Must-see entertainment in Dubai

  • Cinema Akil

    Downtown Dubai

    Treating cine buffs to smart indie flicks from around the world on a pop-up basis since 2014, this dynamic platform has now taken up permanent residence…

  • Dubai Opera

    Downtown Dubai

    Shaped like a traditional dhow – the sailing vessels that still ply the Gulf – Dubai Opera is the city's newest high-calibre performing-arts venue…

  • Reel Cinemas

    Downtown Dubai

    Reel is one of the top flick-magnets in town, screening mostly Hollywood blockbusters. It has 22 screens, including one featuring a state-of-the-art Dolby…

  • La Perle by Dragone

    Downtown Dubai

    A custom-designed theatre with a 270-degree angle makes for perfect sight lines even in the cheaper seats of this magical show centred on an aquatic stage…

  • Meydan Racecourse

    Downtown Dubai

    Dubai racing’s home is the spectacular Meydan Racecourse, about 5km southeast of downtown Dubai. Spanning 1.5km, its grandstand is bigger than most…

  • Courtyard Playhouse

    Downtown Dubai

    This 70-seat community theatre (plus bean bags on busy nights) puts on a busy schedule of improv, stand-up comedy, kids theatre and live broadcasts from…

  • Jamjar

    Downtown Dubai

    This community art space exhibits contemporary art by emerging local and international talent as well as being a DIY painting studio. If you're feeling…

  • Vox Mall of the Emirates

    Dubai

    This multiplex boasts 24 screens, including a 4D cinema with motion chairs, and wind, light and water effects; the region's first IMAX laser cinema; a…

  • Blue Bar

    Downtown Dubai

    Cool cats of all ages gather in this relaxed joint for some of the finest live jazz and blues in town, along with a full, reasonably priced bar line-up…

  • Junction

    Downtown Dubai

    Since 2015 this pint-sized indie performing-arts space has hosted some of Dubai's most exciting cultural programming, from plays to concerts and comedy to…

  • Fridge

    Downtown Dubai

    Part of the Alserkal Avenue cultural campus, this talent-management agency runs a much beloved concert series (usually on Fridays) that shines the…

  • Movies Under the Stars

    Bur Dubai

    Every Sunday night during the cooler months, clued-in cinephiles invade the rooftop of the Pyramids Building, next to the Wafi Mall, to drop into a giant…

  • Roxy Cinemas

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    Watch your favourite movie kicking back in plush seating and with the latest hi-tech surround sound. International alternative films are also screened…

  • Al Marmoum Camel Racetrack

    Dubai

    If you want to experience a deeply rooted Emirati tradition, head to a camel race. The closest track to Dubai is Al Marmoum, about 40km south en route to…

  • Madinat Theatre

    Dubai

    The program at this handsome 442-seat theatre at Souk Madinat Jumeirah is largely calibrated to the cultural cravings of British expats. Expect plenty of…

  • MusicHall

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    It's not a theatre, not a club, not a bar and not a restaurant – the lavishly designed MusicHall is all those things. The concept hails from Beirut, where…

  • Jazz@PizzaExpress

    Dubai Marina & Palm Jumeirah

    It's really a pizza joint tucked amid residential high-rises, but this pretence-free place gets hopping just about nightly with open-mic jam sessions,…

  • Reel Cinemas

    Dubai

    This family-geared cinema, with beanbags and kid-friendly snacks, is located at the new Springs Souk shopping mall, a 15-minute taxi ride from the Nakheel…

More destinations you need to see