Iranian spring, a fresh homeware store, sushi burgers, SIA! There is a lot to see and do (and eat) in Dubai this weekend…

Here are your next three days sorted. Have a good one.

Thursday 23

1. Admire the region’s fashion…

Fashion Forward is back for its ninth season, bringing with it the best local designers that Dubai and the Middle East has to offer. There are catwalk displays, showcases and seminars, with most events open to the public. For a guide to who to see and what to do, click here for our breakdown to the stylish weekend. See you on the f-row…

Various locations in d3, Dubai Design District, Dubai, March 23 to 25, tickets from Dhs100, full schedule and registration details at fashionforward.ae.

2. Hit the cricket

Expect some big hits with the Emirates Airline T20 Cricket Tournament in town this weekend. Six teams will compete over two days at the punchy, fast-paced version of the sport, with appearances from Brendon McCullum (legend) and Shahid Afridi (legend).

ICC Academy, Sports City, Dubai, Dhs90. Tel: (845) 8358535. More info on website.

3. A new Media City spot for after work drinks

Media One Hotel has had a refurb’ recently and is looking good – part of their overhaul sees a new bar and restaurant on their lobby level: Qwerty. There’s an outdoor terrace and a 2-for-1 happy hour from 5pm until 7pm, so it’s a great place for a relaxed drink.

Media One Hotel, Dubai Media City. Tel: (04) 427 1000. From 5pm. More info on website. 

4. Go to The Prom

No, we’re not talking corsages and awkward dances in a school auditorium, we’re talking about the much revered British musical institution that’s running at Dubai Opera until Friday. The Proms are named after London’s outdoor promenade concerts that started way back in the 19th century. Tonight you’ll find the BBC Symphony Orchestra at 7.30pm and at 11pm you’ll get to see Middle East fusion-jazz group Tawadros Quartet. Also, Friday is a great night to go as it’s a greatest hits round up of all the other nights. Catch is you can’t get a ticket for tomorrow unless you’ve attended at least one other Proms performance this week.

Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai, from Dhs50, times vary. Tel: (800) 362. More info, timings and tickets on website. 

5. Celebrate the Iranian Spring festival

There are a lot of Iranian events on this weekend to celebrate Norooz, and one of the biggest concerts will be tonight when the Prince of Persian Pop Ebrahim Hamedi takes to the stage at DWTC as part of his ’50’ world tour. (He’s performing 50 concerts across 35 cities in four continents right now – and he’s 67).

Dubai World Trade Centre, 9pm to midnight (doors open at 7.30pm). Dhs350 to Dhs1,800. Tel: (050) 284 2020. Buy tickets here. 

Friday 24

6. Go to Barry’s and feel the burn

Barry’s Bootcamp doesn’t necessarily sound glamorous, but the Californian fitness institution is about as cool as a workout class gets, and it’s now open in Dubai. Set in a dark, red room, the hour-long sesh’ involves 30 minutes of cardio intervals on treadmills and 30 minutes of strength training with weights, resistance bands and more (and, thankfully the tunes are good – and loud). It’s intense, but it’s dark in there so you can remain somewhat anonymous. Leave room for the peanut butter protein shakes post-class. Side note: you can park inside the building for free for three hours, so no need to schlep around and try and find street parking.

Ground floor, Central Park Towers, DIFC. Tel: (04) 254 4775. Dhs80 for your first class. Classes at 9am, 10am and 11am today. More info and bookings on website. 

7. Catch some Greek stand up

British-Greek comedian Katerina Vrana has been dubbed a ‘comedian to watch’ by CNN and you’ll find her at The Music Room in Bur Dubai tonight. Her show is wonderfully titled Feta With The Queen. 

The Music Room, The Majestic Hotel, Bur Dubai. Dhs100, 9.30pm to 3am. Tel: (04) 359 8888. Buy tickets here. 

8. Eat a sushi burger or sushi nachos…

Sushi Counter has been around for a while, but they’ve just opened up in Bay Square in Business Bay and have launched a street food menu in celebration. There’s everything from tuna sushi nachos with hijiki to the pulled beef sushi burger and the cheeto burrito that’s wrapped in Cheetos dust. We imagine you’ll be seeing a lot of the fusion food on Instagram soon…

Bay Square, Building 4, Business Bay. 11am to 11.30pm, daily. Tel: (04) 375 1095. More info and deliveries on website.  

9. Go homeware shopping

Sick of the same old homeware stores in Dubai? Well the good news is that there’s a brand new option in town (and if you’re a fan of hand-glazed bowls and marble knickknacks, we think you’ll be into it). The Scandi-cool store also hosts styling and food workshops so give them a buzz if you fancy booking one in.

Shop 12C, Beach Centre, Jumeirah 1, Dubai, open 11am to 9pm daily, workshop starts at 1oam, limited places. Tel: (04) 265 4666. More info on website.

10. Party all day (and night) long in Fujairah

Dubai party crew Deep Like is going to celebrate 100 parties with 25 hours of non-stop music at Snoopy Island this weekend. They’ll be taking over the Sandy Beach Hotel & Resort – famous for its Snoopy Island backdrop – for a 25-hour musical throw down featuring headliners Animal Trainer and Monolink (live). You can catch the shuttle bus to and from Dubai, enjoy a sunset Friday barbecue, and the 25-hour party for Dhs350. Read more about it here.

Sandy Beach & Resort, Fujairah, 4pm Friday until 5pm Saturday. Dhs300 (including sunset Friday BBQ between 4pm and 7pm), Dhs350 (including sunset Friday BBQ between 4pm and 7pm and shuttle bus to and from Dubai). More info on Facebook.

Saturday 25

11. Have breakfast by the water

Boardwalk, the waterside restaurant at Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, has a brand new breakfast buffet, where guests can tuck into a range of goodies for just Dhs85 – think baked stuff, cereals, fresh fruits, and even special stations where you can ensure your eggs and waffles are cooked to perfection. Sit out on the terrace and soak up the incredible views across the Creek and all the way out to the Downtown skyline.

Boardwalk, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club. Fridays and Saturdays 8am to 11.30am, Dhs85 or Dhs45 for kids aged between 7 and 12. Tel: (04) 295 6000. dubaigolf.com

12. Take the kids to a show

This weekend at the Madinat Theatre you’ll find a stage production of Emily Brown and The Thing, an unusual tale involving life-size puppets, catchy music and plenty of comedy.

Madinat Theatre, Madinat Jumeirah. Show times 10.30am, 2pm and 4.30pm. Tickets from Dhs140. Tel: (04) 366 6546. More info and ticket bookings on website. 

13. Hit the races & see Sia while you’re at it

In a city stacked with superlatives, the Dubai World Cup remains atop the table of the city’s glitziest social calendar entries. There’s plenty of off-field action, from a huge after-concert (SIA!) to the hotly contested Jaguar Style Stakes race. The party is to be found at Apron Views, where tickets cost Dhs450 – this section is home to the infamous Bubble Lounge and a pop-up Barasti bar.

Meydan Racecourse, Nad Al Sheba, Dubai, Dhs25 to Dhs6,750 for packages (yes actually). Tel: (04) 327 2110. Taxi: Meydan Racecourse. More info and tickets on website. 

14. Finish the weekend Italian-style

If a night at the Dubai World Cup is not your jam then why not wind down the weekend with an authentic Italian aperitivo night at the Bussola Terrace. Complimentary nibbles will be passed around for you to enjoy with your drinks, because that’s the Italian way. We can think of very few spots this beautiful to finish off the Dubai weekend.

The Westin Mina Seyahi, Al Sufouh, 7pm to 11pm. Tel: (04) 511 7373. More info on Facebook. 

15. See a Romanian film

Tonight at Al Serkal you’ll be able to catch a Romanian thriller for free from 7pm. Why Me? is a political thriller inspired by the case of Cristian Panait, a Romanian prosecutor who died more than a decade ago. The screening is powered by TIFF – and no, that’s not Toronto, that’s the Transylvania Film Festival.

Al Serkal Avenue, from 7pm, free (first come first seated). More info on Facebook. 

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