Another week in Dubai, another lineup that refuses to let you stay home. From meteor showers in the desert to pop-ups in the park, from a street-culture takeover at Sole DXB to new voices in film at Alserkal — the city is packed with things worth stepping out for.

If you are already thinking about what to do and where to go, here is your guide to the days ahead. Consider your plans sorted.

Where? Safa Park

Zawya is teaming up with Moon Slice x Coated for a pop-up at Al Safa Park, which you will definitely want to check out. Sounds good already? Oh, absolutely. Fresh slices coming out hot, good vibes everywhere, and the kind of energy that just keeps going up.

P.S. If you have pets, bring them along — everyone will be happy to see them.

Where? Leila Heller Gallery, Warehouse 86/87

Parinaz Eleish, an Iranian-Egyptian artist and poet, builds stories out of fragments — tiny pieces that come together like coloured glass, forming a whole you only understand when you step back. Up close, it is laughter, pain, rain, sunsets, memories; from afar, it becomes a space, a garden, a world.

She is an artist who looks for meaning in the small things. Her canvases are large, but the details are where the story hides. What you see from a distance shifts the moment you move closer — suddenly it is about the texture of daily life, the way our past slips quietly into our present.

She works with mixed media, often weaving in pieces of newspapers — little time capsules that reveal, mislead, witness, and remind. Some end up in her work intentionally, others by chance. Nothing is framed, because her stories don’t stop at the edges of the canvas. She collects images — real and imagined — everywhere she goes, and they all find their way into her world. In her eyes, our everyday lives connect us more than we think.

Where? Honeycomb Hi-Fi

All through December, Honeycomb Hi-Fi is serving up international sounds with a series of standout DJ nights. This Thursday, December 11, they are going Jazz Kissa–style with Dan Greenpeace, Frezidante and Amir. Each comes with its own musical angle, blending into a smooth mix of jazz touches, broken beats and soulful house.

Where? Al Qudra Desert

This Friday brings one of the most stunning sky shows of the year. The Geminids Meteor Shower will light up the night at Al Qudra Desert from 10 pm to 1 am — the perfect escape from the city glow. And we are pretty sure you will want to see it — it is a rare one. Dubai Astronomy Group invites everyone to catch this magical moment together. You can grab your tickets here.

The programme:

10:15 pm — Welcome & introduction

10:45 pm — Talk: The Geminids

11:30 pm — Sky mapping + night sky stories

12:00 am — Q&A

12:00 am — Peak of the meteor shower

All night:

Telescope views of Jupiter, Saturn & deep-sky objects; phone photography through the telescopes.

Where? Dubai Design District (d3)

Sole actually kicks off on December 12 and runs through December 14 — so yes, the weekend starts early, and Friday is already fair game for hanging out there (just don’t forget about the meteor shower).

Sole DXB 2025 is taking over Dubai Design District (d3) again, turning it into a three-day mix of music, fashion, art, and all the culture you can possibly fit into one space. And this year’s lineup means business: Kaytranada on Friday, Tyla on Saturday, and Miguel closing the festival on Sunday. Big names, big crowds, big weekend.

But Sole is never just about the headliners. It is the pop-ups, the rare sneaker drops, the young designers showing their work, the basketball games, the DJ sets you stumble upon by accident, the food you weren’t planning to try but end up craving. It is a whole scene — and everyone shows up for it.

If you are into music, style, street culture, or just want to feel the city buzzing in one place, you already know where to be from December 12 to 14.

Where? Cinema Akil

Fujifilm Middle East is launching its first-ever Short Film Festival at Alserkal Avenue, running from December 12 to 14. Together with Cinema Akil and Gulf Photo Plus, they are building a space for new filmmakers to be seen, heard and taken seriously. It is a big moment: stories from 22 countries coming together in one place.

The response to the open call was huge — more than two thousand submissions — so the programme is packed. Over three days, you will find screenings, panels, workshops and mentoring sessions happening across the Avenue, all leading toward an awards night dedicated to emerging voices across four categories.

A jury of regional and international creatives will be choosing the winners, bringing perspectives from producing, programming and cultural work. Along with the recognition, winning filmmakers will receive cash awards and Fujifilm equipment to support whatever they make next.

Mondays aren’t easy, but give this one a chance — the week was packed, and you have earned a slow day.