How Dubai’s Events Make Every Season a Celebration for Indian Travellers

For many Indian travellers, Dubai is less a foreign city and more an extension of home, just with skyscrapers that touch the clouds and events that rival any global capital. Step off the plane and the rhythm feels familiar: Hindi and Punjabi music playing in cafés, the aroma of masala chai in the air, and a calendar of festivals and shows that could have been curated with Indians in mind. What makes Dubai remarkable is how it takes this cultural kinship and amplifies it, turning the city into a stage where Indian traditions, global icons, and family-friendly entertainment all shine side by side.

This September and October, Dubai Calendar, the city’s official events guide, has put together a line-up that shows exactly why Indian travellers flock here not just for shopping and sightseeing, but for experiences that make them feel both at home and at the centre of the world.

Sporting Spirit

Indians’ passion for sport finds an echo in Dubai’s calendar. Football enthusiasts can step inside The Messi Experience at Dubai Festival City Mall, a multi-zone interactive journey through the life and triumphs of Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain, running until December. For those who prefer two wheels, the Spinneys Dubai 92 Cycle Challenge Build-Up Ride on September 28 at Al Qudra Cycle Track offers the chance to test endurance in a thrilling community ride. Basketball fans will also have plenty to cheer for as Dubai Basketball Club kicks off its 2025–26 season at Coca-Cola Arena from September 30, bringing EuroLeague and ABA League powerhouses such as Real Madrid and AS Monaco to the Gulf.

Where Dubai truly shines is in creating an atmosphere where Indians feel right at home. On 20 September, Falguni Pathak Navratri Utsav at Zabeel Park Amphitheatre will bring Navratri to life in a dazzling night of music and dance, complete with dandiya sticks and traditional attire. October will see Zakir Khan, India’s comedy superstar, deliver his sharp yet heartwarming humour at Coca-Cola Arena as part of the Dubai Comedy Festival. And for fans of desi beats, Shubh Live on October 5 promises a pulsating celebration of Punjabi hip-hop.

Global Entertainment 

Dubai’s stages also open doors to global culture, giving Indian audiences the chance to enjoy world-class performances without leaving the region. La Bohème will be staged at Dubai Opera from September 18–20, performed by the renowned Hungarian State Opera. Families can dive into the enchanting world of Disney On Ice: Into the Magic at Coca-Cola Arena (September 18–28), while Big Time by Lebanese comedian Coco Makmak on September 19 adds a sharp dose of humour to the season.

Classical music lovers can revel in the Hungarian State Opera Orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 on September 21, while ballet aficionados will be treated to Swan Lake by the Hungarian National Ballet (September 25–28). The Mid-Autumn Festival: A Moonment to Remember on September 26 at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray brings a taste of China with high-flying acrobatics and artistry, while Lebanese star Najwa Karam will close September at Dubai Opera with her soaring voice on September 30.

A Home Away from Home

What makes Dubai special for Indian travellers is not just the sheer diversity of its line-up, but the way it effortlessly balances Indian celebrations with global spectacles. Families can celebrate Navratri with Falguni Pathak one evening, laugh with Zakir Khan the next month, and still experience opera, ballet, or world-class sport in the same city. Add to this the familiar comfort of Indian food, ease of travel, and Dubai’s trademark hospitality, and the city becomes the perfect cultural playground.

For Indians, travel is about connection; to culture, to community, to moments of joy. Dubai, through its carefully curated events calendar, offers all that and more.