Vinyl Souk Mini Festival 2026 in Dubai

The Vinyl Souk Mini Festival returns to 25hours Hotel One Central in Dubai on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November 2026 for its fourth and biggest edition yet. The homegrown festival expands into a two-day celebration of independent music, alternative culture and regional creativity, spread across several spaces in the hotel and its outdoor Plaza, with doors opening at 4pm on both days.

From Record Fair to Vinyl Souk Mini Festival

Vinyl Souk began in 2023 as a record fair, bringing together the handful of shops and collectors the city had at the time, among them The Flip Side and Raw Music Store. It was co-founded by Jayesh Veralkar, who has since left a 13-year career at Dolby to run Vinyl Souk full time, and from the start it refused to confine itself to one genre, scene or nationality. Its timing was good: local press has charted a wider return to physical records in the UAE, with Khaleej Times reporting on young residents choosing vinyl over streaming and Gulf News tracing the business behind the revival, where Vinyl Souk features prominently.

In the years since, it has grown into one of the platforms behind Dubai’s vinyl revival. It runs a label, Vinyl Souk Records, whose Made in the Emirates compilations showcase music made in the country, with the second volume turning to the UAE’s electronic scene. It hosts club nights and showcases, including a two-year anniversary event with Bordello A Parigi, and it has a long-running partnership with 25hours Hotel One Central, where earlier Mini Festivals have taken place. The February 2026 edition, for example, ranged from the electronic production of Egypt’s Hassan Abou Alam to the soulful, indie-tinged songs of Esther Eden.

Three Spaces, Three Moods

For this edition, the programme brings together live music, vinyl selectors, workshops, talks, creative activations, a curated marketplace, food pop-ups and community-led experiences. The organisers describe it as a space to discover music, artists and ideas you may not find elsewhere. The festival is split into distinct zones, each with its own access rules.

The Plaza: main stage

The outdoor Plaza hosts the main stage, with live sets and selectors through the evening. This is the ticketed part of the festival and is strictly for over-21s, with valid original photo ID required and no entry for anyone younger, including children accompanied by adults.

Nomad Day Bar: Souk Sessions

The Souk Sessions at Nomad Day Bar are open to all with no ticket needed. The space is family-friendly and pet-friendly, as long as pets stay under their owners’ supervision, which makes it the easy way to dip into the weekend.

Cinema Akil: Souk Lab

Cinema Akil, the independent cinema with a home at the hotel, hosts the Souk Lab, open to all ages subject to capacity. Some screenings, workshops or activities may need advance registration or carry their own age guidance.

Market, food and talks

Between sets, browse the curated marketplace, where crate-diggers can hunt for records, try the food pop-ups and drop into talks and creative activations run by the city’s creative communities.

25hours Hotel Dubai One Central

25hours Hotel Dubai One Central sits on Trade Center Street in the One Central district beside Dubai World Trade Centre. Its mix of a large outdoor Plaza, a day bar and an in-house cinema is what lets the festival run three very different experiences side by side. Parking is available at One Central, and taxis or ride-hailing apps are the simplest option if you plan to stay for the late sets.

Festival Rules Worth Knowing

Each ticket is valid for one person, one date and one access category, so pick your day carefully. Keep your wristband on, as you need it for re-entry. Outside food and drink are not allowed, and neither are weapons, fireworks, illegal substances, dangerous objects, outside alcohol, glass bottles, drones, professional recording equipment, unauthorised large speakers or large bags and suitcases. Bag checks and security screening may apply.

Personal photos and short non-commercial clips are fine, but recording full performances or DJ sets is not allowed. Smoking and vaping are limited to designated areas, and alcohol to licensed areas. Line-ups and schedules can change, so check the latest details before you set off.

Who Will Love Vinyl Souk

Record collectors, fans of independent and regional music, and anyone curious about the UAE’s alternative scene will feel at home. The Plaza is for adults only, but the free Souk Sessions and the Souk Lab mean families can enjoy parts of the weekend too. For more live music, see our concerts in Dubai and art and culture listings. The same weekend, Down to Earth at Jameel Arts Centre, where Vinyl Souk was a partner last year, brings a green festival to the creek. Round off your plans with things to do in Dubai and things to do in November.