Summer starts on a high note this July with the hotly anticipated arrival of Dubai Summer Surprises. Get your shopping wish list ready for incredible bargains at malls across the city and pack your bags for luxurious staycations at a bargain. This weekend also has plenty in store for the creative souls, while sports stars in the making will discover their summer haven. Here are the top seven things to do this weekend.
Plan a shopping spree
You know it’s summer when the electric blues and sunny yellows of Dubai Summer Surprises take over the city. Your favourite shopping season is back with seven weeks of amazing discounts, unbeatable staycation offers, attractive raffle prizes and more family fun than you could ever imagine. Kick off the festivities with a dazzling light show at Burj Khalifa, complemented by a bespoke choreography for The Dubai Fountain below and scintillating fireworks above. Soon after, a 12-hour flash sale is taking over select Majid Al Futtaim malls, with discounts of 25% to 90% from 10am until 10pm.
When: 9 July
Where: Citywide
Have fun, get fit
Fitness always comes first in Dubai, which is even home to a dedicated fitness festival every November. For anyone wondering when the changing temperatures will hit pause on their favourite sports, don’t worry. Dubai Sports World brings all your favourite activities, whether it's cricket or football, volleyball or table tennis, to 25,000sqm of air-conditioned space. Book a friendly match between friends, join in competitive championships or improve your skills with instructor-led classes – there’s something on the schedule for everyone.
When: 8 July - 3 October
Where: Dubai World Trade Centre
Stay in focus
Have dreams of becoming an Oscar-winning filmmaker like Wes Anderson? Attend Gulf Photo Plus’s introduction to video editing workshop, and you’re that much closer to making it a reality. Led by Wilbur Smith, this two-day workshop will teach you the basics of video editing from understanding lenses and frame rates to isolating sound, stabilising your camera and much more. Take notes on how music and transitions are key to evocative storytelling while getting hands-on experience all the way through. Register soon as classes are capped at 50% occupancy to maintain social distancing.
When: 10 - 11 July
Where: Gulf Photo Plus
Pick up a paintbrush
Let the fine artist within you find a voice at thejamjar’s fourth and final acrylic painting workshop on Saturday. Set around the theme ‘Hourglass’, this immersive session invites anyone ages 12 years and older to learn tricks to blending, shading and texturing with an instructor. If portraiture is more to your liking, thejamjar is also hosting a workshop later that afternoon where you can study and recreate the human form in the presence of a live model. Explore the angles and shadows that bring the human face to life, while your instructor gives you pointers to turn your work into a masterpiece.
When: 11 July
Where: thejamjar, Alserkal Avenue
Discover unique finds
If you’re in the market for one-of-a-kind gems, this is your ticket. One of Dubai’s leading markets highlighting local vendors and small businesses, Ripe Market is hosting a pop-up at the trendy Nakheel Mall. Check out fashions, jewellery, home accessories and more here, which you’ll be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. Peruse the kiosks to explore truly memorable and thoughtful gifts for loved ones or pick up pieces that will stand out in every crowd.
When:19 June - 24 October
Where: Nakheel Mall
Weave a masterpiece
If art classes at thejamjar and Gulf Photo Plus aren’t enough to fulfil your creative imagination, you’re still in luck. The Workshop Dubai, which is a concept store, art gallery and cafe in Jumeirah, regularly hosts truly unique artist-led sessions. This Friday, you can learn the patient art of punch needling, a technique which uses yarn to embroider vibrant images or uplifting messages on taut fabric. Or, return on Saturday when Sanaa Merchant shows you how to create Dubai’s breathtaking shoreline using resin.
When: 10 - 11 July
Where: The Workshop Dubai
Attend a talent show
Find the magic of a live show on your laptop screen by booking yourself a virtual seat to the Rhythm Show. You and your family can watch talented dancers perform acrobatics and synchronised routines to upbeat songs from around the world. Enjoy exclusive, front-row access to all the action for just AED20, and you can even vote your favourite performer on to the next round. This show airs online every Friday at 9pm, giving you something remarkable to look forward to at the end of every week.
When: 10 July
Where: Online
