Glitch X After Hours DJ Night in Dubai

Glitch X After Hours DJ Night is an evening of music, bowling and laser tag, with no alcohol, at Glitch Arabia, the indoor entertainment centre on Level 2 of Al Ghurair Centre in Dubai. Aimed at teenagers and adults, it turns a family entertainment venue into a social night out, with a live DJ, two games of bowling, a round of laser tag and a soft drink included in every ticket.

It is pitched as a refreshing alternative to traditional nightlife: a non-smoking space with no alcohol where friends, families and colleagues can dance, compete and hang out without the club atmosphere.

What is Glitch?

Glitch opened at Al Ghurair Centre in Deira in June 2023, run by Al Ghurair Properties. It covers around 40,000 square feet on the mall’s second level and was launched with more than 30 interactive attractions for children and adults.

When it opened, Khaleej Times highlighted Sky Surf, an indoor roller glider that sends riders around the ceiling from 10 metres up and was billed as Dubai’s only one of its kind. Other attractions included Kazu, a ninja warrior-style course, climbing challenges called Newton’s Wall and Pandora’s Peak, the Loop-de-Loop slide from a 10-metre platform, the GamePort arcade with classic video games and virtual reality, and BeastBowl, an eight-lane bowling centre with automated scoring.

The After Hours DJ Night uses that playground as its backdrop, so the evening feels quite different from a standard bowling night. Al Ghurair Centre itself is one of Dubai’s longest-established malls, right in the heart of Deira.

How the evening flows

Rather than a fixed running order, the night is built around your included games. You check in, collect your drink and then rotate between the bowling lanes and the laser tag arena as sessions become available, with the DJ setting the mood across the venue in between. It works well for groups, because there is always something to do while you wait for the next game, and the music keeps the space feeling like a party rather than a queue.

What is included in the After Hours package

Every ticket includes the same set of activities, which keeps things simple for groups:

• Two games of bowling at the centre’s bowling lanes
• One game of laser tag
• One non-alcoholic drink per guest
• A live DJ providing the soundtrack through the evening

Bowling and laser tag sessions depend on availability and scheduling on the night, so staff will guide you on when to play. Food and other drinks are not included, and outside food and drink are not permitted, so plan to eat at the centre or at the Al Ghurair Centre food court nearby, which is on the same level.

Who it suits

The ticket category is listed as Adult for guests aged 13 and over, and the night is designed for teenagers and adults alike.

• Teenagers looking for a proper night out with music in a safe setting with no alcohol
• Parents who want somewhere they are comfortable letting older children go, or who fancy joining in
• Groups of friends who would rather bowl and battle at laser tag than sit in a bar
• Colleagues after an easy team night that everyone can take part in, whether or not they drink

The friendly competition of bowling and laser tag gives the evening a structure, while the DJ keeps the energy up between games.

Know before you go

• The night starts at 6pm. Arrive at least 15 minutes early to check in.
• Show your ticket, digital or printed, at the entrance.
• Wear comfortable clothes and closed-toe shoes for bowling and laser tag.
• The venue is non-smoking and serves no alcohol.
• Follow venue safety rules and staff instructions; the venue can refuse entry for inappropriate or disruptive behaviour.
• Tickets cannot be cancelled or changed once booked.

Getting to Al Ghurair Centre

Al Ghurair Centre is on Al Rigga Road in Deira, and Glitch is on Level 2, near the food court. Parking at the mall is validated for all After Hours DJ Night guests, which makes driving straightforward.

By Metro, the closest stations are Salah Al Din, Union and Al Rigga; from any of them it is a short walk to the mall. If you are coming by bus, Union Bus Station is around 1.8km away, roughly five minutes by taxi. Pick-up and drop-off are not included.

Deira is one of the older, busier parts of the city, and Al Ghurair Centre sits close to Al Rigga’s restaurants and within a short drive of the creekside souks, so there is plenty nearby if you want to make a longer evening of it before or after the DJ night.

For more ideas, browse our kids and family events in Dubai, see things to do this weekend, or check our nightlife guide for other evenings out. Our things to do in Dubai page has plenty more.