It’s a long weekend – yay! With it being the start of December and the time to celebrate the UAE’s 45th National Day there’s a lot on.

Here are your next four days sorted. Enjoy your break team, we’re sure it’s well deserved…

Wednesday 30

1. Spend the day at Zero Gravity (and get in free)

On Wednesday November 30, Zero Gravity will have free beach and pool access for the first 300 people who secure their place on its guest list (just email guestlist@0-gravity.ae). The club will also have brunch promotions throughout the weekend and a party on the Saturday. Find more about those on Zero Gravity’s Facebook.

Zero Gravity, Al Sufouh, Dubai, 10am to 1am. Free access today if you reserve quick enough. Tel: (04) 399 0009. More event info on Facebook.

2. Take a stroll around the new Market at The Beach

Fancy starting your festive shopping without having to go to the mall? Well there’s a new market at The Beach opposite JBR that’s packed with local artisans and boutiques – a great place to get a unique gift. For a guide to all the stores you’ll find there, head here.

The Market at The Beach opposite JBR, 10am to midnight, daily, until April 2017. More info on Facebook.

3. Visit one of Dubai’s new theme parks

Indoor theme park IMG Worlds of Adventure has a special deal on tickets to celebrate National Day – from November 29 to December 3 you’ll get general admission for Dhs225 (with a Dhs45 voucher included in that for food or retail), and children’s tickets are Dhs175 (with a Dhs25 voucher). Also, on December 1 and 2 the park will be open until 11pm. Adult tickets are normally Dhs300 FYI.

IMG Worlds of Adventure, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, Dhs225, normal weekend opening hours 11am to 10pm. Tel: (04) 403 8888. More info on website.

4. Eat Ramen

Tom&Serg’s popular ramen night is back – for Dhs130 you get gyoza, ramen, salad, dessert and a drink – but, heads up, this gets busy. There are no bookings and we went down last year just after 8pm to find that they were out of Ramen. So we say get there at 6pm on the dot if you’re serious about noodles.

Tom&Serg, 15a street, Al Quoz, Dubai. 6pm to 9pm. Tel: (056) 474 6812. More info on Facebook.

5. Stretch your week away

Yogi Truck and Lululemon are hosting Wednesday night stretch sessions – for free – from now until December 14 on Kite Beach. Starting at 7.15pm, there will be an hour of restorative hatha yoga before some pranayama and a calming seafront meditation. We can think of worse ways to wind down on a weekend. Mats are provided, just bring your own sweater and blanket (it might get nippy during the wind down).

Meeting point Wanna Banana on Kite Beach, Umm Suqeim. 7.15pm to 9pm, every Wednesday until December 14. More info on Facebook.

Thursday 1

6. Shop in the National Day sale

The National Day sale is a new thing that’s just started this year, and it’ll mean discounts across the city for three days – from December 1 to 3. Many retailers will be putting on discounts from 30 per cent to 90 per cent, and those confirmed to be participating include: Lacoste, Hackett, Paul Smith, Level Shoe District, Level Shoe District kids, Tory Burch, Sunglass Hut, Gap, Reebok, Pandora, Monsoon, Damas, Splash, Alexander McQueen, DKNY, Karen Millen, Desigual, Ted Baker and Galeries Lafayette.

Various locations across Dubai, from December 1 to December 3. More info on website. 

7. Use your last chance to see Les Mis

It’s safe to say Les Misérables has been a hit with the Dubai audiences. Haven’t seen the West End musical yet? Well this Friday is your last chance to see it. Keen to find out more? Read our interviews with the cast and crew here.

Dubai Opera, The Opera District, Downtown Dubai, Dubai, Mon to Thur 8pm, Fri and Sat timings vary, Dhs275. Tel: (800) 36227. Metro: Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall. More info on website.

8. Head to the ballet

A French ballet company has flown into town this weekend and will be presenting a ‘grand gala’ at Ductac. There will be 15 solo dancers on stage, and they will work through routines from Le Corsaire, Coppélia, Boléro and Something I had in Mind.

Ductac, Mall of the Emirates, Barsha, 7.30pm to 9.45pm, Dhs150 to Dhs300. Buy tickets here. More info and tickets on website.

9. Support local music

The Fridge’s great local music concerts continue, and tonight you’ll get to see local five-piece Vandalye down at the Al Quoz venue. Opening for the lads is Irish singer-songwriter SP McGhee.

The Fridge, Al Serkal Avenue, Al Quoz, 7.30pm to 10pm, Dhs50 (buy tickets here or on the door). Tel: (04) 347 7793. More info on Facebook.

10. Dance to a Grammy nominee

DJ Snake made his name by producing Lady Gaga’s Born This Way album, and the Frenchman is in Dubai tonight. Signs point to a good one as he says he wants to better the performance he gave in Dubai this summer: “let’s take things up a notch”. We’ll be the ones dancing badly but with so much joy we’ll risk turning into a viral video sensation while he plays Turn Down For What. 

World Trade Centre, Sheikh Rashid Hall, Sheikh Zayed Road, 9.30pm to 3am, Dhs275. Tel: (050) 855 1515. More info on Facebook.

Friday 2

11. Take your kids to the flicks

From now until December 31 Reel Cinemas in Dubai Mall will be hosting kid-friendly movie screenings, with free tickets for those under five for every adult ticket purchased before noon. Plus, there will be face painting available before the films, and just a general child friendly vibe (so people won’t get grumpy with you when/if the little one cries). The movies on include Trolls, Storks and The Secret Life of Pets.

Reel Cinemas, The Dubai Mall, every Friday and Saturday before noon. More info on website.

12. Go to the Sevens!

It’s a long weekend and it’s Sevens weekend – get amongst it! The Dubai Sevens Stadium on the Al Ain Road will be host to the biggest party of the weekend as teams from Fiji, England, New Zealand, Russia, Argentina and more battle it out on the field, seven minutes at a time. For more on the day out, head here.

December 1 to 3. Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens, Sevens Stadium, Dubai-Al Ain Road, Thur to Sat 7.30am to 10pm, Thur free, Fri Dhs400, Sat Dhs400, under-12s free. Tel: (04) 321008. Taxi: Sevens stadium. dubairugby7s.com

13. Acquaint yourself with Emirati cuisine

Emirati restaurant Seven Sands has just launched a set menu that gives diners a taste of the Emirates, and it’s only running until December 15. The menu features UAE-grown green mango salad, fried pastry stuffed with minced shark and a generous portion of rice and lamb (of course). This could be a good dinner option before the fireworks (see the next listing to see what we’re on about).

The Beach, opposite JBR, restaurant open 9am to 2am on Fridays, menu until December 15, Dhs145 for three courses. Tel: (04) 551 6652. More info on website.  

14. Go see the fireworks

Dubai loves a fireworks routine, and on National Day The Beach opposite JBR will be lit up with a huge 45th anniversary of the Union display (we’re expecting a lot of green and red in the sky). The fireworks start at 8.30pm, but it’ll get busy, so get down there early and make an evening of it if you plan on attempting to park there.

The Beach opposite JBR, Dubai Marina, 8.30pm, free. More info on Facebook.

15. Eat traditional sweet treats (for free)

Have you tried Lugaimat? The delicious dumplings dipped in date syrup are our favourite Emirati sweet treat. To celebrate National Day, cute little Jumeirah spot Local Bites Cafe is offering free Lugaimat to all of their customers today. Go there for the Omani chips sandwich, it’s pretty special.

Jumeirah Beach Road, Umm Suqeim 1, 8am to 12.30am. Tel: (04) 275 3174. More info on Facebook.

16. Go to a free concert

Hussain Al Jassmi is probably the biggest superstar of UAE music, and the Emirati singer with a near-impossible vocal range is celebrating National Day by putting on a free concert at Burj Park tonight. Expect crowds.

Burj Park, Downtown Dubai, free entry, 9pm to 1am. Tel: (04) 366 1688. 

17. See a true EDM superstar

Dutch titan Tiësto has been filling stadiums since his trance heyday, but has successfully updated himself and followed the EDM trends, which is why DWTC is sure to be packed when he plays there tonight.

World Trade Centre, Sheikh Rashid Hall, Sheikh Zayed Road, 9.30pm to 3am, Dhs275. Tel: (050) 855 1515. More info on Facebook. 

Saturday 3

18. Feast on Lebanese fare

Excellent Lebanese restaurant Al Falamanki is launching a brunch this weekend, well, it’s really an all-you-can-eat lunch – every Saturday from 11am to 2pm you’ll be able to feast on unlimited soul food. Highlights include eggs cooked on charcoal, beetroot tahini, foul meddamas and kaak bread: this is proper comfort food. Book a seat on the terrace.

Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 2. 11am to 2pm, every Saturday, Dhs120 per person. Tel: (800) 325262654. More info on Facebook.

19. Go see The Goonies

The Habtoor Grand is hosting outdoor cinema nights on the grass at the moment and tonight you’ll be able to see The Goonies. Meet Mikey… what a classic.

The Habtoor Grand, Dubai Marina, movie from 7.30pm to 10pm, Dhs75. Tel: (04) 408 4444. Buy tickets here.

20. Discuss books

2016 is the Year of Reading in Dubai, and to do their part, Urban Bistro in Media City is hosting a book club. This afternoon the club will be discussing Flowers for Algernon and the chat will be hosted by Lulu and Sara Hamdan. So if you happened to have read that, why not head down.

Urban Bistro, Dubai Media City, from 4pm, free. Tel: (04) 362 4330. More info on website.

Have a great long weekend all – look after yourselves and each other and we’ll see you on Sunday!

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