Free Live Music, Hula Hoop Shows: Bluewaters Turns Dubai Into Open-Air Stage On Weekends

2026-02-13 11:19:57

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Visitors to Bluewaters Island are in for a treat on weekends. As the sky turns dark, the waterfront transforms into a lively open-air stage where international artists perform just a few steps away from the crowd and completely free of cost.

From 6.30pm to 10.30pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, four performances take place at the same time across different spots on the island. In total, 25 artists are part of the Dubai Busking Experience, bringing singing, dance, circus acts, magic and live instrumental music to the promenade.

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Instead of simply walking past restaurants and cafes, families stop midway. Children sit on the ground and sometimes dance go the tunes. Phones go up to record the moment. What begins as a casual stroll quickly turns into an unexpected show.

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One of the biggest crowd-pullers is Salina Bakaou, a full-time performance artist whose hula hoop act had dozens gathered. With multiple hoops spinning effortlessly around her body, she mixes humour, audience interaction and spontaneity into her performance. At one point, she pulls a volunteer from the crowd. A few minutes later, applause fills the air.

“I am 100 per cent an artist. I have fully committed to this and I do nothing else,” said Salina.

She describes herself as a jack-of-all-trades. Apart from hula hooping, she performs fire acts, contact juggling, singing and hosting.“What makes my show different is not just skill but emotion,” said Salina.

“There are so many skilled performers out there. What I bring is soul and character. I make you feel something. No two shows are ever the same.”

For her, performing at Bluewaters is special.“This is the first time busking is allowed here, and I am insanely excited. It's been on my bucket list for so long. People just want an excuse to play,” added Salina. Watch her perform below:

A short walk away, musician and magician Adam Cadabra creates a completely different atmosphere. Sitting with his guitar placed flat across his lap, he plays in a style called lap tapping. The sound is rhythmic, almost hypnotic, and slowly draws people closer.

“The style I play is called lap tapping,” said Adam.“It came from early blues slide guitar, but I use an open F tuning. I actually discovered it after I broke my hand in an accident and couldn't play normally. I tried this method, and it slowly grew into what you see today.” Watch his performance below:

Adam started as a street magician in the UK nearly ten years ago.“This is how I began. Walking up to people, doing tricks and hoping they would like it at the end,” he said.

“Dubai is different because you are paid here, but it's exciting to see this culture starting.”

The Dubai Busking Experience brought together performers from different parts of the world. With four shows happening simultaneously, visitors can move from one act to another, from a soulful singer to a circus-style performance, from magic tricks to live dancers.

There are no tickets, no barriers and no formal stage separating artists from the audience. The interaction is direct and natural. Visitors can also support performers through a secure cashless payment option.

Running until March 1, Bluewaters is no longer just about dining or views for the visitors. On weekends, it has become a space where art meets the public, and entertains them for free.