Hey, how are you?

The week ahead's packed - from Emirati traditions to pro basketball to running with the family. The weather's perfect. Let's go.

EMIRATI TRADITION

Here's something you don't want to miss: Hag Al Laila at Expo City's Al Wasl Plaza on Friday Jan 31 from 4-10pm. Think of it as the UAE's version of trick-or-treating but warmer. Kids traditionally go door-to-door singing "Atoona Hag Al Laila" (give us for this night), collecting sweets - it marks mid-Sha'ban, two weeks before Ramadan. Expo's doing it up with traditional storytelling, workshops, heritage games, and yeah, treats for the kids. AED 50 entry. This is cultural immersion that’s a lot of fun.

GET MOVING

Dubai Marathon is Sunday, Feb 1, and if you're not running 42K, there's a 4K fun run at 10:30am that's perfect for families. Starts at Al Sufouh Road and finishes at Dubai Police Academy; costs AED 50. You can watch the race free on YouTube, but what’s the fun in that? The vibe's going to be good - Burj Al Arab backdrop, festival village, and you get a medal just for showing up. Use the metro, seriously - parking can be a nightmare near Madinat Jumeirah. If you want the full spectacle, the elite marathon starts at 7am so you can watch proper athletes do their thing.

PRO BASKETBALL COMES TO DUBAI

Dubai's got Euroleague basketball now and two huge home games this week at Coca-Cola Arena. Monday, Feb 3 at 4pm: Dubai vs Olympiacos. Wednesday, Feb 5 at 4pm: Dubai vs Real Madrid. These are legit European powerhouses - Real Madrid's one of the most successful clubs in basketball history. Tickets aren't crazy expensive, and the 4pm start means you can actually bring kids without having a late nighter. Also, the City Walk location makes it easy to grab something to eat before or after.

GLOBAL VILLAGE IS STILL GOING STRONG

Global Village runs through May 10. AED 25 on weekdays, AED 30 on weekends. Open 4pm-midnight Sun-Wed, 4pm-1am Thu-Sat. The Wonderers' Kids Fest runs through Feb 15, with free giant games, shows, and workshops for ages 3-12. Dragon Kingdom walk-through costs extra, but it's worth it for the fantasy-themed rooms and puzzles. Go early (4-6pm) before it gets packed, or commit to the late-night energy (after 9pm). 90+ country pavilions, carnival rides, and shows every hour. It's overwhelming, but in the best way.

THEME PARKS & PLAY

Dubai Parks & Resorts is running normal operations: LEGOLAND for ages 2-12, Motiongate for thrill-seekers, and LEGOLAND Waterpark when it's warm. Buy tickets online for discounts. If your kids are Lego-obsessed, you already know that’s the place. If not, Motiongate's got better rides for older kids and adults.

For indoor play: Boo Boo Laand in Dubai Mall is 25,000 square meters of supervised chaos - snow park, princess dress-up, trampolines, interactive shows. AED 150 onward. Leo&Loona at Dubai Festival City has 20+ attractions, workshops, ball pools, climbing walls. AED 149 onward. KidZania in Dubai Mall lets kids role-play professions (doctor, firefighter, pilot) in a mini-city. They LOVE it. From AED 190 onward.

CAFES WITH PLAY AREAS

Common Grounds at Nakheel Mall (Palm) has an enclosed play area with toys, books, puzzles, and a dollhouse. Great coffee, 8am-11:30pm Fri-Sat.

Luigia at Rixos JBR has a playroom with soft toys, video games, and a cinema room. Italian food's solid. 5:30pm-midnight weekdays, 12:30pm-midnight weekends.

Cafe Confetti in JLT Cluster U is toddler-focused, reasonably priced, and cozy.

Osteria Mario at Dubai Hills Mall has a tree-house style play area in the middle of the restaurant. Kids’ workshops on weekends.

OFF THE BEATEN PATH

Want something different? Al Roya Farm does breakfast daily 9am-1pm for AED 40 - full spread served farm-style. It's quirky, not polished, and that's the point. Or hit Al Rawabi Dairy Farm in Al Khawaneej for a free tour (book ahead) - see 16,500 cows, watch milking, learn how dairy works. Weekdays for school groups, weekends for families. Educational without being boring.

BEACHES & FREE STUFF

Kite Beach has the skate park, sunset views, food trucks. La Mer beach access is free (pay for food/activities). Jumeirah Beach is clean, huge, never feels crowded. For something different, Jubail Mangrove Park in Abu Dhabi is AED 15 for the boardwalk, AED 89 for kayaking through the mangroves. Worth the drive if you want nature that's not a beach.

Or wander Al Fahidi Historical District for free - old Dubai, narrow lanes, wind towers. Coffee Museum is AED 10. Spice Souk and Gold Souk in Deira are sensory overload in a good way. Abra rides across the Creek for AED 1. Yes, one dirham. Go at sunset.

COMING SOON

Taste of Dubai kicks off Feb 6-8 at Media City Amphitheatre - just outside our week but worth the heads-up. 16 of Dubai's best restaurants serving taster portions, celebrity chef workshops with Gino D'Acampo and Matt Preston (free with entry), live music, BBQ pit demonstrations. Kids under 12 are free. Early bird tickets from AED 75. Lunar New Year stuff starts mid-Feb. Ramadan's around Feb 17, so get your outdoor adventures in while you can.

IN THE KNOW

Black Bunny just opened in Al Quoz - 45+ arcade games, VR zones, bowling, trampolines, go-karts. The new place where kids burn energy indoors. Grand Hyatt Waterpark opened with the Middle East's first triple surf simulator, wave lagoon, lazy river. AED 375 adults, AED 305 kids under 107cm. 9:30am-5:30pm daily.

2026 is officially UAE's Year of the Family. New child digital safety law just kicked in - age verification on apps, content blocks, controls on targeted ads. The government's actually putting money where its mouth is on family-friendly stuff this year.

ICYMI: DXB's "Red Carpet" biometric passport service expanding to Terminal 3 arrivals - walk through, no stopping, no passport show. Salik automated parking started Jan 22 at all terminals - ticketless if you have a Salik account. And yeah, new sugar tax on drinks started Jan 1. Higher sugar = higher price.

BOTTOM LINE

This week's got range - cultural traditions, family runs, pro sports, farm breakfasts, beach days. Weather's perfect (low 20s). Go outside. Do something weird. Hag Al Laila's Friday if you want the cultural experience. Marathon's Sunday if you want the vibe without the fitness commitment. Global Village's always there if you just want easy entertainment. Basketball, if you want to say you saw Euroleague in Dubai before it was cool.

See you next week. See you out there.

Parves

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