No alcohol will be served from 5.30pm on Friday, November 8 to 6.30pm on Saturday, November 9…

Heads up, Dubai authorities have confirmed there’s going to be a dry night in Dubai this weekend.

A circular issued to hotels and restaurants across the city by the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) advised that licensed venues must refrain from serving alcohol as of 5.30pm on Friday, November 8 to 6.30pm on Saturday, November 9.

The dry night falls the day before the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday, which makes Saturday November 9 a public holiday, if you normally work on Saturdays.
The following public holiday will be a five-day weekend at the start of December, with Commemoration Day being marked on Sunday December 1, and the 48th UAE National Day public holiday running over Monday December 2 and Tuesday December 3. Work will then resume on Wednesday December 4.

ALSO READ: Here is the full list of UAE public holidays for 2020

What is dry night?

Here’s an explainer: during dry night, no alcohol is served across Dubai and the UAE for 25 hours. This applies to all outlets including hotels, which means you won’t be served alcoholic drinks at all after 5.30pm on Friday November 8 until 6.30pm on Saturday November 9.

No alcohol will be displayed in bars of restaurants either and some outlets remain closed for the entire period.

In Abu Dhabi, the government announced in June 2018 that licensed outlets are permitted to continue selling alcohol on all religious occasions.

— For the best of Dubai straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter.

Image: Getty