The FACT UAE Weekend Guide: 26 to 28 April
Brunches, concerts and theatre shows await.
The final weekend in April is upon us, and with the al fresco dining season comes a whole host of things to look forward to. So start planning your weekend of dining, nightlife and entertainment – you can thank us later.
Friday 26 April
Visit the region’s first neo-culture festival
At BRED Abu Dhabi, visitors can expect a packed agenda of performances by regional and international Hip-Hop and R&B artists, a curated retail experience featuring designs by global streetwear brands, popular street food concepts from across the region, gaming, basketball showdowns, and immersive art displays. The lineup includes British rappers AJ Tracey and J Hus and R&B sensations Don Toliver and Ty Dolla $ign over three days. Friday evening will be headlined by American hip-hop stars Metro Boomin and Offset.
GO: Visit https://bredabudhabi.com for more information.
See Cirque du Soleil’s skating spectacle
Roll up, roll up, a circus is coming to town. Cirque du Soleil is bringing its magical show Crystal to Abu Dhabi for a showcase of jaw-dropping acrobatics, colourful costumes and a winter wonderland, which all comes to life on ice. The set pieces include synchronised skating, freestyle figures and, of course, traditional circus performances from aerial straps to a swinging trapeze. Tickets start from AED 175 and go up to AED 1,500.
GO: Visit https://abu-dhabi.platinumlist.net for more information.
Party at an Old School Hip-Hop Festival
Gin & Juice presents a new event this weekend that will unite fans of the 80s and 90s hip-hop era. Taking place on the shores of Barasti Beach Club, revellers are encouraged to dress up as their favourite old-school hip-hop artist and hit the beach dance floor for a night of nostalgia. Expect BBQ treats, CO2 jet blaster cannons, confetti showers, dance-off competitions and one epic sound system. Friday 26 April from 6pm. AED 100 per person.
GO: Visit https://dubai.platinumlist.net for tickets and more information.
Saturday 27 April
Try the Chef’s Brunch
Experience The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi, Grand Canal’s cosmopolitan Chef’s Brunch, where every dish is meticulously prepared à la minute by the hotel’s world-class chefs. This culinary journey offers gourmet dining from around the world, featuring freshly shucked oysters, pan-fried foie gras, sushi, dumplings, Wagyu beef, and a wide range of seafood options. The possibilities are endless. Available on Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm.
GO: Call 02 818 8203 for reservations and more information.
Enjoy a blast from the past
Bongo’s Bingo is back at Zero Gravity for a nostalgia-fuelled edition of the sell-out event. Head down to the lively poolside venue dressed in your trendiest 2000s attire, and groove to hits like Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ or Britney’s ‘Toxic.’ Expect spontaneous sing-alongs, quirky prizes, and the most energetic bingo game you’ve ever played. Saturday 27 April. AED 150 per person.
GO: Visit https://dubai.platinumlist.net for tickets and more information.
Attend a Masquerave
Music and art combine as the DJ, singer, songwriter and record producer Peggy Gou has announced that she is performing at the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The special show is part of the Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Masquerave festival and will take place on Saturday, 27 April. Her hit songs include 1+1=11, (It Goes Like) Nanana, Starry Night, and I Believe in Love Again, a collaboration with Lenny Kravitz. Revellers at Louvre Abu Dhabi will party while donning a mask inspired by the museum’s latest exhibition, “From Kalila Wa Dimna to La Fontaine: Travelling through Fables.” Tickets start from AED 345 and are available via Platinumlist.
GO: Visit https://abu-dhabi.platinumlist.net for tickets and more information.
Sunday 28 April
Enjoy breakfast at Eleven Green
To celebrate the return of the Dubai Food Festival, the homegrown restaurant Eleven Green has launched “The Diner Experience.” Founders Sultan and Kinda Chatila have crafted a breakfast spread featuring beloved American Diner classics such as breakfast muffins stuffed with wagyu beef, bacon bits and cheese, chorizo hash, buttermilk pancakes, sticky pecan buns, and cinnamon rolls. Complement your meal with free-flowing black coffee and fresh orange juice, courtesy of Cypher Urban Roastery. Available on Sunday, 28 April, from 9am to 11am. AED 150 per person.
GO: Visit @eleven.green.uae for reservations and more information.
Experience Dubai’s first Slavic banya
A new Slavic spa has opened on Bluewaters, offering the first fully equipped traditional Banya in the UAE. Banya Forrest features two saunas (including the largest banya in the MENA region), two cold plunge pools, traditional ice bucket showers, a snow room and a restaurant. The space can accommodate 70 guests at one time, and the traditional treatments include a body scrub, body wash and massages.
GO: Visit www.banyaforrest.com for more information.
Be serenaded by Boyz II Men
Dubai, we have some sweet news. The American hitmakers Boyz II Men are coming to the city. Boyz II Men’s hit songs include End of The Road, It’s So Hard To Say Goodbye to Yesterday, and Motownphilly. The group have collaborated with famous faces, from Jimmy Jam to Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, but it was their duet with Mariah Carey that hit the big time. One Sweet Day spent sixteen weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Over their three-decade career, they have won four Grammy Awards, nine American Music Awards, nine Soul Train Awards, three Billboard Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
GO: Visit https://dubai.platinumlist.net for tickets and more information.
