My Kind of Weekend: Top things to do in the UAE from December 16-18

Festive Brunch

Liwan Restaurant at Swissotel Al Ghurair is hosting a festive 'Around the World' brunch featuring holiday flavours, offerings, and decor. Swissotel chefs promise to tease our Festive excitement with Chicken Terrine, Mix seafood thermidor and Festive Plum cakes, as well as exciting festive activities for little ones. Sunday, December 18, from 12.30pm till 4pm. Dh159 per adult, Dh79 per child between 6 to 12 years, complimentary for children below 6 years.

Teddy Bear Afternoon Tea

This Sunday, head to the Emperor Lounge at Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, The Palm to celebrate the art of giving back this holiday season. The venue is hosting a Teddy Bear afternoon tea experience where children are invited to donate a stuffed toy of their choice that will then be gifted to a child less fortunate. Little ones can also enjoy freshly made hot chocolate and festive-themed treats for Dh75 and accompanying adults can enjoy the Festive Afternoon Tea for Dh125.

Chef cook-off

Brace yourselves for the cook-off this weekend at The Sustainable City in Dubai. Some of the city's top chefs will be joining resident chefs in community to celebrate sustainability in the kitchen. The ingredients for recipes will be sourced from within the farm at the venue. The cook-off will take place Sunday, December 16, from 4-7pm, and everyone, including your pets, is invited.

Nomadia at Soul Beach

Head to Soul Beach Dubai this Saturday for an epic line-up of concerts featuring world class DJs. The waterside venue hosts a string of epic 11-hour concerts every Saturday. The phase 1 line up of international and local talents include Angelos, Caiiro, Culoe De Song, Felix Raphael, Frankey & Sandrino, Guy Mantzur, and Kadosh among many others. From 12pm onwards.

Art exhibition

Dubai-based boutique art consultancy Skaya Art is presenting a free-to-attend art exhibition titled Revival Art (Dynamic Bright Edition) by Yana Rusnak in Oblong Contemporary Gallery. Part of a festive-themed group exhibition, the artworks are on display until January 8, available for viewing from 10am till 10pm. A renowned Ukrainian contemporary artist, Yana's paintings are an allegory to how human emotions and character are intertwined with the animal world. Art enthusiasts can request an in-person meeting with her in advance.

FuelFest at Liwa Village

This weekend, Liwa Village with FuelFest Arabia is hosting a music festival and a car show on December 17 and 18. The popular global celebration of car culture will take place in the UAE for the first time, and renowned stars from the Hollywood industry, Tyrese Gibson and Ludacris will attend the show, along with Cody Walker, brother of the late Paul Walker. The stars will host a Q&A session as well as a performance by the American rapper on Sunday, December 18. Tickets start from Dh100 for single day pass and Dh1200 for VVIP pass with celebrity meet and greet.

Fifa World Cup 2022

The world's greatest sporting spectacle, the Fifa World Cup 2022 in Qatar concludes this Sunday with a terrific clash between Argentina and France. Will Argentina's Lionel Messi play his last World Cup game for his country and end up lifting the coveted trophy, or Kylian Mbappe and co will achieve a second consecutive World Cup win? Only time will tell. Tune into the finals at 7pm on Sunday, and a third place play-off between Croatia and Morocco on Saturday, 7pm.

The Nutcracker

Check out the magic of The Nutcracker brought to life at Dubai Opera on December 16 and 17 by the acclaimed Moscow-based ballet La Classique. The show is slated to begin at 8pm with doors opening from 7.30pm. Ticket prices start from Dh250 and go up to Dh700.

The Snow Queen

Enjoy the magical and dramatic production The Snow Queen, based on Hans Christian Andersen's 1844 fairy tale. Starting today, the live show will be playing at Theatre by QE2 till December 26. The holiday showcase is a captivating story around best friends Gerda and Kai, and portrays the struggle between good and evil. Tickets start from Dh99. Show begins at 5pm.

Elf The Musical

Elf The Musical, a spectacular stage adaptation of the iconic movie Elf (Will Ferrell), is coming to Dubai from December 17-24 at The Theatre, Mall of the Emirates. A talented cast straight from London’s West End will charm the city with Elf The Musical, produced by the Oliver award-winner Paul Taylor-Mills. The show will also feature talented young performers from Dubai’s performing arts & entertainment school, Diverse. Tickets are priced from Dh100 onwards.

• Entertainment
• UAE