20 Things to Do in Dubai This Weekend, Sep 18–20

Dubai's weekends move fast, and this one is packed. Things to do in Dubai this weekend span a Bavarian beer garden that opens tonight, a Mozart ballet closing its run at Dubai Opera, and a half day at Ski Dubai fighting through ice obstacles. Below is the full Dubai weekend guide Sep 18–20, checked against venue listings and ticket platforms, with real prices and real hours

Victoria's Secret Saturdays

Not a ticketed event, but the Victoria's Secret stores at JBR The Beach, Dubai Mall, and Mall of the Emirates run extended Saturday hours, open until midnight at the JBR store. If you want fittings without a weekday rush, Saturday afternoon is genuinely quieter than Saturday evening.

Locations: JBR The Beach, Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates
Hours: JBR store open until midnight on Saturdays

The Ordinary x Sephora

The Ordinary's full range, including the cult favourite Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid serums, is stocked across Sephora's Dubai stores at Dubai Hills, Dubai Festival City, Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, JBR, and Nakheel Mall. Sephora periodically runs in store activations for the brand. If a specific pop up is planned for this weekend, your nearest Sephora counter will have the details on the day.

Locations: Sephora stores across Dubai
Price: The Ordinary products from roughly AED 30

To This Land, We Belong: Emirati Creations World Premiere

The UAE National Orchestra opens its second season with three brand new Emirati compositions, performed live for the first time anywhere. Khalid Nassir's The Founder's Journey, Ali Kano's Homeland Melodies, and Fayez Al Saeed's Lightning, Thunder and Longing, with the full Orchestra and Choir on stage under conductor Ahmed Farag. It played Abu Dhabi first, on September 18, before this Dubai performance closes the run.

Date: Sunday 20 September
Location: Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai
Time: 8 pm, doors open 2 hours prior
Price: From AED 200, some listings show AED 100 to 200
Duration: Around 2 hours with a break

Radhika Das: Lightfall Live

Radhika Das makes his UAE debut tonight at Coca-Cola Arena. He is not a typical touring musician. Think a spiritual teacher who builds a live show around call and response chanting, blending traditional instruments with contemporary production. Fifteen years of shows across more than 30 countries have turned this into genuinely sold out theatre performances, not niche gigs.

Date: Sunday 20 September
Location: Coca-Cola Arena, Al Wasl
Price: From AED 150
Language: Hindi

World Wellness Weekend at Banyan Tree Dubai

During the World Wellness Weekend which takes place every year in September, Banyan Tree Dubai hosts a Wellbeing Studio for its guests and for the wider public for three days in a row. The classes include stretching, breath work, movement, and hands-on skincare treatments and take place twice a day.

Dates: Friday 18 to Sunday 20 September
Location: Banyan Tree Dubai
Price: Free, two sessions daily

Dinosaurs: The Immersive Odyssey

Location: Dubai Festival City Mall, Level 2, North Entrance
Hours: Daily, 10:30am to 9:30pm
Duration: 45 to 60 minutes
Price: From AED 79
Age: 4 and up, under 12s need an adult

Time Out Market

Seventeen kitchens and three bars under one roof at Souk Al Bahar, with a front row seat to the Dubai Fountain shows outside. It is my go-to for a group where nobody can agree on a cuisine. Come hungry and share plates across at least three counters.

Location: Souk Al Bahar, Downtown Dubai
Hours: Lunch through late evening, daily
Price: Pay per dish, no cover charge

Oktoberfest at Ernst Biergarten

Dubai gets its own Oktoberfest tonight. Ernst Biergarten, inside 25hours Hotel One Central, throws open its Bavarian tent from Thursday through Sunday every week until late October. Expect Paulaner on tap, bratwurst, and a genuinely loud Oompah band. I have been on a Saturday night here before and the three litre beer tower is not for the faint hearted.

Dates: September 18 to October 26, Thursday to Sunday
Location: Ernst Biergarten, 25hours Hotel One Central, Trade Centre Street
Price: Saturday German brunch from AED 300 (free flowing drinks), Sunday roast from AED 110
Book: ernstbiergarten.com

Dubai Marina Premium Dhow Cruise

A traditional wooden dhow sails Dubai Marina after dark, past Cayan Tower and the Marina skyline, with a buffet dinner and a Tanoura dance show on board. Boarding is usually around 7:45 pm with an 8 pm departure, and cruises run close to two hours.

Departs: Dubai Marina Harbour, nightly
Duration: Around 2 hours
Price: From roughly AED 215 per adult, without transfer
Includes: International buffet, welcome drink, Tanoura show

DEKA Strong Roadshow

DEKA, the functional fitness brand from the team behind Spartan Race, has been running free preview sessions in Dubai gyms ahead of its full DEKA FIT event at Coca-Cola Arena on September 26. Roadshow stops move between gyms week to week, so this is one to confirm directly with your gym or DEKA's socials before you show up expecting a session this specific weekend.

Format: 10 station indoor functional fitness challenge, no running
Price: From AED 120
Date: Friday, September 18

Bongo's Bingo: Halfway to Paddy's Day

Bongo's Bingo is back at Bla Bla by McGettigan's in Dubai Marina with a St Patrick's Day theme six months early. It is not really about the bingo. It is dance-offs, rave rounds, confetti cannons, and ridiculous prizes. Go with a group, not a date.

Date: Friday 18 September
Location: Bla Bla by McGettigan's (The Tent), Dubai Marina
Price: From AED 150

SUN/SETS at Playa Pacha

Playa Pacha at FIVE LUXE JBR runs its golden hour sessions every Friday, with resident DJs playing Balearic and house as the sun drops over JBR beach. Three pools, direct beach access, and one of the biggest LED screens in the region make it feel more Ibiza than Marina.

Location: Playa Pacha, FIVE LUXE JBR, The Walk JBR
Time: From late afternoon into the evening

EPS Rewired with Lost Stories

Lost Stories, the Mumbai duo behind Bombay Dreams and a run of Tomorrowland sets, blend Indian folk instrumentation with big room electronic production. A Friday night set from them is high energy from the first track. Venue and set times shift by promoter, so check the listing on your ticketing app of choice before you buy.

Act: Lost Stories (Prayag Mehta and Rishab Joshi)
Date: Friday 18 September
Style: Progressive house and future bass with Indian folk sampling

The Marriage of Figaro Ballet

Dubai Opera opens its landmark tenth anniversary season with the Ukrainian National Ballet's adaptation of Mozart's comic opera, and tonight is the closing performance of its three night run. It also marks 270 years since Mozart's birth. Sumptuous costumes, a full orchestral score, and genuinely funny stage business make this one for people who think ballet is not for them.

Dates:
Location: Dubai Opera, Downtown Dubai
Times: 2 pm and 8 pm
Price: From AED 250
Duration: Around 2 hours with an interval

La Perle by Dragone

Franco Dragone's aqua theatre show at Al Habtoor City is still, in my opinion, the single best hour and a half of live entertainment in Dubai. A stage that floods with almost three million litres of water, 25 metre high dives, and 65 performers from 23 countries. It runs Tuesday to Saturday, so tonight and tomorrow are your last chances until next week.

Location: La Perle Theatre, Al Habtoor City, 260 Sheikh Zayed Road
Price: From around AED 220
Duration: 90 minutes

Mother Goose

Magic Phil brings his golden egg pantomime back to Theatre by QE2 for one Saturday only, with two shows so you can pick a morning or afternoon slot. It is loud, silly, and built entirely around audience participation. Bring kids who are not shy about shouting "he's behind you."

Date: Saturday 19 September
Location: Theatre by QE2, Queen Elizabeth 2, Port Rashid
Times: 11am and 3pm
Price: From AED 79
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes including interval

Shukran, UAE: A Concert of Gratitude

Dubai Camerata Singers, a community choir formed in 2017, comprises a diverse group of people that will offer a choral performance paying tribute to the UAE tonight, featuring the true narratives of its members who immigrated to the UAE to build their lives. This is a true and touching idea for a choir performance.

Date: Saturday 19 September
Location: A theatre near Mall of the Emirates
Price: From AED 100

Dubai Mega Luxury Yacht Party

One of the most expensive yachts in Dubai, the Lotus Mega Yacht operates its cruise under the setting sun on Saturday and Sunday. Embarkation is done at 3pm, leaving at 3:30pm, returning at 6pm, and featuring a buffet meal and dancing along with a pool full of 42,000 liters of water.

Days: Saturday and Sunday
Boarding: 3pm, departure 3:30pm, arrival 6pm
Location: Dubai Marina
Price: From around AED 199 to 249 per adult
Duration: 2.5 hours

Ice Warrior Challenge

Ski Dubai's obstacle course race is the coolest way, literally, to end the weekend. More than 20 obstacles, including monkey bars, tyre runs, and net crawls, all inside a sub zero indoor slope at Mall of the Emirates. There is an Elite category for anyone who can finish under 25 minutes, a Ladies Only category, and a Just For Fun group for everyone else.

Date: Sunday 20 September
Location: Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates

Sunday Steak Night at Smoki Moto

Smoki Moto, Dubai's first fully licensed Korean steakhouse at Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, is open Sunday evening on Palm West Beach with its full charcoal grilled Wagyu and Galbi short rib menu. The 180 degree Marina and Palm West Beach view from the terrace is the real draw here. Call ahead to confirm the current Sunday offer, as steakhouse promotions here rotate by season.

Location: Smoki Moto, Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah, Palm West Beach
Hours: Sunday, 5pm to 2am
Cuisine: Korean steakhouse, charcoal grill

Editor's Pick

If I could only do one things from this list, I would go with the weekend with La Perle on Friday night, because a 25 metre dive into a stage that floods with water in seconds is not something you can replicate anywhere else in the city.