DSS 2025 unveils showstopping line-up of live entertainment, theatre, concerts, and comedy
From soul-stirring musicals to sold-out stand-up, every show is part of the dynamic DSS programme featuring thousands of things to do citywide. DSS 2025 has a seat waiting whether a music fan, theatre-goer, or comedy lover.
FESTIVAL FAVOURITES
DSS turns up the volume this July with the return of Beat The Heat DXB Concert Series, one of the summer's biggest indoor entertainment highlights. After a high-energy kickoff on 4 and 5 July, the excitement continues from 11 to 13 July at Zabeel Hall 6, Dubai World Trade Centre, showcasing the best of regional talent. Presented in collaboration with Spotlight Live, this year's line-up features Soulja, Montiyago, Bader Al Shuaibi, Abdulaziz Louis, Nasser Abbas, Akhras, Big Sam, and Lana Lubany, making it a must on every summer calendar.
Brand-new for 2025, DSS Gahwa Beats is set to bring a fresh kind of buzz to Dubai's weekends with a series of free, high-energy Saturday pop-ups celebrating the city's vibrant coffee culture. Taking place on 26 July, as well as 2, 9, 16, and 23 August, this brand-new experience blends live music, community vibes, and surprise giveaways at select cafés across the city. Exact locations will be revealed in the coming weeks.
POWERHOUSE VOCALS
Filipino singer-songwriter TJ Monterde performs live at Coca-Cola Arena on 13 July, serenading fans with acoustic OPM hits and heartfelt originals. The stage then lights up for Bollywood powerhouse Shreya Ghoshal on 19 July at Dubai World Trade Centre, as the award-winning vocalist returns to Dubai for an evening of cinematic melodies and chart-topping ballads.
Spacetoon Memories with Assem Sukkar takes over Zabeel Theatre from 2 to 3 August, celebrating 25 years of the iconic Arabic-dubbed channel with soundtracks that shaped a generation. Families can also look forward to a magical week of musical theatre at Jumeirah Beach Hotel's Meyana Auditorium, with classic tales including Aladdin from 12 to 27 August, The Little Mermaid from 13 to 26 August, Alice in Wonderland from 19 to 23 August, and Treasure Island from 20 to 24 August - all brought to life on stage in fun, interactive performances for all ages.
Rounding out the summer's live music line-up, South Border and Kris Lawrence reunite for a one-night concert on 16 August at Sheikh Rashid Auditorium, performing their most beloved R&B and OPM hits in a show that promises soulful vocals, smooth harmonies and plenty of nostalgia. Also this August, Kingdom Festival brings Afrobeat and Amapiano vibes to Dubai World Trade Centre on 9 August, with artists including Zakes Bantwini, Uncle Waffles and Swazi DJ. On 15 August, Best of Anime by Dreamlights brings beloved anime soundtracks to life with live piano and violin at Zabeel Theatre, in a special concert for anime fans of all ages.
On 23 August, Dubai Opera welcomes Natalie Imbruglia for an intimate one-night-only concert featuring beloved hits, alongside acoustic cuts from across her award-winning career. Grammy-winning artist Macy Gray brings the season to a soulful close on 29 August at Coca-Cola Arena, performing her global hits, including the unforgettable 'I Try' in a high-energy live show. The following night, on 30 August, Pakistani Punjabi singer Rahat Ali Khan returns to the stage in Dubai, at Coca-Cola Arena, for an evening of romantic ballads and soul-stirring vocals. DSS 2025 then concludes on 31 August with Hearts in Harmony at Dubai Opera, featuring Javed Ali and Ustad Ghulam Ali in a special two-act celebration of melody, legacy and live performance.
Also on 29 and 30 August, Red Carpet debuts at Dubai Opera, a unique Arabic stage production inspired by talent shows, where performers face a live judging panel and audiences are encouraged to vote for their favourites in a colourful music and dance-filled play.
LAUGH-OUT-LOUD LINE-UP
Comedy fans should mark their calendars for a summer of big laughs. On 16 August, Roxy Cinemas at Dubai Hills Mall flips the script with Comedy Night, a one-off stand-up show staged inside the cinema itself, complete with reclining seats, popcorn, and a line-up of Dubai-based talent bringing the laughs.
The season wraps with Gaurav Gupta at Dubai College Auditorium on 30 August, as the dentist-turned-comedian delivers two back-to-back sets of his signature Hindi storytelling, Punjabi humour and uproarious observations on modern life.
CULTURE & HERITAGE
Running from 25 July to 1 August, Dubai Dates 2025 returns to Qalaat Al Remaal on Dubai-Al Ain Road with a week-long celebration of the UAE's most iconic fruit. Organised by the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Heritage Center, visitors can explore a wide range of date varieties, learn about traditional harvesting and cultivation methods, and enjoy family-friendly activities rooted in Emirati heritage.
Dubai Summer Surprises 2025 is supported by Key Sponsor Commercial Bank of Dubai and Strategic Partners which include: Al Futtaim Malls (Dubai Festival City Mall & Festival Plaza), Al Zarooni Group (Mercato Shopping Mall), AW Rostamani Group, DHAM (Al Seef, Bluewaters, Ibn Battuta Mall, Nakheel Mall, and The Outlet Village), Emirates Airline, ENOC, e&, Majid Al Futtaim (City Centre Deira, City Centre Mirdif, Mall of the Emirates), Merex Investment (City Walk and The Beach, JBR), and talabat.
For more information, visit the Dubai Summer Surprises website and follow @DubaiFestivals on Instagram and TikTok.
-Ends-
About Dubai Summer Surprises 2025:
Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2025 takes over the city for its 28th edition from 27 June to 31 August, showcasing the summer as one of the best value times of the year to experience Dubai. Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), the most value-packed edition of DSS this year promises a summer well spent for everyone with thousands of offers and things to do for 66 non-stop days. For the first time ever in DSS history, the city's retail sector is anchored around three distinct shopping seasons - Summer Holiday Offers from 27 June to 17 July, Great Dubai Summer Sale from 18 July to 10 August, and Back to School from 11 to 31 August. Each period unlocks exclusive new retail promotions, spectacular mall activations, and life-changing raffles, alongside world-class gastronomy, hospitality, indoor family fun, and a packed events calendar. Bringing together a mix of not-to-be-missed, brand-new experiences and returning festival favourites for every preference and price point, there are endless reasons to stay, play, shop, and celebrate an exciting summer season together. DSS 2025 truly delivers unforgettable moments for everyone, whether families, friends, couples, residents, or visitors.
About Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment
Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), is responsible for developing Dubai's retail and festival sectors and supporting the positioning of Dubai as a world-class tourism destination with year-round family entertainment, shopping and events.
For further information, please contact:
Dubai Economy and Tourism
mediarelations@dubaidet.ae
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Cosmopolitan ME
7 hours ago
- Cosmopolitan ME
Where have you been if you've not added these Middle Eastern artists to your playlist?
Our daily lives are shaped by music. We have playlists for everything from getting ready with the girls to getting over an ex. Does anyone else sing a ballad in the shower, or is it just us? But behind every chorus and lyric is an artist bold enough to bare their heart. And with heart, comes song and stories. Now, we have the Middle East where femmes are front and center. They are inviting us into their world, one project at a time. These artists aren't afraid to shake up the global music scene. Whether they're reimagining genres, blending cultural influences, or turning grief into hits, they're redefining what it means to be seen on their terms in the Middle East and beyond. So, get ready to tap in and meet the musicians singing and starting conversations we've never needed more. Dounia She is a Moroccan-American spiritually tuned babe we've been waiting for. She's all about divine feminine energy. Dounia makes a blend of alt-R&B and pop music. 'I'm a writer and songstress at heart, and I love using production to take things into new and interesting directions,' she tells us. Keep an eye out for her upcoming EP, Mrs. Lovebomb, to be released on August 8. We ♥️ her song Rich Girl Mood. Listen here: Rita Malek She is a Lebanese-Syrian artist based in Kuwait who recently released her single, Habba. 'It's the kind of music that enters and exits your world without warning,' she shares. 'It doesn't beg to be heard. It just… is.' The five-track project effortlessly glides between amapiano, Afro beats, Arabic pop, and Bedouin melodies. Our girl has got range. We ♥️ her song Ya Dunyay (Dum Taka). Listen here: Asayel She is a fashion loving hip-hop artist from Saudi Arabia. Asayel was recently featured in Fujifilm Instax Middle East's new campaign in partnership with Billboard Arabia. Her music has Hejazi (Saudi) slang and bold lyrics, drawing from her childhood—so yes, get ready to dance. We ♥️ her song Asliyah. Listen here: Ilham She is a Moroccan-American songstress making waves in alternative R&B. Raised in New York City, her city girl aesthetics bleed through in her music (and we love to see it). She has collaborated with London on da Track and Arin Ray. Her upcoming album uhm…ok? will be released on August 1st. We ♥️ her song back and forth. Listen here: Want more for your summer playlist? We've gotchu here bestie. 💋
Khaleej Times
10 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Radhika Yadav murder: Dubai-based Indian actor denies rumours of involvement in case
Indian actor and singer Inam-ul-Haq, who recently relocated to Dubai, said he is in disbelief after being pulled into controversy surrounding the murder of former tennis player Radhika Yadav — a woman he said he met just once at a brief music video shoot over a year ago. 'I've seen this kind of thing happening to people in films. Now it's happening to me,' the 27-year-old told Khaleej Times on Saturday (July 12). 'It feels like a nightmare, and I hope I wake up.' Radhika, 25, was allegedly shot dead by her father, Deepak Yadav, at their Gurugram home on July 10. She was reportedly preparing a meal for her mother's birthday when she was shot four times in the back. Her father, 49, has confessed to the killing, with investigators citing "social pressure, ego, and a patriarchal mindset as contributing factors". Inam said the only connection to Radhika is a short music video they appeared in together — a clip which is now widely circulating online. He fears it is being weaponised to fuel baseless and unfounded narratives. 'I'm especially disturbed that this is being twisted into a Hindu-Muslim story with phrases like Love Jihad thrown around casually. There was nothing of the sort. We worked together once, and that's it. Everything else is rubbish," the actor said. Inam clarified that the tennis event where he first heard of Radhika took place in New Delhi, not Dubai as erroneously reported by some Indian media outlets. At the time, he was based in Mumbai and working as a creative head for the Tennis Premier League. 'Someone mentioned a young tennis player who was interested in acting. I never met her then. We just followed each other on social media afterward, like many people do.' It wasn't until a year later, when casting for a music video in Noida, that they crossed paths in person. 'That was the first and only time I met Radhika face-to-face. She came in a car with her mother, we exchanged pleasantries, and got on with the shoot,' he said. 'It lasted five or six hours at most. After that, we never met in person.' Watch the video below, as shared by Inam: Inam said the song for the music video had been shared with Radhika before the shoot. 'During the shoot, she mentioned that her father really liked it. She said, 'Bahut achcha laga unko' (He really liked it)." He remembers Radhika as 'vivacious' and 'very comfortable in front of the camera.' 'She didn't look nervous or unsure, it didn't seem like her first time acting. But professionally, that was the extent of it. She was one of many actors I've worked with. We gave her a token amount for the unpaid project, and that was it.' Inam, who moved to Dubai three months ago to set up business, Inam said he learned of her death around Friday noon. 'I was stunned into silence. Since then, I've received more than 150 calls. People are dragging me into something I have absolutely no connection with beyond that one shoot. It's deeply distressing.' He reiterated: 'I only met her once during that video shoot. That was the first and last time we interacted in person.' According to police, Radhika's father said he faced repeated taunts from villagers who questioned his daughter's independence and his reliance on her income. 'Some even questioned her character,' he allegedly told investigators. He reportedly asked her to shut down her tennis academy, and when she refused, he claimed it hurt his dignity.
Khaleej Times
13 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Influencer Abdu Rozik arrested at airport on 'allegations of theft'
Tajikistani singer and social media influencer Abdu Rozik was arrested at Dubai International Airport on Saturday, the company managing Rozik in Dubai confirmed to Khaleej Times. The 21-year-old was detained by authorities at around 5am over the weekend, shortly after arriving in Dubai from Montenegro. The specific nature of the complaint has not been disclosed, and no official statement has been issued by authorities. 'All we can say is that we are aware he has been taken into custody on allegations of theft,' a company representative told Khaleej Times, declining to provide further details. Rozik, who stands just over three feet tall due to a growth hormone deficiency, is one of the most recognisable young celebrities in the region. He holds a UAE Golden Visa and has lived in Dubai for several years. His popularity rose through his music, viral videos, and reality television appearances, including Bigg Boss 16. In 2024, Rozik made his boxing debut at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai and launched his restaurant brand, Habibi, in the UK. That same year, he was also questioned by India's Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering investigation involving a hospitality firm, though he was not named as an accused.
