Welcome listeners to Things to do in Dubai with your globe-trotting sports nut, Oly Bennett. It’s Saturday, 20 December 2025, and Dubai is in full “desert winter” mode – warm sunshine by day, cooler evenings, and the city buzzing with festive lights, shopping deals, and late-night energy.Quick vibe check: According to Visit Dubai, the Dubai Shopping Festival is in full swing across the city, with mega sales, raffles, fireworks, and live entertainment turning malls and outdoor venues into one big playground. Over at Bluewaters Island, Gulf News Friday reports that nightly drone shows and roaming performances are lighting up the waterfront, perfect for an evening stroll with skyline views. At Expo City Dubai, Winter City is serving faux snowfall, markets, and family fun, while Madinat Jumeirah’s Christmas market brings abra rides, a giant tree, and all the cozy festive food.If you’re hunting for events today, here are some standouts. BLU Dubai is hosting Quavo Live “Round 2” tonight from 10 pm to 4 am, promising a high-energy hip-hop blowout in true Dubai nightlife style. Emirates Woman highlights The Nutcracker ballet at Dubai Opera, running through this weekend, giving you classic Christmas magic with world-class dancers. For families, Gulf News Friday points to Boo Boo Laand in Dubai Mall, where kids can catch the Jingle Juggle Circus and character shows from 5 pm, or head to Hello Park’s Holiday Multiverse for immersive, high-tech festive play. And if you’re in the mood for something different, City Walk Unplugged is filling the open-air boulevards with live bands, making it ideal for a chilled evening hangout.On the sports-and-spectacle front, Iron Podium lists the Andrew Tate vs Chase DeMoor boxing event in Dubai tonight, with the main card starting around 6 pm UK time and ring walks in the early hours local time – classic Dubai: even the punches are thrown on a global schedule.Zooming into city updates: Visit Dubai notes that Dubai Shopping Festival means extended mall hours and heavier evening traffic around hotspots like Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, and City Walk, so using the Metro and tram can seriously save your sanity. Bluewaters and Expo City both emphasize walkable, open-air layouts, so dress for a gentle evening breeze and bring comfy shoes for all that wandering and snacking. Riverland at Dubai Parks and Resorts has just been reimagined as The World of Riverland, according to Gulf News Friday, with go-karting, mini golf, archery, escape rooms, and more – a fresh all-day option for groups and families.Oly’s must-do hits for today: Stroll Old Dubai in the afternoon – wander Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood, then hop an abra across the Creek for one of the cheapest “cruises” on earth. Swing by Expo City’s Winter City for festive photos, then aim for Bluewaters in the evening to catch the drone show and walk the island. Night owls can finish strong at Quavo’s show at BLU Dubai or a festive party package at Ikigai Dubai, listed on DubaiNight, for dinner-plus-dancing vibes.Local tip from your sports-obsessed guide: Dubai may look car-obsessed, but for big event nights, the Metro is your MVP. Plan your evening around a station like Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall, Dubai Internet City, or Business Bay, and you can bounce between malls, lounges, and waterfront spots without battling ride-hailing surge pricing.Before I dash off to scout the next quirky competition, mark your calendars: Visit Dubai’s events calendar teases more DSF concerts, fireworks, and citywide activations rolling through tomorrow, plus weekend buildups to major sports and music events. Tune in to the next episode for tomorrow’s game plan on what to hit, what to skip, and where the most fun per square meter is hiding.Thanks for listening, please subscribe, and remember—this episode was brought to you by Quiet Please podcast networks. For more content like this, please go to Quiet Please dot Ai.For more check out https://www.quietperiodplease.com/and make sure to jump on these great deals https://amzn.to/3V0gjPtFor more on Oly check out https://www.instagram.com/olybennet/This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI