Dubai Curl Festival: All you need to know about the UAE's first curly hair festival

Dubai: Dubai Curl Festival takes place on Saturday 10 October at Cornelia's Craft Kitchen in Dubai Internet City. Organised by Oh My Knots, a Dubai-based community platform for curly, coily and kinky hair, it is the first family curly hair festival in the UAE and the wider GCC.

The day is open to adults and children, and runs from 10am to 6pm with no fixed schedule, so visitors can drop in and stay as long as they like.

The details

When: Saturday 10 October 2026, 10am to 6pm

Where: Cornelia's Craft Kitchen, Building 2, Dubai Internet City

Price: Adults from Dh100, children Dh50, family passes from Dh280, under-4s free

Festival for curls

Curly hair behaves differently in the Gulf, where hard water, heat and humidity all affect how it looks and how products work.

Most curl care advice online is written for other climates, and Oh My Knots says its community has been asking for guidance that reflects life here.

Its own research backs that up. According to the platform, 69 per cent of its community are actively looking for product recommendations specific to the UAE, and 77 per cent want simpler routines with fewer products rather than multi-step regimens.

What the founder says

Oh My Knots was founded in Dubai by Gertrud Mackenzie, who built it around practical, locally tested advice.

"Dubai Curl Festival is something I wanted to create because our community has been asking for a space like this," Mackenzie said. "There is so much information about curly hair online, but much of it doesn't account for what our hair experiences living in the Gulf. We wanted to bring people together, give them access to experts and brands, and most importantly create a space where curls are celebrated rather than treated as something that needs to be fixed."

That idea runs through the whole event, which organisers describe as a celebration rather than a correction.

What's on

The day combines education with hands-on experiences.

Visitors can expect brand stands from curly hair care companies, live demonstrations, styling talks and expert education sessions. Product sampling lets attendees try products before buying them, and wellness sessions and interactive activities run alongside.

Every ticket holder receives a goodie bag from the participating brands, and that includes children with their own tickets.

Confirmed partners so far include LUSH and lululemon, with further curl specialists and brands expected to be announced. The full programme has not yet been published.

A corner for children

One section of the festival is aimed squarely at younger visitors.

The Kids' Curl Corner is designed to give children a space to have fun and see every curly hair type represented positively. Organisers say building confidence in children with natural curls is one of the event's main goals, particularly for those who may have grown up seeing straight hair as the default.

Ticket prices

Every ticket gives full access to the festival for the whole day. A booking fee of 3 per cent is added at checkout.

Early bird tickets are cheaper but sold in limited numbers and for a limited time:

Early bird adult: Dh100

Early bird family pass: Dh280

Once those sell out, general pricing applies:

General adult: Dh150

General family pass: Dh320

Getting there

Cornelia's Craft Kitchen is in Building 2 at Dubai Internet City. Parking is free for two hours when the ticket is validated at the restaurant, and every guest receives a welcome drink on arrival.