December 2014: UAE events guide

See Emirati photographer Mohammad Ahmad Ahli’s UAE, Beauty and Perspective Art photography exhibition at the H Hotel, until December 4.

Register for free entry to the Ferrari Finali Mondiali (Ferrari World Finals) at Yas Marina Circuit on December 6, at www.yasmarinacircuit.com, or call 800-927(YAS) or 02-6599800.

Bab Al Shams Desert Resort and Spa celebrates UAE National Day with a special show in the dunes of the desert, until December 7.

It’s UAE National Day. Check here for a full list of events.

Fuse ODG and Angel live at the newly refurbished XL Beach Club, free entry for women before 11pm, Dh100 after, Dh150 all night for men. Call 055-1476034.

Seen, a solo exhibition at Opera Gallery, DIFC, until December 10, with Richard Mirando’s superhero works.

Last day to see the JA Ocean View Hotel Emirati Village, JBR, with a mini souk, sweets, henna, coffee, Emirati dance and musical performances by local school children.

At the movies: Jake Gyllenhaal turns creepy in Nightcrawler; Jane Fonda, Tina Fey and Jason Bateman are family in This Is Where I Leave You; Action Jackson, an action drama starring Ajay Devgn and Sonakshi Sinha, is a remake of Telugu film Dookudu.

1920s Prohibition themed CNCF Gala, 7pm, Grand Hyatt, Dubai. Tables Dh7,550 for 10 people, including food, drink, music and entertainment ; dancing until 2am. Call 050-1047206.

Get your costume ready: The Dubai Rugby Sevens kicks off for three days of fun and games. Free entry on Thursday.

9th annual stollen charity cake sale from 10am at Mall of the Emirates, Dh5 per slice (whole loaf Dh100); visit by Santa Claus and his helpers plus carollers.

German techno DJ Ben Klock at Level 41, Media One Hotel, tickets Dh100; call 050-3599798.  

ubk’s Big Weekend Breakfast includes shuttle services from Movenpick Hotel Jumeirah Lakes Towers to the Sevens Stadium. From Dh70; the shuttle is on first come first served basis.

#SimplyRetro ’80s party at Ba Restaurant & Lounge, 9pm, Fairmont The Palm.

Mansour and the Superheroes ice show at Zayed Sports City, tickets Dh50; call 02-4034333.

The Market of Everything, 11am-5pm, at The Archive, Safa Park (Gate 1) with crafters, designers, artists, vintage and second-hand vendors, music from Deep Crates Cartel and a BBQ buffet.

En Vogue by AJK sixth edition at Al Murooj Rotana, 10am-9pm, with over 60 exhibitors from the UAE, India, Pakistan, Hong Kong and Singapore including celebrity designerssuch as Manish Arora, Kunal Tanna, Archana Kochhar, Meera Mahadevia, Aartivijay Gupta, Sejal Mehta and Yogesh Chaudhary, fashion shows, food and pampering.

Christmas charity flea market at Sheraton Abu Dhabi, 9am-2pm, free entry. Supports Kalamusu Kadella children’s home in the Kalutara region of Sri Lanka.

Baby Bazaar, noon-5pm at Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, new and pre-loved baby, toddler and maternity items; call 050-5532048.

Rugbyfest reggae party, The Music Room, Majestic Hotel, with DH Moh, DJ Shiqx and MC Jah Watchman. From 9pm, Dh75.

Dubai flea market at Zabeel Park gates 1,2 and 3, 8am-3pm. Entry Dh5.

Gingerbread house decorating competition, Radisson Blu Hotel Dubai Deira Creek, 1-4pm, Dh99 per person. Pre-register on 04-2057333.]

Curenta, a group exhibition at the Gallery of Light, Ductac, until December 9.

Irish Village Christmas tree lighting, seasonal beverages and home-baked mince pies and choir singing Christmas carols, 7-9pm.

Around the world canape workshop, 9.45am-12.15pm, at Jones the Grocer Al Manara, 5.30-7.30pm, Dh295 per person; call 04-3466886.

Sarah Jessica Parker is at Bloomingdale’s — Dubai at 4pm to celebrate her shoe collection’s debut in the region. To meet her, customers have to buy a pair from the collection. Also at Harvey Nichols, Mall of the Emirates, on December 7.

Dubai International Film Festival opens its 11th edition with The Theory of Everything. Eight days of galas, film stars and screenings at Madinat Jumeirah and Mall of the Emirates. Visit diff.ae to buy tickets.

French cinema under the stars season starts with 2 Autumns and 3 Winters, 8.30pm at Sevilles, Wafi. With English subtitles, free entry, bean bags and F&B to purchase.

 Raffles Hotel lights its Christmas tree, in the presence of Santa, 5pm.

Dubai Christmas Fest, Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, until December 13. Book in advance for Santa’s Grotto, 4-10pm daily; at dubaichristmasfestival.com.

Artscape: an evening of light and music with workshops, activities and live electronic music, 6pm-midnight at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi.

LOFI DISTRICT feat B.Visible from 9pm at Casa Latina, Ibis Hotel Al Barsha, Dh60 after 11pm.

At the movies: The Hobbit finally ends his journey in Peter Jackson’s trilogy closer; Rajinikanth romances Sonakshi Sinha in Lingaa.

Al Aqah fun day, Fujairah Tennis and Country Club, noon onwards. Dh50 per adult, Dh25 children 6-12; call 09-2244880.

Scottish comedian Kevin Bridges is at Dubai World Trade Centre. Tickets Dh500, 300.

BBC Worldwide’s Blue Planet in Concert opens the Abu Dhabi stopover of the 2014-15 Volvo Ocean Race, with five-time Oscar-nominated composer George Fenton and a 75-piece orchestra on the floating stage off Abu Dhabi Corniche. Tickets from Dh300.

Uptown Mirdiff flea market, Promenade Courtyard, near Spinneys, 2-7pm.

Robert Dietz and Yaya at Blue Marlin Ibiza UAE; call 056-1133400.

Beat Diabetes walkathon,

Winter Market, 10am-5pm, at Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, holiday music from GEMS School choir and instrumentalists.

Festive turkey dinner workshop, Jones the Grocer Al Manara, 5.30-7.30pm, Dh295 per person; call 04-3466886.

Fashion Festival, Dubai Garden Centre with over 50 fashion/beauty brands and designers.

We have booked designers from Lebanon, Pakistan, India and UK along with locally based designers/brands.

Ibn Battuta Mall flea market, Tunisia car parking P3, 1-5pm.

Last day to see Fatma Lootah’s Women Scented in Oud exhibition, at Fann-A-Porter, Kempinski Hotel Mall of the Emirates.

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra performs as part of the Abu Dhabi Classics series on a floating stage in the sea at the Corniche Breakwater (also at Al Jahili Fort, Al Ain, December 17). Tickets from Dh200 at ticketmaster.ae.

Atelier M’s one-year anniversary with a fashion show by Sohad Acouri, 8pm, Pier 7, Dubai Marina.

Biryani festival at Claypot with vegetarian and non-vegetarian biryanis — Hyderbadi Nizami Biryani, Murgh Biryani Akbari, Nellore Kodi Biryani, Lucknowi Jhinga Dum Biryani, Dh49 each, with mirch ka salan homemade raita and tomato and garlic chutney. At Claypot, Citymax Hotels Bur Dubai, Kuwait Street, Bur Dubai, 7pm-midnight daily, December 2-27; call 050-1007065.

At the movies: Pin down Steve Carrell’s Oscar-bait turn in Foxcatcher; Find out what the mysterious Aamir Khan film PK is all about.

Dubai Sufi Weekend with A. R. Rahman at Dubai World Trade Centre, tickets from Dh195.

Latin Xperience and Mambo Fever salsa night (December 19), at Meydan, Dh95 at James & Alex Dance Studios in Dubai Media City.

Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Sunidhi Chauhan at Dubai Sufi Weekend day two.

Alice In Wonderland show at Madinat Theatre, Dh175 (stalls) and Dh150 (balcony), 7pm. Also December 20-24 at 11am and 3pm; December 26-27 at 3pm and 7pm; and December 28-30 at 11am and 3pm. madinattheatre.com.

We Run Dubai 10k, at 7.30am, Downtown Dubai.

Egyptian composer Omar Khairat at Dubai World Trade Centre; tickets from Dh250 at platinumlist.

Frozen party, 5-6pm at Yas Marina, Elsa from the Disney animated movie will be present, plus prizes for best costumes. Frozen on the big screen from 6pm.

‘Le jour le plus court’ (The Shortest Day) at A4 space, Alliance Francaise, a night of short films for children and families. Free entry.

See History of Design, until January 3 at The Gallery at Emaar Pavilion, showcasing the evolution of design from the late 19th century until now with furniture, photographs and illustrations, 8am-5pm.

Ladies get two beverages from 8pm-midnight at Medzo or Carter’s, Wafi, part of the 12 Days of Christmas promotions, starting December 14.

Cirque Le Soir Twister Winter in Wonderland parties, Fairmont Dubai.

Merry Christmas!

At the movies: Quvenzhane Wallis is Annie; Christian Bale is Moses in Exodus; Kristen Stewart is a Guantanamo Bay guard in Camp X-Ray. Titli stars Ranvir Shorey and Shashank Arora in a story about a young boy desperate to break away from his family’s illegal business.

White Christmas snow party from 10pm onwards at Meydan Rooftop; call 050-4430933.

Emirati Festival on Abu Dhabi’s Corniche Breakwater with Emirati cooking, falconry, crafts and a 43-foot race of traditional wooden dhows in the late afternoon. Ends with Lulu Project, a collaboration between Jordanian composer and fusion artist Kamal Musallam and Emirati folkloric group Sokoor Al Magabeel. Free.

Flavin light sculptures (children) and mirror mosaics (juniors) workshops (both 11am-1pm) and paper sculpture (teens, 2.30-5pm), Dh50 per person, at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Abu Dhabi. Call 02-6575800.

It’s new year’s eve! Performances include The Jacksons and Gloria Gaynor at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre; Groove Armada at Zero Gravity; and Pharrell Williams and Charli XCX at Meydan.