7 things to do midweek in the UAE: Dining deals, staycations and Lucky Ali concert tickets

Midweek slump? Not on our watch. From spice bags flown in straight from Ireland's late-night takeaway scene to a theatrical show that'll make you question gravity, the UAE has more than enough going on to make Tuesday feel a little less like Tuesday. And, you can begin planning for your weekend too!

So, if you're after a staycation, a roast worth planning your Sunday around, or tickets to see Lucky Ali live, here are seven things worth adding to your calendar this week.

If your childhood had a soundtrack, chances are Lucky Ali wrote half of it. The man behind O Sanam, Ek Pal Ka Jeena, and Na Tum Jaano Na Hum is finally making his way back to Dubai, and yes, you're allowed to get emotional about it.

Be prepared for vocals, poetic lyrics, and a setlist stacked with the songs that basically raised an entire generation of desi listeners. So, regardless of whether you grew up humming these tracks on repeat or just discovered them through your parents' playlist (no judgment), this is your shot at hearing them live, in person, goosebumps included.

When: Sunday, August 16, 2026
Where: Coca-Cola Arena, Dubai
Tickets: From Dh175

Get tickets here

As the rule goes, no one just 'pops' into Dubai Mall for one thing. House of Hype will derail those plans. This is 25 interactive worlds of pure sensory chaos: Hidden rooms, surprise photo ops, and enough hands-on weirdness to make you forget you're technically still in a shopping mall.

There's no set route, no itinerary, no "you are here" map guiding your every move, just vibes, curiosity, and the very real possibility of stumbling into something you would never find twice. Come back a second time and you'll probably discover a whole new corner you missed entirely.

If you like your mall trips with a side of main-character energy, this one's non-negotiable.

When: Daily, 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM (last entry 9:00 PM)
Where: The Dubai Mall
Tickets: Dh149

Some shows you watch. La Perle makes you question physics. Staged nightly at Al Habtoor City, this is Dubai's answer to a full-blown circus-meets-theatre spectacle — acrobatics, aerial stunts, and dance sequences performed by world-class talent, all wrapped around the story of a young girl making her way through Dubai's culture and history.

With a 4.7 rating from over 24,000 reviews, it's safe to say this one delivers on the hype. Expect gravity-defying stunts, jaw-dropping visuals, and the kind of production value that makes you forget you're sitting in a theatre and not inside someone's fever dream (the good kind).

When: Nightly performances (check schedule for showtimes)
Where: Al Habtoor City, Dubai
Tickets: From Dh136

Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai is running a handful of offers this summer aimed squarely at families looking for more than just a room and a pool, waterpark access, a private beach, and a kids' club thrown into the mix.

Book before August 31 for stays through September 30, and UAE residents get 25% off dining, drinks and spa treatments, daily breakfast included, a choice of early check-in or late check-out, and unlimited access to the waterpark and kids' club. Booking any Mirage room or suite also comes with access to the family lounge.

For longer stays, the Stay 3, Pay 2 offer, running on the same booking and stay windows — gets you three nights for the price of two, six for four, or nine for six, with breakfast, waterpark entry, beachfront activities and the Camp Safari kids' club all included.

If an overnight stay isn't on the cards, the Family Daycation offers a simpler way in: full access to the waterpark, pools, private beach and gaming zone, with food and beverage credit built into the ticket price, available daily until August 31.

When: Booking and stay offers run until August 31 and September 30 respectively; Daycation available daily until August 31

Where: Centara Mirage Beach Resort Dubai

Price: Package rates vary; Daycation from Dh110 (kids) / Dh220 (adults), including F&B/spa credit

If you're the type who takes a Sunday Roast seriously, Horse & Hound might just have you covered. Every Sunday from 12pm to 6pm, the team serves up a classic beef or lamb roast with all the traditional trimmings.

At Dh145 per person, the roast comes with a beverage included.

When: Every Sunday, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Where: Horse & Hound Summer Tent
Price: Dh145 per person, includes beef or lamb roast with trimmings and a drink

If you've never had a spice bag, brace yourself, this is the dish that fuels every late-night takeaway run across Ireland, and BonBird has brought it to the UAE looking exactly as chaotic and delicious as it should.

Crispy fries, fresh-fried chicken, peppers and onions, all tossed together in a signature spice mix and served with curry gravy on the side for maximum dunking potential.

The limited-edition menu comes in four forms, depending on how committed you're feeling: the classic Spice Bag Fries for a solid entry point, the Mega version for when sharing is optional, the Spice Bag Melt for anyone who needs a cheese pull in their life, and the Spice Bag Wrap for the handheld, on-the-go crowd. Every single one comes with gravy on the side, because the dunk is non-negotiable.

It's live now across all UAE locations, dine-in and delivery, but only until the end of August, so don't sleep on it.

When: Available now until August 31

Where: All BonBird UAE locations (dine-in and delivery)

Price: From Dh30 (Spice Bag Fries) to Dh55 (Mega Spice Bag Fries); Melt and Wrap at Dh35 each

JA Hatta Fort Hotel

The 24-Hour Stay Offer guarantees a full 24 hours from check-in when arriving Sunday to Thursday, with pool access extended until 8:00 PM and the chance to try Jeema's newly launched Indian menu, available until September 30.

GHA DISCOVERY members, meanwhile, can tap into the Summer Getaway offer: up to 35% savings, complimentary stays and dining for children under 12, 25% off dining, complimentary archery and air gun experiences, and a Dh100 spa credit. Also running until September 30.

JA The Resort

Across JA Beach Hotel, JA Lake View Hotel and JA Palm Tree Court, the summer packages follow a similar formula: daily breakfast included, a complimentary upgrade to half board, full access to pools, private beach and resort experiences, and early check-in or late check-out where availability allows. All three offers run until September 30.

Calm Spa At JA Palm Tree Court

For anyone more interested in doing nothing productively, Calm Spa has a few packages worth knowing about. Indulge Without Limits gets you unlimited 30-, 60- and 90-minute massages from Dh800.

Full Day Reset pairs a 75-minute stress-relief massage with lunch and pool and beach access from Dh650. One for You, One to Share throws in a free 60-minute massage with every 90-minute deep tissue massage.

And there's a Buy 2 Get 1 Free deal on select 30-minute massages, reflexology and Elemis express facials.

Offside, JA Ocean View Hotel

Offside has its own rotating set of weekly offers — 25 per cent off the bill Monday to Thursday, 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM, and a Padel & Pour combo pairing a 60-minute padel session with a bar bite for Dh169 per person.

Thursdays bring Noyz Quizzness, a free quiz night with Speed Quizzing, Music Bingo and general trivia, plus more than Dh3,000 in prizes. And if Sundays are more your speed, Get Roasted serves up a traditional roast for Dh149 per person.

When: Most offers run until September 30; Offside's weekly offers repeat on their usual schedule

Where: JA Hatta Fort Hotel, JA The Resort (Beach Hotel, Lake View Hotel, Palm Tree Court) and Offside at JA Ocean View Hotel

Price: Varies by offer, from Dh149 (Sunday roast) to Dh800+ (spa packages)