Things to do in Dubai this week including: Natalie Imbruglia live, waterfalls on stage, and a 360° Wonderland!

Good morning, Dubai. This week is a mix of business cards, laughter, and a few reality-bending spectacles. Entrepreneurs are swapping stories over drinks, cyclists are chasing sunrises in the desert, and Natalie Imbruglia is ready to remind us all why “Torn” never left our heads. There’s magic with comedy, cooking that might save your date night, tango that sizzles, and art that literally smells good. Whether you want to network, laugh until your face hurts, or question the laws of physics at La Perle, the city’s got something waiting.

— Local Scoop Dubai

THE DUBAI DIGEST

🏨 - Dubai Tourism Reaches Nearly 10 Million Visitors in H1 2025 
Dubai saw a notable increase in international tourism in the first half of 2025, attracting 9.88 million overnight visitors between January and June, marking a 6% rise that supports the emirate's goal of entering the world's top three tourism hubs. | More Info

⚡ - DEWA Enhances Smart Infrastructure for Climate Resilience 
DEWA enhances its operational preparedness through smart infrastructure and proactive plans, especially with the increasing pressures resulting from climate change, digital transformation and rising demand in 2025. | More Info

🏢 - Dubai Real Estate Market Hits Record High with 726 Active Projects 
Dubai has 726 projects currently under construction, as developers ramp up efforts to meet growing real estate demand and the first half of 2025 saw the completion of 24 real estate projects valued at AED4.5 billion. | More Info 

Nothing in this section is sponsored. They're just the things you need to know. I'll always let you know when something's sponsored.

SCRUMPTIOUS SCOOP

🍕 - Larte’s Ferragosto Pizza Celebration
All August long, Larte at Studio One Hotel is serving Italian summer by the slice. Any artisanal pizza from the menu is just AED 49, fresh from the woodfired oven and finished with that trattoria charm. Pair it with a glass of vino, chill at the bar, or linger over espresso at the caffè. With Green Key certification, even your pizza night comes with a side of sustainability.

📍 - Studio One Hotel, Dubai Studio City
📅 - 1st - 31st August
⏰ - From 12:00 PM Daily
📷 - @larte.dubai

🥘 - Askim: Mediterranean & Turkish Dining in Downtown Dubai
A blend of Mediterranean and Turkish flavours with a modern twist. Askim serves everything from sizzling kebabs and rich mezza spreads to full Turkish and Arabic breakfasts for two. Set on the buzzing Downtown Boulevard, the terrace comes with Burj Khalifa views, while indoors you’ll find warm, elegant interiors perfect for family dinners or late-night shisha sessions.

📍 - Boulevard Heights, Downtown Dubai (near Burj Khalifa & Dubai Mall)
⏰ - Daily 9:00 AM - 2:00 AM (Breakfast 8:30 AM - 12:30 PM)
📞 - 04 266 7099
📷 - @askim.restaurant

BIZ BITE OF THE WEEK

💼 - Entrepreneurs Meetup DXB
Starting a business in Dubai can feel like playing Jenga on a moving yacht. That’s why Thrive Events created this meetup for expats, freelancers, and founders to swap tips, trade contacts, and laugh about the stuff nobody tells you when you land here. No stiff suits, no awkward sales pitches, just two hours of real talk, new ideas, and maybe your next collaborator over a drink.

📍 - Lock, Stock & Barrel, JBR
📅 - 19th August
⏰ - 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
🎟️ - From AED 35 (welcome drink included)

🌏 - Eurasian Tuesday: Focus on Singapore
Your passport can stay at home, but your business cards are compulsory. EurAsia Gulf and the Singapore Business Council are bringing together investors, entrepreneurs, and executives from the Gulf, Central Asia, and Singapore for an evening of deals, canapés, and strategic small talk. Swap trade secrets, clink glasses, and pretend you always knew Singapore was the world’s networking capital.
📍 - Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah
📅 - 19th August
⏰ - 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
🎟️ - Free for EurAsia Gulf Members, guest passes available

ACTIVITY ALLEY

🚴‍♂️ - Bikeera Saturday Al Qudra Community Ride
Forget the snooze button, this crew starts rolling at 6am sharp. The Bikeera gang takes over Al Qudra’s 86km desert track every Saturday, splitting into pace groups so you can either race like a Tour de France wannabe or just cruise and watch the sun rise. If you’re lucky, you’ll even spot an Arabian oryx cheering you on. It’s fitness, friendship, and a free tan all in one ride.

📍 - Al Qudra Cycling Track
📅 - Until 23rd August
⏰ - 6:00 AM - 8:30 AM
📷 - @bikeera.mobility

🎭 - The Laughter Factory: August Comedy Tour
Dubai’s longest-running comedy night is back, bringing brutal punchlines, jaw-dropping magic, and observational chaos you’ll be quoting for weeks. This month’s line-up includes Dimitri Bakanov, Ash Rose (yes, he’s funny and does tricks), and Noha Bashir, whose sharp wit could slice through Burj Khalifa glass.

📍 - Multiple venues across Dubai
🎟️ - From AED 160
📷 - @thelaughterfactory

👨‍🍳 - Top Chef Dubai Summer Cooking Classes
Sharpen your knives and maybe your flirting skills because Top Chef Dubai is serving up cooking classes that turn clumsy chopping into fine dining magic. One day you are torching crème brûlée, the next you are convincing your kids their mini pizza is not “too cheesy.” With chefs guiding every stir and slice, you will finish with a plate worthy of Instagram and hopefully no Band-Aids. Perfect for date nights, team bonding, or finally learning what al dente actually means.

📍 - Villa 196, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeira 1
📅 - Various sessions, 18th - 24th August

FRESH EXPERIENCES

🎵 - Natalie Imbruglia Live at Dubai Opera
The voice behind the global hit Torn is back. Celebrating 25 years since her multi-platinum debut album Left of the Middle, Natalie Imbruglia brings a one-night-only performance packed with nostalgia, powerful vocals, and the ‘90s anthems that made her a star. From ARIA Awards to The Masked Singer UK, her career has spanned decades — now it’s Dubai’s turn for a night of pure pop magic.

📍 - Dubai Opera
📅 - Saturday 23 August - 8:00 PM
🎟️ - Tickets from AED 295
📞 - +971 4 440 8888
📷 - @dubaiopera

🐇 - Alice in Wonderland 360° at TODA
Take the kids down the rabbit hole, literally. This fully immersive digital show transforms Lewis Carroll’s classic into a 360° adventure where you can wander through the Mad Hatter’s tea party, chase the Cheshire Cat, and stand before the Queen of Hearts. After the show, little adventurers can join “The Wonderland Explorers,” with games, quizzes, and story sessions to stretch the magic even further.

📍 - Theatre of Digital Art, Souk Madinat Jumeirah
📅 - Selected showtimes in August
🎟️ - From AED 55 (kids) / AED 110 (adults)
📷 - @todadubai

🎹💃 - Tango & Keys Live at Zabeel Theatre
Two pianos, one tango duo, and more passion than your average telenovela. Tango & Keys is a one-night-only mash-up of classical music and South American fire, where elegance meets rhythm and the result is pure theatre. The internationally acclaimed ST-DUO take the keys while an Argentinian pair glide, dip and smoulder across the stage. It’s refined, it’s fiery, and it’s probably the closest you’ll get to Buenos Aires without leaving Dubai.

📍 - Zabeel Theatre, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
📅 - Saturday 23 August - 8:00 PM
🎟️ - AED 125–375
📷 - @artforalluae

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING?

🎤 - Ladies Aadmi ft. Vivek Samtani
A Hindi stand-up show where everyday chaos, awkward dating, and cultural mix-ups turn into punchlines. Vivek Samtani’s sharp wit and storytelling make you laugh at life’s disasters while secretly thinking, “yeah, that happened to me too.” Two shows in one night so you can pick your laugh schedule.
📍- The Junction, Alserkal Avenue | 24th August | 4:30 PM & 7:30 PM | More Info

🎨 - ARTE Museum: Immersive Nature Experience
Ever wanted waterfalls without soggy socks or flowers that don’t wilt after two days? ARTE Museum’s got you. Walk through digital oceans, glowing forests, and starry beaches that actually sparkle (no sand in your shoes, promise). Add in soundscapes that feel like nature ASMR and scents that don’t smell like Duty Free gone wrong, and you’ve got Dubai’s trippiest art day out. Bonus: there’s a tea bar, because even surrealism needs caffeine.
📍- The Dubai Mall, Level 2 (opposite Galeries Lafayette) | Daily until 24th August | 10:00 AM - 11:00 PM | More Info

🎭 - La Perle by Dragone Aqua Theatre
It’s like someone gave Cirque du Soleil scuba gear and said, “go wild.” La Perle mixes jaw-dropping dives, motorbikes flying through waterfalls, and acrobatics that make you wonder if gravity took the night off. The whole stage is basically a giant pool, and performers leap from 25 metres up like it’s just another Tuesday. This is Dubai’s resident mega-show, the kind of spectacle that leaves you clapping, gasping, and maybe questioning your own career choices.
📍- Al Habtoor City | Wed–Sun | Evening performances | More Info

LOCAL SCOOP DUBAI WEATHER

Friday
42°C 🌡️ 32°C | Sunny.

Saturday
43°C 🌡️ 33°C | Sunny.

Sunday
42°C 🌡️ 31°C | Sunny.
Temperature readings taken the night before publication

THANKS!

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