Dubai Calendar, the official listings platform for events in the city, has unveiled an action-packed schedule of exciting things to do in May 2024, spanning art, lifestyle, and live entertainment.
Key events in May include the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Dubai Food Festival and Dubai Esports and Games Festival, alongside the region’s largest contemporary art fair, World Art Dubai. Additionally, the month also has an exciting line-up of concerts featuring renowned artists such as James Blunt, Shaggy, Najwa Karam, Martin Garrix, Hans Zimmer, and Kadim Al Sahir.
Events in Dubai in May 2024
Below are Dubai Calendar’s top pics of upcoming events for May:
Arts & Lifestyle
The Dubai Esports and Games Festival continues at Dubai World Trade Centre until 5 May and promises an array of thrilling tournaments, educational events, and immersive experiences tailored for gamers of all ages. Some key event highlights include the GameExpo Summit (1-2 May), GameExpo (3-5 May), and Play Beyond (4-5 May).
Dubai’s popular gastronomic extravaganza, the Dubai Food Festival, is in full swing until 12 May, offering a delectable array of culinary experiences, from the popular beachside pop-up e& Beach Canteen to immersive Foodie Experiences and the highly anticipated Dubai Restaurant Week, perfect for food enthusiasts across the city.
Contemporary retail art fair World Art Dubai joined the city’s cultural scene in 2015. Taking place from 2 to 5 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the fair will showcase more than 4,000 art works, 300 galleries, and artists from 50 countries.
MICRO MUTEK.AE, an international festival of digital creativity and electronic music, arrives in Dubai for its third edition at Alserkal Avenue from 4 to 5 May, with an all-star line-up of performers including DJ Mathew Jonson and the Salar Ansari Trio. This showcase promises to be one not-to-miss for music and art lovers alike.
Live Entertaiment
Music fans can enjoy an evening with Lebanese singing sensation Najwa Karam as she graces the stage at the Coca-Cola Arena on 3 May. Concert-goers can expect a crowd-pleasing show packed with chart-topping hits like El Layli Laylitna, Ktir Helou, and Beirut.
With a mantra of entertainment with a purpose, another exciting edition of EarthSoul Fest is taking place on 4 May at the Coca-Cola Arena. Globally-renowned sensation Jason Derulo is set to headline the event, along with a star-studded line-up of talented artists, including Bollywood funk specialist Benny Dayal, Emirati soul singer Arqam AlAbri, and Dubai’s very own sensation Celinedee Matahari.
Get ready to groove as the popular Catalan band Gipsy Kings and their frontman Tonino Baliardo bring their infectious energy to Dubai Opera on 2 May. The Bamboléo hitmakers promise an unforgettable evening filled with timeless classics like Volaré and Djobi, Djoba.
Grammy Award-winning reggae and dancehall sensation Shaggy teams up with legendary R&B group Blackstreet for a nostalgic concert at the Coca-Cola Arena on 11 May. Attendees can expect to dance the night away to tunes that shared a generation from It Wasn’t Me to No Diggity.
Atlantis, The Palm will host one of the world’s biggest DJs, Martin Garrix, as he headlines an epic open-air concert on 11 May. Experience the magic as the hitmaker spins chart-toppers such as Animals, In The Name Of Love, and Scared To Be Lonely.
Virtuoso cellist HAUSER is set to perform two live shows at Dubai Opera on 16 and 17 May, showcasing his signature fusion of classical and crossover tunes in a spectacular performance.
Kuwaiti sensations Miami Band will be joined by Saudi singer Ayed Yousef for an unmissable concert at the Coca-Cola Arena on 17 May. Arabic music fans are in for a treat as they groove to chart-topping hits like Hamdellah ou Shefnakom and Sheilouha Sheila.
One of the top Arab singers of all time, Kadim Al Sahir, is set to serenade fans with popular tracks like Ana Wa Laila, Ha Habibi and many more in a mesmerising live performance on 23 May at the Coca-Cola Arena.
Pop music fans are in for a treat as renowned English singer-songwriter James Blunt is set to take the stage on 24 May at the Coca-Cola Arena. Fans can anticipate an unforgettable evening filled with beloved songs like You’re Beautiful, Love Under Pressure, and I Came For Love.
Tom Grennan is gearing up to wow crowds at The Agenda in Dubai Media City on 24 May, as he performs some of his biggest hits, including By Your Side, Little Bit of Love and more. Meanwhile, at Bla Bla, brace yourself for a phenomenal live performance by multi-award-winning band Prime Circle on the same evening.
Don’t miss the chance to engage with Indian motivational speaker Dr. Kumar Vishwas as he takes attendees on an inspiring journey through the Indian epic Ramayana on 26 May at the Coca-Cola Arena,
Hollywood’s iconic music composer Hans Zimmer is returning to Dubai for an audio-visual spectacular at the Coca-Cola Arena on 31 May and 1 June. The multi-Grammy and Academy Award winner will be joined by a world-class 45-piece band and performers for Hans Zimmer Live, which will feature music from movies including The Lion King, Gladiator, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com