Dubai is properly back in season this week. Alserkal Avenue is reopening its galleries with a new wave of exhibitions, JW Marriott Marquis has launched a botanical beverage lab for anyone bored of the usual coffee order, and one of the region’s biggest hi-fi and smart-home shows is bringing some seriously impressive sound systems to town. Then, by the weekend, there is one last indoor summer party before the city fully shifts into its autumn rhythm. Here is what we are doing this week.

Where? Firetti Contemporary, Alserkal Avenue

Alserkal Avenue is kicking off the new art season with 19 exhibitions across 16 galleries and art spaces, so this week is a good excuse to make your way back to Al Quoz. One show to put on your list: The Living Archive, a solo exhibition by Syrian artist Ahmad Tallaa at Firetti Contemporary.

Tallaa looks at the human face almost as a record of everything that has happened to us. His large-scale portraits are built from sand collected in the UAE, chalk, pigments and acrylic, creating thick, almost sculptural surfaces full of cracks, marks and traces. Alongside them are sculptures, works on paper and handmade artist books — all circling the same idea of what experience leaves behind.

The exhibition runs until November 11.

Where? JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, Business Bay

Dubai certainly isn't short of places to get coffee, but Aurōm is doing something a little different. Newly opened at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, it is part specialty coffee spot, part botanical beverage lab — with drinks built around extraction, fermentation, botanical infusions and other techniques you would normally expect from a cocktail bar or experimental kitchen.

The concept was created with The Herball and botanical specialist Michael Isted, and everything here is non-alcoholic. So, yes, you can get your coffee — but we would probably skip the usual order and try one of the botanical creations instead.

Where? Radisson RED Dubai Silicon Oasis

If you have ever wondered whether you can actually hear the difference between a very good speaker and a ridiculously expensive one, this is probably the weekend to find out.

The HIGH END & SMART HOME SHOW returns to Dubai with more than 200 brands covering hi-fi, home cinema, headphones, vinyl and smart-home technology. The fun part is that much of it isn't displayed on stands: hotel rooms are transformed into listening spaces where you can sit down, play music and compare full sound systems properly.

There is also a Vinyl Market, a dedicated headphone area and plenty of smart-home tech, from automated lighting and climate control to AI-powered systems that learn how you live.

The show starts on September 24 with an industry-only day; public days are September 25–26, and registration is free.

Where? P7

One last indoor summer party before the season officially moves on. The closing brings London-based MarcelDune to Dubai — an artist whose sound jumps between hard-edged electronics, vocals and punk energy, with releases on labels including RAW and Intrepid Skin and appearances at Berghain, Tresor, RSO and FOLD.

Room 1 goes all in on groove and ghetto sounds, while Room 2 is taken over by Old Caar Fun and his minimal, groovy vinyl selection. And there is more than music: Popcorn Zombie takes over the Art Hub with 3D sculptures, animation and character design, the record store gets a fresh restock, and Bad Berry Club is back with a pop-up.

Basically: six hours, two rooms, records, art and a proper goodbye to the indoor summer season.