth edition of Piknic Electronik. There’s also going to be Piknic Snookball. Which as the name suggests, is a cross between snooker and football for adults.
Piknic Electronik, The Address Montgomerie. January 23 to April 2, Saturdays 1pm to 9pm. Tickets from Dhs150. Tel: (04) 4248838. piknicelectronik.ae
10. Meet some of the world’s best authors… and Body Coach fella Joe Wicks
The Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word is back, bringing readers and authors from across the world together for an eleven-day celebration. Alongside a number of famous authors, the Lit Fest will also be seeing the likes of astronauts, children’s book illustrators, fan-fiction writers and more.
Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, various locations. March 1 to 12. Tel: (04) 3559844. emirateslitfest.com
11. Have a go at FootGolf, the new hybrid sport taking over the city
Take two popular sports and combine them. What do you get? No, not TouchCricket, although we wouldn’t be surprised if that was next. FootGolf has been taking off across America and it’s firmly landed at Dubai’s Address Montgomerie golf course. Combining football and golf into one novelty game, players loosely follow the same rules and strategies as golf, but instead of teeing off on a course with a club, you kick a football and aim for an albeit slightly bigger hole on the green. Finish off with drink on the Terrace and that’s one epic way to end your weekend.
The Address Montgomerie Dubai, Emirates Hills, Dubai, daily 6.30am to 10pm, Dhs100 Tel: (04) 8883444. Taxi: The Address Montogmerie. themontgomerie.com
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