Dubai Calendar is gearing up to kick-start the 2023 line-up of events and live entertainment with an incredible range of music, culture and sport events which will take place throughout the city during January and February. These include a host of epic live entertainment events such as Dubai Beats and Cirque Du Soleil, outings for families such as Sleeping Beauty on Ice and sporting spectacles including Dubai Desert Classic, and much more.
Culture, entertainment and lifestyle
Secure your place to see the spellbinding A Thousand Tales, a ballet featuring musical arrangements from modern composer Alexey Shor’s popular piano numbers such as From My Bookshelf, Childhood Memories and Travel Notebook. Dancers in the show have been hand selected from some of Europe’s most critically acclaimed theatres who will be gracing the stage at Dubai Opera from January 6-7.
Dubai Shopping Festival have collaborated with Core Direction to create the region’s first ever camping, music and movement festival, COREUNITY. The event will be taking place in Hatta from January 13-15, working with the team who presented Yoga At The Top – Burj Khalifa and Movement & Music at the Dubai Opera Garden, to deliver an epic weekend of fun, wellness and adventure.
For a night full of laughter with some of the region’s leading comedians and actors, head to Dubai World Trade Centre’s Sheikh Rashid Hall for The Sixth World War. The hilarious performance will feature stars including Hassan Al Balam, Zahra Arafat, Muhammad Al Ramadan, Fahd Al Bannai and Abdulaziz Al Nassar, and will be taking place from January 13-14.
Be entranced for an evening of stunning figure skating performed by Russian Olympic champions as they elegantly set the tale of Sleeping Beauty to ice. The event will be taking place at Coca-Cola Arena on January 6 and 7.
Get your mystery-solving hat on with a unique game of uncovering clues as the globally renowned Murder Mystery experience arrives at Al Seef Heritage Hotel Dubai and will run until March 12.
Be immersed in the world of insects as you learn of how they flutter, crawl, jump and fly gracefully around the Coca-Cola Arena stage, set to the melodic compositions of Berna Ceppas. Ovo by Cirque du Soleil will be putting a spotlight on the movement of insects from January 12-18.
Prepare for a mind-blowing experience as astonishing mentalism duo James and Marina, Mind2Mind, stun audiences. The Dubai-based couple, who have captivated audiences around the world people, are all set to perform before you at Theatre by QE2 on January 13, 14 and 20.
The annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) taking place until January 29, is one not to be missed with incredible discounts across Malls and shopping destinations with daily entertainment shows and extraordinary raffles.
The Bolshoi Ballet’s prima ballerina Svetlana Zakharova will be gracing the Dubai Opera stage for one night only on January 27. She will be joined by talented dancers Mikhail Lobukhin, Vaycheslav Lopatin, Denis Savin, Artemy Belyakov, Anastasia Stashkevich and Ana Turazashvili from the Bolshoi Theatre.
Quoz Arts Fest is set to return to Alserkal Avenue from January 28-29. After an incredibly successful ninth edition in 2022, this year's celebration promises many more surprises in the artistic sphere for all creative enthusiasts and art buffs.
Taste of Dubai, in partnership with Philips, is returning with another extravagant culinary celebration from February 3-5. The festival gathers world-class restaurants, tasting classes, cooking activities and live music in a laid-back outdoor setting at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre.
The Barcelona-born music extravaganza, elrow XXL, has entertained thousands across 84 cities in 34 countries and will be making its way to Dubai for the very first time. Taking place on February 17 and 18 at d3, the Middle East debut will be one of the largest dance festivals of the year.
Shrek The Musical will make its highly anticipated return to Dubai at Dubai Opera from February 21-25. The talented cast will perform recognizable tunes like Big Bright Beautiful World, Don’t Let Me Go and I Think I Got You Beat with perfectly choreographed moves, so book your tickets early, as shows are likely to get sold out quickly.
The 15th edition of the region’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, is set to be held from February 1-6 at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City and Mohammed bin Rashid Library. The festival offers visitors of all ages the chance to interact with their favourite authors, attend literary debates and participate in workshops, in addition to featuring homegrown talent.
Top performances featuring global artists
CONCERT GUIDE FOR JANUARY
Prepare for an evening full of fun and world-class entertainment as five-time platinum artist Amr Diab lights up the stage at the White Party on January 21 at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre. The musical icon will be performing all his chart-topping numbers including Tamally Maak.
English pop-rock star, Tom Odell, will be returning to Dubai for another incredible show on February 4 at Dubai Opera. Known for his chart-topping debut album Long Way Down, followed by hits like Another Love, the popular singer and pianist will be performing songs from his new album Best Day of My Life.
The InClassica International Music Festival is returning to Dubai from February 12 –March 3 with a series of captivating live performances. Internationally acclaimed soloists, orchestras and conductors will take to the stage at the Coca-Cola Arena to delight and entertain audiences with renditions of overtures and symphonies by the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Tchaikovsky and more.
The iconic voice of Khalid Abdulrahman will take audiences on a journey to the 90s on January 13. The singer and poet will ensure you are off to a musical start to your 2023 with a night of Arabic classics at the Dubai Opera.
Sports and adventure
Racing fanatics and sports fans alike can head to Meydan Racecourse to experience some of the world’s most skilled horses and globally recognised jockeys battle it out for number one prize. The action kicks off again this winter from now until February 19, ahead of the epic Dubai World Cup at the end of March.
As the Dubai horse racing season approaches, celebrate with the best in the world at Dubai World Cup Carnival race meetings, where tough competition and spectacular sporting action is guaranteed. Racing fans can head to Meydan Racecourse from January 6 to March 4.
Full of sporting action from January 7 to 21, Dubai International Marine Club (DIMC)’s annual watersports calendar, the latest UAE Aquabike Championship will delight and entertain fans this January. Spectators can enjoy fast-paced action from Dubai’s coastline as trained athletes showcase incredible skill and control on jet skis.
Get your helmets on and bikes ready for the 13th edition of the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge on February 19. Whether you are looking to push yourself to the limit or go for the win, the sporting spectacle will unite cycling enthusiasts from all over the world.
Gear up for Hankook 24H Dubai, the second largest 24-hour race grid in the world at the Dubai Autodrome from January 13-15. Petrol heads can strap in for a full day of international drivers steer GT and touring cars on the 5.39km circuit at the Dubai stop of the series.
Get ready for three days of high-speed racing at the Asian Le Mans Series from February 10 - 12. The 2023 edition is expected to welcome globally acclaimed teams along with emerging talent from the region. Watch these pro racers race for top spot during this 4-hour challenge at the Dubai Autodrome for a chance to secure a place in the world’s most prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race.
Golf and entertainment fans can prepare for a day of world-class sporting action as Dubai Desert Classic returns from January 26-29 at Emirates Golf Club.
Silver Cup, part of Dubai's prestigious polo calendar, will see six of the world’s best teams go head-to-head in an 18-goal handicap. Taking place from Al Habtoor Polo Resort and Club from January 21 to February 4 will now be going into its 13th year of hosting this sophisticated event.
Dubai Marathon, will be returning on February 12, with participants from all over the world competing for an exciting run alongside the iconic Burj Al Arab in the demanding 42km course, the shorter 10km route or the family-friendly 4km fun run.
Top tennis players from across the globe will be arriving in Dubai to welcome the start of the tennis season with the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships from February 19 to March 4 at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. An important stop before the ATP World Tour and the WTA Tour, the tournament features one WTA 100 women's and one ATP 500 men's challenge each.
Following numerous successful years, The UAE SWAT Challenge will return from February 20-24. Hosted by Dubai Police to promote cooperation across special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams, visitors can join in and participate in their own SWAT-style competition.
