9 Cool Things To Do This April
HEAR SOME HOUSE HITS:
Elrow XXL
Just before the inevitable Dubai heat hits, enjoy a night of dance music at Elrow, the outdoor music festival that returns to the city on Saturday 13th April. Following its Middle East debut in 2023 with Idris Elba on the decks, this year sees Elrow enlist the services of Australian music producer Fisher. Also on the bill are DJ and record producer Eats Everything, DJ Arielle Free, De La Swing – famous for 2021’s ‘Break The Mirror’ – and Spanish DJ/producer Toni Varga.
Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
Visit ElrowDubai.com
LAUGH AT:
The Dubai Comedy Festival
The UAE has always been a popular stop for comedians on tour and this April, Dubai Opera will welcome three high-profile comics as part of the Dubai Comedy Festival. First, TV star Katherine Ryan offers her musings on life in her Battleaxe tour on Friday 12th April; then sharp-witted comedy veteran Frank Skinner performs his sell-out UK show 30 Years of Dirt on Monday 15th April. Wrapping up is Al Murray, who revives his wildly popular Pub Landlord character on Tuesday 16th April.
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Downtown Dubai
Visit DubaiComedyFest.ae
EAT FRENCH CLASSICS:
La Maison Ani
At more than 12m sq ft, Dubai Mall has a lot of ground to cover. Keep your energy levels high for a shopping expedition with breakfast at La Maison Ani, a beautiful French eatery in Fashion Avenue that welcomes diners from 9.30am, giving you just enough time to enjoy a croissant before the boutiques open at 10am. Created by charismatic chef Izu Ani, the conservatory style restaurant bakes fresh pastries and bread every morning before sliding effortlessly into favourite French dishes for lunch and dinner.
Ground Floor, Fashion Avenue, Dubai Mall
Visit LaMaisonAniByChefIzu.com
GET THERE BEFORE RAMADAN ENDS:
Suhoor at Four Seasons, DIFC
With its elegant interiors, tranquil atmosphere and thoughtfully chosen selection of coffee table books, Penrose Lounge in Four Seasons, DIFC is a haven amid the hustle and bustle of Dubai’s financial district. It’s the ideal destination, therefore, for suhoor as Ramadan draws to a close. From 8.30pm-2am every night, guests can take a table on the terrace and enjoy a peaceful meal with friends and family while soaking up the views of Burj Khalifa and Downtown. Suhoor at Penrose Lounge is priced at AED 330 for a set menu, shisha, and Arabic coffee; AED 210 for the set menu; and AED 195 per person for groups of eight or more choosing the set menu and Arabic coffee.
Trade Centre, DIFC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Visit FourSeasons.com
DANCE ALL NIGHT:
White Festival
The luxury yachts berthed at Dubai Harbour will be bobbing a little more than usual when White Festival turns on its speakers. South African DJ Black Coffee is the headline act at the spectacular dance music event that takes over the picturesque Dubai Harbour near the Palm and Bluewaters Island this year. Around 15,000 party people are expected to attend the award-winning festival on Saturday 20th April to enjoy Black Coffee’s addictive Afrobeat sound.
Dubai Harbour
Visit RA.co
SOAK UP SAUDI HERITAGE:
Mansard Riyadh, A Radisson Collection Hotel
With its regal Parisian-style facade, Mansard Riyadh has set a new benchmark for the city’s architecture. Set in Ar Rabi close to the financial district, this impressive hotel is a good base from which to explore the cafés in the nearby neighbourhood of Hittin. The hotel is also conveniently located just 9km from Ad Diriyah, the birthplace of the first Saudi state, and an important meeting point through history for pilgrims and travelling merchants. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, Ad Diriyah includes the old city, mosques and a marketplace that will help visitors understand the role this ancient city played in the story of Saudi Arabia.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Road, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Visit RadissonHotels.com
RE-IGNITE YOUR MINDSET:
Steven Bartlett
If you’re stuck in a rut and could do with some inspiration, spending an hour in the company of Steven Bartlett might be just the tonic. The entrepreneur, Diary of a CEO podcast host and author brings his motivational stage show The Business & Life Speaking Tour to Dubai on Sunday 21st April. Off the back of his bestselling book The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business & Life, Bartlett will share his lessons and secrets to cultivating an unshakeable mindset and a roadmap for success.
Coca-Cola Arena, City Walk
Visit StevenBartlett.com
SING ALONG TO 90s BALLADS:
Boyz II Men
Relive those end-of-the-night anthems from Boyz II Men at their Dubai gig this month. During a 30-year career, the soulful quartet has sold around 60m albums and recorded hits such as ‘End Of The Road’, ‘I’ll Make Love to You’, and ‘One Sweet Day’. Now down to three members, the multiple Grammy winners will play all the hits on Sunday 28th April – plus, there are rumours of a biopic movie in the pipeline.
Coca-Cola Arena, City Walk
Visit Coca-Cola-Arena.com
SEE ETHIOPIAN ART:
Henok Melkamzer: Telsem Symbols and Imagery
Seeing the Ethiopian art form of telsem for the first time is an experience – artist Henok Melkamzer suggests looking at the multicoloured tangle of numbers, patterns, words and symbols from the centre and moving your eye outwards. This month, until Sunday 16th June at Sharjah Art Museum, Melkamzer presents more than 100 teslem canvases that draw upon astrology, religion and spirituality to address critical problems in the modern world such as climate crisis, conflict and poverty. Well worth a visit.
Al Shuwaihean, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Visit SharjahArt.org
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