Good afternoon, writing this from the homely Tucano Coffee at Dubai Mall. There’s definitely a buzz, most likely families back from their vacation. But I’ll tell you what made me smile: people standing around at Hafiz Mustafa, one of my favourite baklava places, and having free samples. I’m guilty as well :)

So school starts this Monday, August 31. This is the last proper weekend. Make it count.

Also, do me a favour. Don’t keep us a secret: Share this email with friends, or our website if that’s easier.

> Museum of the Future closes Tuesday, September 1, for renovations. Relax, it’s temporary. Phew. The iconic building on Sheikh Zayed Road shuts to begin work on "a new generation of experiences." No reopening date announced so far. Well, you have a few days left in case you have the urge to visit. The ground floor is free. All ages, and under-3s get free full entry. Book here.

> Splash N Party Dubai Hills opened this morning. It’s AED 50 per person, and they say it’s an opening offer until September 15. Water slides, splash pads, water guns, temperature-controlled toddler pool. Tickets at the door or here. Ages: All. Best for 1–12-year-olds.

> Organic Cafe Lunchbox Super Heroes Workshops. Teach your children how to make better food choices. If they’re not listening to you, get someone else to do it :) AED 30 per child. Ages: 3—9

> Too Cool for School — Town Centre Jumeirah. Saturday 29 + Sunday 30 August, 4–7pm. Free. Face painting, popcorn, cotton candy, school supply decorating, Science Spark Show at 5:30pm. A nice way to end summer before Monday arrives. Ages 3–10.

> Black Bunny Family Fun Day — Al Quoz. Sunday 30 August, 11am–5pm. Dubai Mums Meet has taken over Black Bunny: bowling, trampolines, arcade, climbing, VR, go-karts, soft play, local family brand pop-ups. Pre-register for a free bowling game. Ages 5–15. Register for free.

> Ready Steady Go — K-Pop Demon Hunters. Saturday 29 August, 5pm. AED 299/child. Meet Zoey and Rumi, sword stick giveaways, face painting, slime, neon sticks, and a full slate of interactive games. WhatsApp +971 50 274 8622. Ages 3–8.

> MuMu Family — Dubai Hills Mall. Low-key easy win for the family. Saturday 29: Plaster Figure Painting. Sunday 30: Notebook Decoration. From 5pm. Free. Ages 4–10. Check here.

> Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is back in cinemas from Thursday August 27. It’s been 25 years. I’m not old, you’re old! Check VOX, Reel, or Novo for showtimes — it's in 4DX at select locations. If your kids have never seen it on a big screen, now's the moment. All ages, honestly. And don’t be embarrassed if you’re the one who wants to go :)

> Cinema Akil — Spirited Away + Fantastic Mr Fox. Alserkal Avenue. Spirited Away: Friday 28 (4:45pm), Saturday 29 (7:15pm), Sunday 30 (6:30pm). Fantastic Mr Fox: Thursday 27 (5:15pm), Saturday 29 (3pm). Tickets. Ages 6+

> AED 10 Dirham Dishes — These guys are giving away food for 10 AED. I don’t know about you, but I think the kids are going to love this one. Shake Shack, Dunkin', Caribou, New York Fries, Baskin-Robbins, Costa, and more. It ends Sunday, August 30, though…if you want to know more, go here.

> ARTE Museum — 50% off. You might have seen those crazy immersive digital art that influencers visit and show off. That’s here. And it’s AED 74.50 instead of AED 150 (for adults). Children pay AED 39.50. Take a chance if you can. All ages.

> Dubai Mallathon ends on Sept 15. If you’ve been to any of the malls and have seen people run around, they’re not nuts…well, they’re just participating in an event that’s in the Guinness Book of World Records! Of course it’s for families. And for everyone.

> Burjeel Dino Era — Abu Dhabi. Until Saturday, August 30. Noon–6pm. Free. Safari trails, dino activities, badges and prizes at Burjeel centers across Abu Dhabi. Yes, free pediatric checks and screenings, as well. More info. All ages.

> Shamsa Entertainment Park — Aljada, Sharjah. Until September 5. Free entry. This entertainment city is built with families in mind: rides, arcade, workshops, etc. Mon–Thu 4–10pm, Fri–Sun 4–11pm. All ages.

> House of Wisdom — Sharjah. Always free. Beautiful library with a kids' area, family spaces, and a café. I bet you’ll wish you'd discovered earlier in the summer. All ages.

> LEGO Shows: Natural Brickstory — Natural History Museum, Abu Dhabi. Basically a small history of the world (and more) through Legos. If that’s got you ‘huh' then visit!. Full launch Saturday, August 29, runs until November 8. Saadiyat Island. All ages. More.

> K-Book Festival — Sept 4–5 at MBR Library, Dubai. Sept 7 at House of Wisdom, Sharjah. Korean picture book authors, live drawing shows, family workshops. Free. Details at @kccuae_official.

> Onam Celebration — Expo Centre Sharjah. Sunday, Sept 6. From AED 65, kids under 4 free. If you don’t know what Onam is, please go. Please just go. This is the largest Onam festival in the UAE, and it’ll be an unforgettable experience. Platinumlist.

> Glow After Dark — Al Ain Zoo. Sept 5–Oct 4, 2–10pm. Glowing wildlife, lights, live performances after dark. You’ll have to keep an eye on the zoo website for more details when available

It's Thiruvonam today. Dubai's Kerala restaurants have flown in 2,500 tonnes of fresh produce. If you can’t make the celebration I mentioned above, check one of these restaurants out. It’s affordable. You can find many starting in the AED 30 range.

Mushrif Park just got a 102-metre landmark bridge opening cyclists to the full 20km mountain bike network. AED 3/person by Nol, or AED 10 per car. Trails open 6am–6pm.

Free AI certificate in 4 hours. One Million Prompters by Dubai Future Foundation. Four modules, free, self-paced. Certificate at the end.

Free Wafi Mall Hidden Gems Tour. Discover ancient Egypt through stories and a tour. All ages.

Enjoy the weekend. Monday comes regardless — but at least you went in with a plan.

See you next week,
Parves

PS: Reply and tell me — what was the best thing you did this summer?

PPS: Write to me — I read and reply to everything.