Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai Calendar, the official listings platform for events in the city, has unveiled an action-packed schedule of exciting things to do this May, spanning art, lifestyle, and live entertainment.

Key events in May include the Dubai Food Festival and Dubai Esports and Games Festival, alongside the region’s largest contemporary art fair, World Art Dubai. Additionally, the month also has an exciting line-up of concerts featuring renowned artists such as James Blunt, Shaggy, Najwa Karam, Martin Garrix, Hans Zimmer, and Kadim Al Sahir.

Below are Dubai Calendar’s top pics of upcoming events for May:

ART & LIFESTYLE

The Dubai Esports and Games Festival continues at Dubai World Trade Centre until 5 May and promises an array of thrilling tournaments, educational events, and immersive experiences tailored for gamers of all ages. Some key event highlights include the GameExpo Summit (1-2 May), GameExpo (3-5 May), and Play Beyond (4-5 May).

Dubai's popular gastronomic extravaganza, the Dubai Food Festival, is in full swing until 12 May, offering a delectable array of culinary experiences, from the popular beachside pop-up e& Beach Canteen to immersive Foodie Experiences and the highly anticipated Dubai Restaurant Week, perfect for food enthusiasts across the city.

Contemporary retail art fair World Art Dubai joined the city’s cultural scene in 2015. Taking place from 2 to 5 May at the Dubai World Trade Centre, the fair will showcase more than 4,000 art works, 300 galleries, and artists from 50 countries.

MICRO MUTEK.AE, an international festival of digital creativity and electronic music, arrives in Dubai for its third edition at Alserkal Avenue from 4 to 5 May, with an all-star line-up of performers including DJ Mathew Jonson and the Salar Ansari Trio. This showcase promises to be one not-to-miss for music and art lovers alike.

LIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Music fans can enjoy an evening with Lebanese singing sensation Najwa Karam as she graces the stage at the Coca-Cola Arena on 3 May. Concert-goers can expect a crowd-pleasing show packed with chart-topping hits like El Layli Laylitna, Ktir Helou, and Beirut.

With a mantra of entertainment with a purpose, another exciting edition of EarthSoul Fest is taking place on 4 May at the Coca-Cola Arena. Globally-renowned sensation Jason Derulo is set to headline the event, along with a star-studded line-up of talented artists, including Bollywood funk specialist Benny Dayal, Emirati soul singer Arqam AlAbri, and Dubai’s very own sensation Celinedee Matahari.

Get ready to groove as the popular Catalan band Gipsy Kings and their frontman Tonino Baliardo bring their infectious energy to Dubai Opera on 2 May. The Bamboléo hitmakers promise an unforgettable evening filled with timeless classics like Volaré and Djobi, Djoba.

Grammy Award-winning reggae and dancehall sensation Shaggy teams up with legendary R&B group Blackstreet for a nostalgic concert at the Coca-Cola Arena on 11 May. Attendees can expect to dance the night away to tunes that shared a generation from It Wasn't Me to No Diggity.

Atlantis, The Palm will host one of the world’s biggest DJs, Martin Garrix, as he headlines an epic open-air concert on 11 May. Experience the magic as the hitmaker spins chart-toppers such as Animals, In The Name Of Love, and Scared To Be Lonely.

Virtuoso cellist HAUSER is set to perform two live shows at Dubai Opera on 16 and 17 May, showcasing his signature fusion of classical and crossover tunes in a spectacular performance.

Kuwaiti sensations Miami Band will be joined by Saudi singer Ayed Yousef for an unmissable concert at the Coca-Cola Arena on 17 May. Arabic music fans are in for a treat as they groove to chart-topping hits like Hamdellah ou Shefnakom and Sheilouha Sheila.

One of the top Arab singers of all time, Kadim Al Sahir, is set to serenade fans with popular tracks like Ana Wa Laila, Ha Habibi and many more in a mesmerising live performance on 23 May at the Coca-Cola Arena.

Pop music fans are in for a treat as renowned English singer-songwriter James Blunt is set to take the stage on 24 May at the Coca-Cola Arena. Fans can anticipate an unforgettable evening filled with beloved songs like You're Beautiful, Love Under Pressure, and I Came For Love.

Tom Grennan is gearing up to wow crowds at The Agenda in Dubai Media City on 24 May, as he performs some of his biggest hits, including By Your Side, Little Bit of Love and more. Meanwhile, at Bla Bla, brace yourself for a phenomenal live performance by multi-award-winning band Prime Circle on the same evening.

Don’t miss the chance to engage with Indian motivational speaker Dr. Kumar Vishwas as he takes attendees on an inspiring journey through the Indian epic Ramayana on 26 May at the Coca-Cola Arena,

Hollywood’s iconic music composer Hans Zimmer is returning to Dubai for an audio-visual spectacular at the Coca-Cola Arena on 31 May and 1 June. The multi-Grammy and Academy Award winner will be joined by a world-class 45-piece band and performers for Hans Zimmer Live, which will feature music from movies including The Lion King, Gladiator, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight.

Dubai Calendar allows residents and tourists to discover all the events, festivals and experiences Dubai has to offer. For more information, please visit: www.visitdubai.com/en/whats-on/dubai-events-calendar.

About Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET)

With the ultimate vision of making Dubai the world’s leading commercial centre, investment hub and tourism destination, Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is mandated to support the Government in positioning the emirate as a major hub for global economy and tourism, and in boosting the city’s economic and tourism competitiveness indicators, in line with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, which aims to double the size of the emirate’s economy and consolidate its position among the top three global cities over the next decade.

Under this remit, DET is driving efforts to further enhance Dubai’s diversified, innovative service-based economy to attract top global talent, deliver a world-class business environment and accelerate productivity growth. Additionally, DET is supporting Dubai’s vision to become the world’s best city to live and work in by promoting its diverse destination proposition, unique lifestyle and outstanding quality of life, overall.

DET is the principal authority for planning, supervising, developing and marketing Dubai’s business and tourism sectors. It is also responsible for licensing and classifying all types of businesses, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. The DET portfolio includes Dubai Economic Development Corporation (DEDC), Dubai Business Licence Corporation (DBLC), Dubai Corporation for Consumer Protection and Fair Trade (DCCPFT), Dubai SME, Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DCTCM), Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) and Dubai College of Tourism (DCT). 

About Dubai Calendar

Dubai Calendar, the official listings platform for events in the city, is managed by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an entity of Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET). A free resource online and via a dedicated mobile app, Dubai Calendar is the city’s go-to guide that allows residents and tourists to discover all the events, festivals and experiences Dubai has to offer, from arts, culture and education to food, sports and shopping. With more than 1,200 events per year, and new listings added every week, Dubai Calendar is an all-access pass to ‘what’s on’ in Dubai. For more information about events taking place across Dubai, please visit: www.visitdubai.com/en/whats-on/dubai-events-calendar.