Live & Kicking: Fabulously Festive Party 2026 in Dubai

Live & Kicking: Fabulously Festive Party 2026 in Dubai is a Christmas-themed Saturday afternoon party at Theatre by QE2, on board the Queen Elizabeth 2 at Port Rashid. It runs on Saturdays from 28 November to 19 December, from 2pm to 5pm, and it closes the year for the Live & Kicking Saturday Party Series with Christmas classics, party anthems, live entertainment and a dance floor that rarely empties.

Each session lasts three hours and comes with party food and drinks included in the package, so it works as a ready-made office party or a festive catch-up with friends, with no planning beyond choosing a Saturday.

The Saturday Party Series and its festive finale

Live & Kicking is a run of themed Saturday afternoon parties held in the theatre on the QE2. Through 2026 the series has worked through a different theme each time, including an ABBA-esque party in September, a Nashville party and a Throwback 90s and Noughties party in October, and a Halloween Spooktacular. The Fabulously Festive edition is the last stop of the year, running across four Saturdays in the lead-up to Christmas.

The format stays the same from theme to theme: three hours, a packed dance floor, music that most of the room knows by heart, and food and drink served throughout. For the festive version, that means the Christmas songs everyone grew up with, mixed with feel-good floor-fillers to keep the energy up until 5pm.

Because it finishes in the late afternoon, the party leaves your evening open for dinner or a quieter night, which is part of its appeal for groups who want a celebration without a 4am finish.

What the packages include

There are two packages, and both cover food and drinks for the full three-hour session:

• House Package: buffet-style party food and unlimited house drinks.
• Premium Package: the same party food and house drinks, plus premium fizz options.

The bar opens 30 minutes before the party starts, when doors open at 1:30pm, so you can settle in with a drink before the music begins. Tickets are valid only for the date and time shown, so check your chosen Saturday carefully at checkout.

Dressing the part

Costumes are not compulsory, but the organisers encourage creative outfits that match the theme. Their suggestions are Christmas jumpers, or Christmas T-shirts given the Dubai weather, festive accessories and, above all, dancing shoes. If your office does a Secret Santa or a matching-jumper tradition, this is a good place to show it off, and a group in coordinated outfits fits right in.

The party is for guests aged 21 and above, and it is run in English.

Booking as a group or office party

The parties are designed with groups in mind. To sit together, one person chooses a group host name and everyone in the group enters that same name at checkout. Groups of fewer than six may be seated with other groups, which is worth knowing if you are a smaller party who would rather keep a table to yourselves.

The organisers also offer group and special discounts for teachers, cabin crew and birthday parties of six or more, arranged by contacting them directly, and discounted overnight stays on the QE2 for anyone who wants to make a weekend of it. For level access, wheelchair spaces or other access needs, the listing asks guests to email tickets@otbuae.com before buying, so the team can arrange it in advance.

Who it suits:

• Office teams looking for a festive party with food, drinks and entertainment already arranged.
• Groups of friends who want to start Christmas early with a sing-along.
• Cabin crew and teachers, who can ask about the group offers.
• Anyone celebrating a December birthday with six or more friends.

The venue: a party on the QE2

The setting is a big part of the fun. The Queen Elizabeth 2 was launched in 1967 and sailed for Cunard from 1969 to 2008, completing 806 transatlantic crossings and carrying close to three million passengers. She arrived in Dubai in November 2008 and reopened as a floating hotel at Port Rashid, also known as Mina Rashid, in April 2018. At almost 294 metres long, she is one of the most famous ships ever built, and the theatre on board now hosts shows, musicals and themed parties like this one.

To get there by car, take Sheikh Zayed Road towards Port Rashid and follow the signs for Queen Elizabeth 2. By Metro, take the Red Line to BurJuman station and finish the journey by taxi or ride-hailing app. With unlimited drinks included, a taxi is the sensible choice for the journey home.

For more festive ideas, see our nightlife guide, our dinner and brunch picks, what is on in December, and more things to do in Dubai.