August might have brought the rest of the world a global heatwave but it’s blessed Dubai’s baking-hot weather with thunderstorms. It’s also brought with it the realisation that 2023 is entering its last leg and vacation season is coming to a close. But we’re not going to delve into the passage of time or that Halloween is around the corner. We’ll appreci-eight the eighth month for all the amazing activities and things to do in Dubai this August.
1. Delight your inner swiftie at this Taylor Swift tribute concert in Dubai
If you’ve been feeling like an old cardigan because the Eras Tours has announced dates for every city imaginable except Dubai, cheer up. Swifties in the UAE have banded together to throw a tribute experience called Lavender Night on August 12 at Roll DXB. Their motto? If Blondie won’t come to Dubai, Dubai will create its own Lavender Haze and forgo the FOMO. Fair enough! This one’s going to be a raucously fun night out to attend with your BFF and sing out loud till you’re hoarse. Find ticket details here.
2. Eat your way around the world at this street food festival in Burjuman Mall
Burjuman Mall’s free-to-enter Street Food Festival is back for a second inning after it won over Dubai’s foodies with the first edition in 2022. Running until August 28, the entire Pavilion Garden of the mall on Level 3 will be transformed into a world of cuisines and also include a dash of entertainment. Find details here
3. Immerse yourself in the works of Van Gogh at this digital art experience
Ever wondered how Van Gogh was inspired to create the iconic Starry Night painting? Now you can enter the mind of the maestro and enter his paintings too in Dubai this August. Well, sorta! The 360-degree immersive Van Gogh x Japan exhibition at the Theatre of Digital Art (TODA) in Madinat Jumeirah lets you do all that and more. Besides snapping some stunning pictures, this educative exhibit also is a crash course in how the Japanese woodblock painting Ukiyo-e influenced Van Gogh’s work. The immersive experience offers additional sessions of Japanese tea ceremonies, Ikebana flower arrangement workshops and the art of Haiku sessions. Get your tickets here
4-6. Escape into these enchanting candlelight concerts for a melodious evening
What’s as bright (if not brighter) than the summer sun but a helluva lot more soothing? A candlelight concert is what. A sea of LED candles will bathe you in a cool glow as gifted musicians play instrumental renditions of classical and popular music. Date nights, team bonding outings, or even a self-care day to recharge those batteries – these breathtaking musical events cater to them all.
🕯️August 19: Italian composer Ludovico Einaudi’s mesmerising scores have transfixed audiences worldwide. This candlelight tribute concert will see pianist Magdalena Wajdzik bring his hauntingly beautiful compositions to life at the Grand Maximilian Ballroom in Raffles The Palm. Expect to sink into the melancholy of Golden Butterflies, the soaring inspirational tunes Fly and Una Matina from the soundtrack of the hit French movie The Intouchables and more.
Click for tickets for two sessions at 7:30pm and 9:30pm.
🎹 August 20: The next day sees pianist Magda tinkle the ivories to recreate the masterful music of Beethoven at the same venue: Grand Maximilian Ballroom in Raffles The Palm. You’ll hear the familiar tinkling tunes of Fur Elise, a score synonymous with ‘classical music’ as well as the more complex Symphony No.5 and Moonlight Sonata. Get tickets for the 7:30pm show.
⛩️ August 20: At 9:30pm later that evening, you’ll be spirited away into the imagined realms of popular anime films at the Best of Anime concert. A pianist will play classical covers of soundtracks from timeless Studio Ghibli gems such as Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle as well as manga-based anime shows like Naruto and Parasyte. Get tickets here
7. Laugh your guts out at this standup special by Dubai-based comic Yash Bhardwaj
Here’s the thing about culture shock – it’s rife with tragicomedy. Mining for the funny in the flabbergasting is comedian Yash Bhardwaj’s new standup special ‘Expat of Arabia’. On August 18, you can catch the Indian expat at Social Distrikt sharing side-splitting anecdotes about his experience of moving to Dubai, interacting with people from different corners of the world and the epic (mis)adventures it leads to. The show also includes sets by up-and-coming Dubai comics like Noha Bashir, Adi Thomas, and Abdalla Hassan
Show starts at 7:30pm; get tickets here
8. Enter a frozen wonderland at the SALT Fridge summer pop-up
With the kind of weather we’ve been surviving these last two months, shoving our heads inside a refrigerator is a thought that crossed all our minds. The creative folks over at Salt have done one better and gifted us with a fridge-themed summer pop-up called Salt Fridge. The immersive set-up has given their Kite Beach outlet a makeover to look inside of the household appliance. Cooling fans with bursts of cold mists, ice bags offered to visitors at the entrance and delicious ice creams and frozen yoghurts to dig into once you’re inside the icy blue tones make this the perfect spot to bolt away in all summer. Chill at this pop-up in Dubai all through August until the first week of September.
9-16. Celebrate Indian Independence Day with these amazing dining deals
Indian Independence Day is celebrated on August 15. An array of Indian eateries around the city are marking the occasion in Dubai this August with delicious deals and innovative new dishes available for a limited amount of time. From menus inspired by famous Indian athletes to tricoloured dishes that combine patriotism and photogenic food. Click here for full list.
17. Let out your inner artist and this paint-and-sip event
French brasserie Couqley is hosting a Paint and Grape session in Dubai August 13 for budding and veteran artists to wine away the worries of the week while expressing their emotions on a canvas. The three-hour event will be held at their dreamy Business Bay outlet under the guidance of an art teacher from We Love Art. Participants can sip on two glasses of wine or opt for 3 non-alcoholic beverages as they create their own masterpieces. Choose from themes of Paris, Abstract Embrace or Bigger Splash. Artists also have the choice to build on pre-sketched canvases and materials will be provided.
From 4pm to 7pm; AED 390 per person. Book your spot here
18. Float around in a pool and watch a film at this dive-in cinema experience
The Greenroom at Sports City is making a splash with its unique movie night that lets you sit around in a pool or just poolside on beanbags as a giant projector screens your fave flicks. Every Friday night, you can book in for the fun dive-in cinema experience and cool off in the pool while also enjoying drinks, snacks and popcorn all for AED 150. To find out which movie’s playing this month, click here.
19. Travel to Hawaii without leaving Dubai at this fun summer pop-up
Saddle Cafe’s summer makeovers are social media gold that Dubai residents wait for with bated breaths. This year, the homegrown cafe’s summer pop-up decor in the Al Wasl branch will transport you to the Aloha spirit of Hawaii. The tropical decor here is matched by a tropical menu that truly captures the Aloha spirit with coconut milkshakes, pineapple and coconut ice creams and a quenching Hawaiian refresher mocktail.
20. Get groovy at Barast’s Disco-themed summer tent
The veteran nightspot in Dubai Marina is back again with its eagerly awaited summer tent. An annual fixture with unique themes, 2022’s rainforest-themed pool and garden, has been upgraded to a Disco Tropicana tent. Wild foliage mixes in with the razzle-dazzle of disco-era bling and a ton of brunches, happy hours and pool deals make it a winning concept.
21. Hop on a free tuk-tuk ride at Alserkal Aveue
The cute little electric three-wheeler will be a permanent fixture at the Al Quoz arts and culture district until August 31. The idea is to save visitors from having to walk around in the scorching heat while they move around the arts and culture hub carrying around their shopping or takeaway meals. There’s always the added advantage of the tuk-tuk being an adorable prop for some really cool snaps for your social media. Find more info here
22-23. Cut late-night laps in these beautiful Dubai pools staying open late for summer
The city’s glamorous pools are turning nocturnal to beat the heat with extended pool hours. Safe from the sweltering sun you can enjoy fabulous swims in Dubai all through this August.
🌊 LookUp Rooftop Bar at La Ville Hotel and Suites in City Walk has a new ‘Dip in the Dark’ pool pass. For just AED 150 per person, you can enjoy late-night swims while drinking in the glittering views of Burj Khalifa and the Dubai skyline. The best part? AED 100 of that AED 150 fee is redeemable on food and drinks!
From 7am to 10pm; call 4 403 3111 or email: ak.dxblv.rest.reservations@autographhotels.com
🩱W Mina Seyahi’s boho-chic restaurant Ginger Moon has opened up its pool for night-time swims on Friday and Saturday. The Tulum-inspired venue has some of the best views of the Dubai Marina skyline and a pool deck to chill out with delicious grub once you feel peckish after your swim. The Moon Swim package costs AED 245 per person and gets you bite-sized dishes such as tuna nachos, fried watermelon and calamari. Drinks such as signature tequila-based Paloma cocktails, wine and sangria pitchers are included too.
From 8pm-1am; call 04 350 9998
24. Take the kids to dabble in fun science experiments at Astro Lab sessions in Ibn Battuta Mall and Cirlce Mall.
Maybe they’ll grow up to be mad scientists, maybe they won’t. But the curious kids in your life will have mad fun at the Astro Lab sessions in Ibn Battuta Mall this summer. From August 18 to September 3, kids can go wild with robot building, LEGO robotics, 3D printing and mincecraft activities. There’ll also be actual Mad Scientist performances as crazy geniuses will display smoke vortices, levitate beach balls, and get rolls of toilet paper to soar high up and float.
Free activities for all; from 2pm to 10 pm
25. Unleash your competitive spirit with axe-throwing at Boom Battle Bar
The Dubai outpost of the popular UK entertainment bar Boom Battle Bar has launched in JBR and it’s been getting a lot of buzz, rightly so. You can pair fun games such as axe-throwing, augmented reality darts and crazier golf with an array of street food bites and drinks. Meanwhile, a DJ plays solid tunes in the background. Did we mention even their toilets turn into a disco at the press of a button? Find prices and details here
26-30. Treat the women in your life with these 5 Emirati Women’s Day deals
Emirati Women’s Day falls on August 28 and the city’s coming up with a variety of offers on things to do in Dubai to champion and pamper the brilliant women in your life. Or even yourself!
💅 Raffles The Palm has a special afternoon tea and spa experience for Emirati Women’s Day. Grab your gals and relish a 30-minute oud back massage followed by a 60-minute henna body scrub at the Cinq Mondes Spa. Afterwards, a signature Royal Afternoon Tea experience awaits you. This Royal Emirati Women’s Day package costs AED 599 and is available from August 26 to September 2.
Call 04 248 8888 or visit www.rafflesthepalmdubai.com
🧴 Address Beach Resort and Oo La Lab perfumery have teamed up to offer a perfume-making class on August 26 for Emirati Women’s Day. The workshop will help ladies activate their olfactory senses and find a scent that defines them. Afterwards, exercise your sense of taste at a lovely afternoon tea featuring Emirati Women’s Day-inspired sweet and savoury treats.
From 3pm to 6pm; AED 499 per person. Register your spot here
🧁 Macaron mavens Ladurée have created a special tiara collection of macarons for Emirati Women’s Day. The powder pink gift box by the Parisian patisserie includes an assortment of 12 signature macarons celebrating the femininity and strength of Emirati women.
AED 210 per box; various locations
Find full list here
31-45. Support these Emirati owned Women’s businesses and champion amazing women
What better way to celebrate Emirati Women’s Day on August 28 than getting to know of (and supporting) cool cafes, stores and clothing run by ladies of the UAE? From girl bosses running haute couture brands to trailblazing restaurateurs, bakers, jewellery designers and more. Find the full list here