Sneaker fests, world-class golf, mind control (actually) and Christmas markets. It’s silly season in Dubai already…

Here are your next three days sorted.

Thursday 17

1. Watch the world’s greatest at the DP World Tour

The DP Tour World Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates sees the world’s best golfers come to Dubai (you can read all about the golf over at Golfdigestme.com). The weekend is also a super social event too, and it’s free to head down (you can register to gain fast access here). The main Village features a big screen with all of the action, a kids zone, live music, a craft brew bar and loads of food spots (including Ghaf Kitchen). You can also buy VIP hospitality packages, find out about those here.

Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai. Free. Various times, 7.40am to 7.30pm over the weekend, until November 20. More info on website. 

2. Take a sunset stroll along the Dubai Canal

The Dubai Canal is open, yay! And you can now take a stroll along its boardwalk (or charge your phone in the street lights that run alongside it). We recommend a dusk (or dawn if you’re an earlybird) stroll along the waterway. Head here for more details.

Dubai Canal Boardwalk, parking near Al Habtoor City. Metro: Business Bay. Free.  

3. Harness the power of your mind at BurJuman

It’s been theorised about in countless movies over the years, but now you can actually control things with your brain. Oh, and you can test it out in BurJuman Mall from now until November 19. From video games, to flying toy helicopters and even controlling robotic arms, customers are invited to test headsets which allow you to harness your brainwaves and send digital signals. Welcome to the future.

BurJuman Mall, Khalid Bin Al Waleed Road, Dubai. November 10 to 19, noon to 10pm. Tel: (04) 3520222. More info on website.

4. Head to the races

The Meydan race season is back, with a race night tonight. The great news is that general admission to watch the horses do their thing is free. There are also hospitality packages you can buy, starting from Dhs100 – take a look at those here.

Meydan Racecourse, Nad Al Sheba, from 6.30pm, free entry. Tel: (04) 327 0077. More info on website.

Friday 18

5. Eat breakfast cheap at Carluccio’s

For this weekend only, Carluccio’s is offering a 2-for-1 deal on their breakfast menu (every item on the menu is included in the deal). It’s just this weekend from 8am to 11am, but it is at all of their UAE outlets (well, minus Yas Mall).

Various locations including Dubai Marina Mall, Dubai Mall, Arabian Ranches and Mirdif City Centre, 8am to 11am Friday and Saturday. Tel: (04) 434 1320. More info on locations at website. 

6. Embrace your zen side (and free yoga)

One for the yoga crowd – YogaFest Middle East will see thousands of fellow yogis gather for the sixth edition of this annual Dubai festival. There’ll be classes from yoga instructor Dechen Thurman (Uma Thurman’s brother), plus over 150 other classes and workshops from both local and international teachers. There’ll also be lectures on healthy living, nutrition and yoga philosophy. Just make sure to register online – you can check out the schedule here.

Dubai Internet City Amphitheatre, Dubai. November 18 to 19. Free entry. More info on Facebook.

7. Tap into Dubai’s street scene

If you’re a serious sneakerhead, or fancy yourself as somewhat of an independent, artsy type, then Sole DXB is right up your street. Sole is set to be bigger and better than ever this year. We’ve got new kids on the block, such as the Retrograde Concept Store, as well as a few old school Sole faves like Amongst Few and the sneaker swap station. Oh, and the live music over the weekend will be a grime fest (we’re so psyched for Skepta), read all about that here. Ooh, and there will be food from Uncle Jheff – the newest from the lads behind Tom & Serg that’s all about Southeast Asian flavours.

Sole DXB, D3, Dubai Design District, Dubai. November 18 and 19, 12pm to 10pm. Dhs100. More info on Facebook.

8. Catch the stink at the Madinat Jumeirah

From the great mind of one half of Little Britain, David Walliam’s book Mr Stink is coming to life at the Madinat Jumeirah theatre, with three showings today. The story centres around a young girl Chloe, who befriends a somewhat smelly tramp named Mr Stink. When it looks like Mr Stink may be driven out of town, Chloe decides to hide him in the garden shed.

Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai. November 18 only, 11am, 3pm and 5pm. Tickets from Dhs140. More info and tickets here. 

9. Get your groove on, on the grass

One of Dubai’s best-loved homegrown electronic music festivals is back, but it’s been kicked up a notch this time around with the region’s debut of not one but two of the biggest international names in underground electronic music right now – Irish DJ-producer and Academy alumnus Mano Le Tough and Frenchman Agoria.
The event also celebrates the return of DJ Magda, whose set at last year’s Red Bull Music Academy x Groove on the Grass stole the show. Magda’s minimal but adventurous approach sees her balancing club-friendly bangers with experimental electronics without ever losing the crowd.
To complete the night, Red Bull Music Academy brings in two wildly talented European DJ-producers – DJ Hell and Matias Aguayo from Germany, plus Ukrainian DJ, promoter, label owner and producer Nastia.

Emirates Golf Club, Emirates Hills, Dubai. November 18, 5pm to 3am. Dhs180. More info on website.

10. Celebrate 360’s birthday

Dubai institution 360° is celebrating its 11th birthday this weekend – for starters, the Friday brunch (1pm to 4pm) will be 2-for-1, then from 4pm to 9.30pm they will give away 11 presents to people in the crowd (one every half an hour). The party dosn’t stop there – from 11pm to midnight drinks will be Dhs11. Bargain. On the decks you’ll find Jack Woodcock, Ron E Jaxx, Sophie Foster and CN Williams (until 3am).

360°, Jumeirah Beach Hotel. 1pm to 3am, deals today only. Tel: (055) 500 8518. More info on website. 

Saturday 19

11. Nourish your artsy side

The Anthropocene is a photography exhibition down at Alserkal, with the title of the display referring to how humans have had such a large impact on the Earth’s landscape. Through his collection of photos over the last 15 years, photographer Richard Allenby-Pratt explores how radically Dubai’s desert landscape has shifted.

Gulf Photo Plus, Unit D36, Alserkal Avenue, Al Quoz 1, Dubai. Sunday to Wednedsay, 10am to 7pm, Thursday and Saturday, 10am to 6pm until December 31. Free entry. gulfphotoplus.com.

12. Live out your spy fantasies

We’ve all dreamt of being a spy at some point or another. The new James Bond exhibition at The Annex, Burj Khalifa allows us to dive straight into 007’s world. A bundle of props from the world’s most famous spy movie franchise throughout the years will be on display, including his trademark Aston Martin, as well as a Q boat and even a helicopter (how’d they get that into a building?!).

The Annex, Burj Khalifa, Downtown Dubai. November 14 to February 13, 2017, 10am to 10pm. Tickets from Dhs125 to Dhs500. Tel: (800) 28843867. More info on website.

13. Go to one of the first Christmas markets of the season

Over 50 market stalls will be flogging everything from the latest fashion to jewellery, homewares and art at Reform’s first Christmas market (it’s that time already?). There’ll also be a Santa’s grotto, food and beverage as well as children’s gifts by Hamley’s.

Reform Social & Grill, The Lakes. November 19, 12pm to 6pm. Free entry. Tel: (04) 4542638. More info on Facebook.

14. Wind down the weekend with Freshly Ground Sounds

What began as a small initiative that sought to bring musicians together has garnered quite a following: Freshly Ground Sounds brings together Dubai’s musicians, hosting free, non-profit mini-gigs around the city regularly. Freshly’s Picnic in the Park this weekend marks their three-year anniversary, and it’s just opposite CityWalk in the ‘water tower’ park, Al Khazzan. Should be an awesome afternoon.  

Al Khazzan Park, Al Safa Street, Satwa, Dubai. November 19, 3.30pm to 7pm. Free entry. More info on Facebook.

15. Check out Global Village

Remember,  Global Village opened its doors again on November 1. It’s an outdoor theme park (and Dubai institution) filled with food and attractions from over 70 different countries in over 36 pavilions. It’s a great family-friendly place to while away an afternoon.

Global Village, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dubai. November 1 to April 8 2017, 4pm to midnight. Dhs15. Tel: (04) 3624114. More info on website.

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