AKS Dance Festival 2026

AKS Dance Festival returns to Dubai for its third edition on Tuesday 1 December 2026, taking over Surf Club on Palm Jumeirah from 6pm until 3am on the eve of UAE National Day. The organisers are clear about what it is not: this is billed as a full Bollywood festival rather than a club night, with a headline act, five resident DJs, dance crews and festival-style production packed into one long evening by the water.

The line-up: Tej Music Vodka and Dubai’s Bollywood DJs

The headline slot goes to Tej Music Vodka, who is making a first-ever Dubai appearance at AKS. Around the headliner, the night is built on DJs that Dubai’s Bollywood crowd already follows: DJ Manoj, DJ Sohail, DJ Buddha, Yog Music and DJ Jose VA. With six acts across nine hours, the music runs from early-evening warm-up sets to peak-time Bollywood bangers well after midnight, so it rewards people who come for the whole night rather than a quick visit.

What makes it a festival

The difference from a regular Bollywood party is in the production. The listing promises:

• Bollywood dance crews and flash-mob moments breaking out on the floor
• CO2 jets, confetti and pyro timed to the biggest drops
• Glitter and braids stations for getting your festival look done on site
• Photo installations and festival décor around Surf Club

That mix is why the organisers encourage you to get your group together and plan an outfit. It suits friends who want a big, loud, dressed-up night, and anyone who has been to the previous two editions and wants the same energy at a bigger scale.

Celebration tables for birthdays and reunions

AKS also sells celebration tables, aimed at birthdays, anniversaries, bachelorette groups and reunions. If you are marking an occasion, table bookings are handled directly on 0527799914 rather than through the general ticket page. A table gives a group a fixed base for the night, which matters at a venue that stays busy until 3am.

Surf Club, Palm Jumeirah: getting there

Surf Club sits on The Palm Jumeirah, and the event listing gives specific directions. By car, take Sheikh Zayed Road, use exit 34 towards Nakhlat Jumeira Street and follow Palm Jumeirah Road. By public transport, ride the T1 tram (Al Sufouh line) to Palm Jumeirah 2 station, walk about five minutes to the Palm Monorail, ride to Al Ittihad Park and walk about eight minutes to the venue. A taxi or ride-hailing app is the other option the listing suggests.

Why the third edition is worth a look

AKS sells itself with a simple line: “Some nights you go to. Some nights you never forget.” Three editions in, the formula is now set: one headline name, a bench of familiar local Bollywood DJs and a production list that keeps adding moments, from confetti on the drops to flash mobs in the crowd. The 2026 edition’s main change is the headliner, since Tej Music Vodka has not played Dubai before, which gives returning guests something new on top of the DJs they already know.

Tickets and timing

Tickets are sold in phases and the price rises at each stage, with gate tickets costing more than any online phase, so the earliest release is the cheapest way in. Doors and the start of the music are both at 6pm. Because 1 December falls on the eve of UAE National Day, AKS lands at the start of a long weekend of celebrations across the city; see our UAE National Day guide for what else is on.

For more late nights see our Dubai nightlife guide, browse things to do in Dubai or plan the rest of the month with our December events calendar.