Get ready to celebrate the very best of the region’s nightlife…

After a rollercoaster of a year, we’re delighted to announce the new date for the What’s On Nightlife Awards 2020. DTCM has announced the return of events under new safety measures and we can’t wait to reward the incredible nightlife industry of the UAE for all of their hard work.

Whether you’re looking for the hottest festivals, clubs, bars or DJs, What’s On Nightlife has the party people covered. And over the last year and a half, we’ve been rating, reviewing and getting the low down on the region’s best nightlife, to bring you the What’s On Nightlife Awards 2020.

The Nightlife Awards recognises the faces and places that make Dubai such a wonderful – and varied – playground for party people. They give a well-deserved pat on the back to those who’ve put their heart and soul into pushing the nightlife scene forward, those responsible for creating amazing experiences and giving us memories that’ll be talked about for time to come.

Taking place on Tuesday November 3 at the stunning White Beach at Atlantis, The Palm, we’ll be revealing the top movers and shakers from across the industry – and we want you there! There are 19 categories covering venues, events and individuals – Best Live Venue, Best Concert and Best Festival through to Best Local Band, Best DJ and Best International DJ Set. The categories recognise all the top people and places that make the UAE’s nightlife scene one of the best in the world.

The exciting awards event will be your chance to mingle with everyone who’s anyone in Dubai, from DJs, producers, promoters and record label bosses to talent bookers and venue managers.

We’re taking every measure possible to ensure that our favourite night of the year is as safe and fun as possible. Seats will be allocated at tables, which will be spread across the outdoor venue at least two metres apart.

What’s On’s panel of experts and editors pick the majority of winners. This involves intensive research mostly conducted on dance floors. Boo-hoo for us, right? Four categories were open to a public vote, which has now closed – Best Ladies’ Night, Best Ladies’ Day, Best Party Brunch and Best Evening Brunch.

You can find all the details on the event of the year right here: whatson.ae/nightlife-awards

Here are the final nominees for the What’s On Nightlife Awards 2020… 

BEST LADIES’ NIGHT

Another Bar Dubai

BASE Dubai

Can’t Tame Her at Billionaire Mansion

Cargo

Clam Jam at The Maine JBR

Crazy Rich Ladies Night at Maiden Shanghai

DSTRKT at SKY2.0

Dulce Maria at Toro Toro

Equal Ladies (and Gents) Night at Asia de Cuba

Girls Just Want to Have Fun at Lucky Voice

Go Geisha at Asia Asia

Grapeskin

High Heels at BOA

Jenny from the Block at Soul Street

Just Fine Cuts at STK Dubai JBR

Ladies’ Club at Café Belge DIFC

Ladys and Boys at Mr Miyagi’s Media One

Leonardo Dubai

Margarita Mondays at La Carnita

Nippon Bottle Company

Nola

Scandalous at SoBe

Soho Social at Soho Garden

Taste at Drai’s Dubai

The Penthouse

The TAP HOUSE

Toy Room

UNDRGROUND at White

Vault

BEST PARTY BRUNCH

Belgian Cafe Souk Madinat Jumeirah

Brunch Out Loud at Lucky Voice

Brunchology at Yalumba

Bubbalicious at The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi Beach Resort & Marina

Cartagena Brunch at Hotel Cartagena

Dare to Brunch at STK Dubai Downtown

Dim Sum Disco at Maiden Shanghai

El Secreto Brunch at La Carnita

Hidden Brunch at Treehouse

Iris Dubai

Let’s Babiole at Babiole

Mega Yacht Brunch

Palm Sugar Brunch at W Dubai – The Palm

Saffron Brunch at Atlantis, The Palm

Secret Circus Brunch at Paru

Secret Garden Brunch at Flair 5

Sundown Brunch by LUV Events at Seven Sisters Dubai

Supernatural at Zero Gravity

The BIG FAT Brunch at Lock Stock and Barrel JBR

The Warehouse Brunch at WAREHOUSE LOUNGE, Le Meridien Dubai

Wanderlust at JW Marriott Marquis

Wok & Roll Brunch at Mr Miyagi’s Media One

BEST LADIES’ DAY

Andreea’s Beach Club

Blissful Beauties at RIVA Beach Dubai

Candypants Pool Brunch at The Penthouse

Daysies Ladies Day at White Beach

Ladies Who DRIFT at DRIFT Beach Dubai

Not Another Ladies’ Day at Wet Deck Dubai

Pool Tribe at Azure Beach

Ladies Tuesdays at Nikki Beach Dubai

Secret Ladies Day at Praia

Rose All Day at Cove Beach Dubai

Rosemore at Villamore

Zero Gravity

BEST EVENING BRUNCH

Anonymous Sunday at Cavalli Club

Asian Invasion at Miss Tess

Billionaire Mansion

Blushing Dragon Evening Brunch at Karma Kafe Dubai

Club Inc at Zero Gravity

Dare to Brunch – The Night Time Edition at STK Dubai JBR

GLAM Thursday Night Brunch at The Loft at Dubai Opera

Mad Mondays at Alice Lounge

Saturdaze Sundowners at Junipers

Shades of Play at PLAY LOUNGE

Skyline Thursdays at The Penthouse

The Hideout

The Stage Brunch at Jazz PizzaExpress, Dubai

Thursday Night Brunch at McGettigans JLT

WeBrunch: After Dark at Accents

Wok & Roll at Mr Miyagi’s Media One

BEST DJ

Adam Cotier

Adam Graca

Adam J

Bachir Salloum

Dany Neville

DJ Bliss

Drew Moreland

Frederick Stone

Jixo & Danz

KayteK

Mademoiselle Sabah

Mar+Mer

Milko Moustache

Natalie Brogan

Paul Svenson

Scott Forshaw

BEST LOCAL BAND/ACT

About Last Night Band

Adam Baluch

Aman Sheriff

As Per Casper

Bibi Luna

Boxtones

Carl and the Red Mafia

Clarita de Quiroz

Danny Aridi

Gari Deegan

Hollaphonic

Jaymie Deville

Jamie Wrecs

Jaye & Foe

Jindi

Omar Dean

Shaun Warner

Stephon Lamar

Svengali

Vandalye

BEST INTERNATIONAL DJ SET

Black Coffee at BASE

Boris Brejcha at Code

Carl Cox at Soho Beach

Diplo at BASE

DJ EZ at Zero Gravity

Marco Carola at Soho Garden

Matin Solveig at Zero Gravity

Peggy Gou at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE

Rudimental at Groove on the Grass

Solomun at Soho Beach

BEST FESTIVAL

All Day I Dream at Soho Beach

Elrow at Soho Beach

Emirates Airline Jazz Festival

Groove on the Grass

LUVYA at Five Palm

On.DXB

Party in the Park

Redfest DXB

Sole DXB

Wake Up Call

BEST CONCERT/GIG

The 1975 at Coca-Cola Arena

Kylie Minogue at Sevens

Westlife at Coca-Cola Arena

Passenger at Dubai Opera

Hacienda Classical at Dubai Opera

Mariah Carey at Burj Park

Craig David at Barasti

Eminem at Du Arena

Bruno Mars at Du Arena

Lewis Capaldi at Al Majaz Amphitheatre Sharjah

Red Hot Chilli Peppers at Du Forum

Robbie Williams at The Pointe

James Arthur at Zero Gravity

Ne-Yo at White Beach

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE (under 1,500 pax capacity)

Bagatelle

Cove Beach

Hard Rock Café

Iris

Lock, Stock and Barrel JBR

Lucky Voice

Moe’s on the 5th

Music Hall

Jazz@PizzaExpress JLT

Rotunda

The Baggot, McGettigans JLT

The Fridge at Alserkal

The Irish Village Garhoud

Treehouse

BEST PUB/SPORTS BAR

Bidi Bondi

Bridgewater Tavern

Cargo

Dhow & Anchor

Dubliner’s

Fibber Mcgee’s

Garden on 8

Lock Stock and Barrel JBR

McGettigan’s JLT

Nezessausi Grill, Dubai Marina

Offside

Spike Bar

Stoke House

The 44

The Duck Hook

The Eloquent Elephant

The Hideout

The Irish Village Garhoud

The Lion by Nick and Scott

The Underground

BEST BEACH CLUB

Andreea’s

Azure Beach

Barasti

Beach by FIVE

Cove Beach

DRIFT Beach Dubai

La Piscina Palazzo Versace

Nikki Beach Dubai

Paradise Beach

Summersalt

Train Beach Club

Wet Deck

White Beach

Zero Gravity

BEST OUTDOOR BAR

Barasti

Cielo

Flair 5

Folly by Nick and Scott

Grapeskin Courtyard

Iris

Jetty Lounge

LookUp Rooftop Bar

Luna Sky Bar

Mercury Lounge

Pure Sky Lounge

Siddharta Lounge

SoBe

Soho Garden

The Penthouse

Treehouse

View by Dusit

BEST NEWCOMER: NIGHTCLUB

Code

HIVE

Mantis

Skorpeus

SKY2.0

BEST NEWCOMER: BAR

A.E.R.

Amazonico

Americano

Antika

CÉ LA VI

Havana Social Club

Iris

Paru

Puerto 99

St. Trop

The Bungalow

BAR OF THE YEAR

Flair 5

Grapeskin

Lock Stock and Barrel JBR

Mercury Lounge

Mr Miyagi’s Media One

Nola

Seven Sisters

Siddharta Lounge

SoBe

Soho Garden

The Hideout Dubai

The London Project

The Penthouse

Treehouse

Wavehouse

CLUB OF THE YEAR

1OAK

BASE

Billionaire Mansion

BOA

Drai’s Dubai

Industrial Avenue

The Hatch

Toy Room

White Dubai