It's that last full week of January - everyone's back to routines, the decorations are down, and you're settling into 2026. The weather's sitting perfectly at 20-25°C during the day, cool enough for an evening walk in a hoodie, and we've got you seven days packed with things worth leaving the house for.

THE GOLF TOURNAMENT THAT'S ACTUALLY FOR FAMILIES

The Hero Dubai Desert Classic runs Jan 22-25 at Emirates Golf Club and here's why it matters even if you don't care about golf: general admission is completely free Thursday and Friday, weekend tickets are AED 100, and kids under 17 are free all four days with an adult.

But the real story is Tournament Town - they doubled the Kids Zone this year with bouncy castles, VR games, carnival games, and the Big Red Slide. There's a brand-new Eat Street with 12 food trucks and a giant LED screen showing the action. Friday is "Family Friday" with FamilyBeatz from 3-6pm (Dubai's first family-friendly rave with DJ Julie), plus roaming performers, airbrush artists, and caricaturists. At 3pm Friday there's a surprise WICKED performance with a meet-and-greet afterward. The whole thing runs 10am-11pm daily.

Important to know: no public parking though - use public transport or the RTA app to plan your route.

WEEKEND AT THE HERITAGE FESTIVAL

If you'll drive to Abu Dhabi, Al Hosn Festival at Qasr Al Hosn (through Feb 1) is the kind of thing that sticks with kids. Abu Dhabi's oldest stone building transforms into a living heritage experience - bustling souks with traditional crafts, kids' workshops where they actually make things, traditional food to sample, live music and dance, camel and falcon encounters, 18 artisan demonstrations, and interactive cultural escape rooms.

The festival runs daily 4-11pm (midnight on weekends), AED 35 adults, AED 15 kids 5-12, free under 5 and seniors 60+. Everything's designed to be touched and explored, not just looked at behind glass.

YOUR SATURDAY/SUNDAY ROUTINE

Ripe Market at Academy Park in Umm Suqeim is open every weekend through May - Saturday 9am-9pm, Sunday 9am-7pm, AED 5 entry (free for kids under 12 and seniors 60+). Over 100 vendors selling organic produce, artisan food, handmade crafts, fashion, homeware, plus live music, kids' activities, a petting zoo, and horse riding. It's outdoor festival meets farmers market - people spread blankets on the grass with picnics while kids run between play zones. Get there early for the baked goods before they're gone.

For indoor browsing, The Collective by Ripe at The Courtyard in Al Quoz is open daily 9am-7pm. Boutique shops, Boston Lane Café (amazing coffee and toasties), fresh flowers, handmade jewelry, and that slow-shopping vibe where you chat with makers. This Friday Jan 23, they're hosting Merchants & Makers Market 9am-5pm with premium local designers across fashion, jewelry, homeware, and beauty. Free to browse.

Fashion Friday at Meydan Racecourse on Jan 23 starting 5:30pm is your excuse to dress up, watch world-class horses, and soak in that Dubai World Cup build-up energy. Tickets from AED 10.

ARTS & IMMERSIVE STUFF

Quoz Arts Festival hits Alserkal Avenue Jan 24-25, completely free for kids under 18 and seniors 60+. For everyone else, AED 100. Live music, art exhibitions, dance performances, food trucks, kids' activities, and dog-friendly spaces. Alserkal is one of my favourite places - I’m there at least once a week. If you’re like me, and even if you've wandered Alserkal on a regular weekend, the festival brings surprise performances and creative energy around every corner.

Sikka Art & Design Festival takes over Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood Jan 23-Feb 1, and it's completely free. The 14th edition showcases Emirati and GCC artists across courtyards, heritage homes, and alleyways - paintings, installations, live performances, workshops, film screenings, and food pop-ups. The theme this year is "Imagining Dubai: Identities of the Future." It's part of Dubai Art Season and gets lively at night with music and outdoor movies. Easy to reach via Al Ghubaiba Metro or take an abra across the Creek for the full experience.

Emirates Literature Festival runs through Jan 27 at the InterContinental, Festival City - author talks, workshops, storytelling, book signings. Many events are free. Check their schedule for kid-friendly programming.

Eden Dubai Art Night on Jan 22 at Fashion Avenue in Dubai Mall is a curated evening of contemporary art in an intimate gallery setting. For the more grown-up and refined. Free, but you have to RSVP.

House of Hype at Dubai Mall (Level 1, Chinatown) is the newest (opened a year ago) immersive experience - 100+ zones including neon Tokyo streets, glowing gardens, VR gaming, design studios where you create music videos, live character performances. From AED 119, open 10am-10pm weekdays (midnight weekends), takes 2-3 hours to explore.

AYA Universe at Wafi City Mall has 12 immersive zones with light shows, interactive art, and glowing gardens. Open Sun-Thu 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10am-midnight, From AED 135, takes 1.5-2 hours. Under 3s free.

Candlelight concerts at Burj Al Arab's Al Falak Ballroom on Jan 23 - tributes to Queen (5:15pm and 7:30pm) and Fairuz (9:45pm). From AED 700. Yes, pricey, but you're in the Burj Al Arab watching live classical performances by candlelight with skyline views.

GET MOVING

Spartan Middle East returns to Dubai Parks & Resorts on Saturday, January 24. Sprint 5K with 20 obstacles (AED 295), Super 10K with 25 obstacles (AED 365), kids' races 1-3K for ages 4-14 (AED 110). Festival village has food and entertainment.

Global Village, a UAE favourite, runs through Feb 15. Wonderers' Kids Fest continues nightly 4-10pm for ages 3-12 (included with entry). Perfect after-dinner outing when kids need to burn energy. Free for kids under 3, seniors 65+, and People of Determination.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

The weather's perfect for those bookmarked spots you never get to. Jubail Mangrove Park in Abu Dhabi has a gorgeous boardwalk through mangroves, kayaking from AED 89, bird watching. Open 7am-9pm, AED 15 adults / AED 10 kids. Closed Jan 26 morning for a run event.

The Sustainable City Animal Sanctuary is completely free - show up and feed donkeys, goats, ducks, tortoises (bring your own veggies). Bee Garden, horse riding here, zero dirhams for a wholesome weekend morning.

Hatta horse riding at Hatta Horses - guided mountain trail rides for all levels, 6:30-10am and 3-7pm daily. Call +971 50 599 1482 to book. Pair with Hatta Heritage Village and lunch at Wadi Hub.

For hikers, UAE trails are perfect now: Wadi Shawka (easy rocky terrain, stream views), Al Rabi Trail (short loop, waterfalls after rain), parts of Jebel Jais. November-March is hiking season. Start early, bring extra water, and tell someone where you're going (and get them along too…the more the merrier).

MORE FREE & CHEAP STUFF

Abra rides across the Creek (AED 1), wander through the Spice Souk, explore Al Fahidi Historical District , Coffee Museum (AED 10), Kite Beach for the skate park and sunset views, La Mer Beach (free beach access, pay for food/activities), or take the kids to Quranic Park (AED 5) with its cave of miracles and glass house. Dubai Culture libraries are running free School of Life workshops all month - everything from art and calligraphy to wellness and chess across multiple library locations.

CITY NEWS THAT MATTERS

Starting Jan 22, DXB airport parking goes ticketless for Salik account holders - E-Wallet payment at all terminals, automated and seamless. Discovery Gardens has now transitioned to paid parking via Parkonic: one free permit per unit without parking; additional cars require subscriptions.

Content creators and influencers have until Jan 31 to get their Advertiser License from UAE Media Council or face penalties.

UAE banks have phased out SMS one-time passwords - you'll need to authenticate through your bank's mobile app now for online transactions (better security against SIM swapping).

Flying taxis are still on track for 2026 launch with routes between DXB, Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Mall, and Marina.

Etihad Rail passenger service should start this year too, cutting Abu Dhabi to Dubai to 57 minutes.

COMING SOON

Dubai Marathon Feb 1 (full 42K, 10K, 4K fun run). Valentine's Day rooftop bars and restaurants are filling up - book now for that Burj view, if that’s your thing. And Ramadan starts around Feb 17.

BOTTOM LINE

That’s it for this week. I spend hours curating these, so hopefully you find something that resonates and breaks up the routine. Perhaps it's Saturday at Ripe, where your kid tries dragon fruit for the first time. Or Friday at Meydan, realizing you actually like horse racing. Maybe Tuesday at Global Village, way too full, and laughing over street food

You don't need to do everything. Pick one, two, whatever fits. But do something.

Dubai's incredible mix of world-class events, hidden gems, and free fun is happening right now in this perfect three-month weather window we get all year.

See you out there.

Parves

PS: Feel free to forward this email to someone who’d really love it :)