August is signing off with a little more going on than usual. Emirati Women’s Day, Onam tables, beach-club nights, new openings and a few very good reasons to leave the house are all packed into one long weekend. Here’s how we’d spend it.
To Shop
Udora x Poison Drop
Poison Drop and Udora are teaming up for Emirati Women’s Day on 28 August at Dubai Hills Mall. With any in-store purchase, visitors can create a complimentary flower board using fresh blooms and jewellery — whether it’s destined for a mother, sister, friend or simply someone worth celebrating. The activation runs throughout the day at Poison Drop on the first floor.
ALO at Dubai Hills Mall
ALO is opening its newest Dubai store at Dubai Hills Mall on Friday, 28 August, adding another address for its studio-to-street activewear, accessories and wellness staples. If a new set has been sitting on your wishlist, consider this your weekend excuse to try it on IRL.
Make a Final Stop at DSS Luxe Edition
The final weekend of DSS Luxe Edition runs through 30 August, with luxury activations across Dubai including personal styling, product previews and limited-edition launches. At Bloomingdale’s Dubai Mall, the lineup includes beauty and fragrance showcases alongside names such as Diptyque, YSL Beauty, Aquazzura, Andrea Wazen and Malone Souliers.
To Dine
Murmur
Up for a road trip? Sharjah has a new homegrown fine-dining address in Aljada. Murmur brings GCC flavours into a contemporary bistro setting, with dishes such as Machboos Arancini, Bombay Butter Arayes, Wagyu Short Rib Hummus and Musakhan Lasagna on the menu. Save room for the Karak San Sebastián — a regional spin on the Basque cheesecake.
Jamavar
Jamavar Dubai is bringing back Leelamma’s Onam Sadhya for a second year, serving the Kerala harvest feast through 30 August. The menu includes Aviyal, Olan, Erissery, Meen Porichathu, Alleppey Prawn Curry, followed by traditional desserts including Parippu Pradhaman and Pal Ada Payasam. A fully vegetarian Sadhya is also available.
To Experience
DRIFT Dubai White Party
DRIFT Dubai brings back its White Party on Saturday, 29 August, with Grey Goose joining for the afternoon. Expect an all-white dress code, live entertainment, French-inspired food and a dedicated cocktail menu, with guests welcomed by a complimentary serve on arrival. Set at One&Only Royal Mirage, it’s an easy pick if your long weekend plans need somewhere by the sea with a little more energy.
HOOF Emirati Women’s Day Complimentary Coffee
HOOF is marking Emirati Women’s Day with complimentary coffee across all of its UAE locations on Friday, 28 August. From 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM, women can pick up one selected coffee on the house, with the offer available for takeaway. Specialty drinks and matcha are excluded.
To Visit
See Tangerine Dreams at Ayyam Gallery
If Alserkal is already on the weekend route, head to Ayyam Gallery for Tangerine Dreams. The summer group exhibition takes a single colour — orange — and follows it through works touching on landscape, memory and identity. It runs until September 18; the gallery is open Friday and Saturday over the long weekend.
Swim After Dark at Bohemia Beach Club
Bohemia Beach Club is keeping the pool open after sunset with its new Moonlight Splash, running Friday and Saturday nights from 7:00 PM. Expect late-night swims in the glass-lined pool, deep house sets and Palm Jumeirah views once the daytime crowd clears. A good one for stretching the long weekend well past golden hour.
To Watch
The Dog Stars
Ridley Scott returns to sci-fi with The Dog Stars, landing in cinemas on August 28. Based on Peter Heller’s novel, the film follows pilot Hig, played by Jacob Elordi, surviving a post-pandemic world alongside Josh Brolin, before a mysterious radio transmission sends him searching for signs of life. Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong and Allison Janney round out the cast.
The End of Oak Street
The End of Oak Street is now playing in UAE cinemas, with Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor leading David Robert Mitchell’s sci-fi thriller. After a mysterious cosmic event pulls an ordinary suburban street into an unknown world, one family has to figure out what happened — and how to survive it.
