Step Into the New Year with City Walk Unplugged

City Walk Unplugged closes out the year and kicks off 2026 with a run of live performances spanning New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and the first weekend of January. Now in its fourth season and part of Dubai Shopping Festival, the open-air music series continues to bring people together in the heart of the city, pairing live sound with City Walk’s signature open-air setting.

This Week at City Walk

Wednesday, 31 December

Jad Abi Haider and Band – Live Performances

Celebrate the countdown to 2026 with Jad Abi Haider and Band performing live on New Year’s Eve. The band will take to the stage with three live sets at 9:30pm, 10:30pm and 11:45pm, setting the mood for a festive night as visitors gather across the destination to welcome the New Year.

Thursday, 1 January’2026

Andrea and Band – Live Performances
Ease into the first evening of the year with Andrea and Band, performing three live sets at 6:20pm, 7:30pm and 8:30pm. The New Year’s Day performance offers a relaxed yet upbeat soundtrack, perfect for winding down after celebrations while enjoying the destination’s dining and festive atmosphere.

Weekend Highlights

Friday, 2 January’2026

The Boxtones – Live Performances
Friday night brings The Boxtones to City Walk with three live sets at 6:20pm, 7:30pm and 8:30pm. Known for their energetic stage presence, the band delivers a lively mix that carries the crowd into the weekend, creating an easy going but high-energy start to January nights at the destination.

Saturday, 3 January’2026

Arqam Al Abri – Live Performances
Headlining the weekend, Arqam Al Abri takes to the stage at 8:00pm with a standout live performance that brings depth and emotion to the City Walk Unplugged lineup. Known for his distinctive sound and strong connection with audiences, Arqam’s set delivers a powerful close to the weekend, drawing visitors together for an evening of live music in City Walk’s open-air setting.

Collectors Hub at City Walk x DSF Auto Season, 2–4 January’2026

Running across the same weekend, City Walk will host Collectors Hub, a three-day showcase celebrating automotive design, heritage, and craftsmanship. Visitors can explore limited-edition supercars, vintage classics, rare private collections, and special-build vehicles displayed publicly for the first time, making it a key draw for motoring enthusiasts at the destination.

More to Discover Across City Walk

Roaming Performances & Dance Shows

Across New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and the weekend, roaming musicians and specially choreographed dance performances will appear across key areas of City Walk, adding unexpected moments of movement, colour and energy throughout the evenings.

Festive Setting

The destination remains dressed for the season with festive décor throughout, from the signature Christmas Tree at the fountain to decorative installations at key entrances and enhanced seasonal touches across the C2 licensed dining district.

Shop, Dine & WIN During DSF

Win the new ARCFOX Alpha S when you spend AED 300 or more at participating City Walk outlets using the TICKIT Rewards App and enjoy an added highlight to your weekend at the destination.

For details on timings and further updates, visit https://www.citywalk.ae/en/whats-on/citywalk-unplugged-dsf

ROYAL SALUTE RETURNS TO DUBAI DUTY FREE WITH AN ULTRA-PRESTIGE WHISKY BOUTIQUE

 Royal Salute, the pinnacle of prestige Scotch whisky, has unveiled its premium boutique at Dubai Duty Free for the second consecutive year, reaffirming its commitment to elevating luxury spirits within the global travel retail landscape.  

 

Now open for a limited period at Terminal 3 Departures, Concourse A, alongside other luxury brands, the immersive boutique invites international travellers into Royal Salute’s world of rarity, craftsmanship and refined discovery. 

 

Developed in close collaboration with Dubai Duty Free and Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail, the space presents an exceptional selection of ultra-rare and limited-edition whiskies, including exclusives and expressions unavailable in domestic markets. 

 

Designed to command attention, the boutique transforms whisky retail into an experience - demonstrating that ultra-prestige spirits can rival fashion, beauty and fine jewellery in desirability, storytelling and collectability. 

 

An elevated launch experience 

The official inauguration took place on 9 December, attended by senior leadership from Pernod Ricard and Dubai Duty Free. Guests were guided through the boutique before participating in a curated tasting led by a Royal Salute brand connoisseur, enhanced by ‘Taste Odyssey’, Pernod Ricard’s immersive digital microsite that brings the brand’s craftsmanship and blending artistry to life. 

 

The launch concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and the presentation of a commemorative gift box featuring two Royal Salute tumblers. 

 

A showcase of rarity and craftsmanship 

At the heart of the boutique is a carefully curated portfolio of Royal Salute’s most exceptional expressions, led by a selection of true collector’s pieces: 

 

Royal Salute 53 Year Old – Art Edition: Forces of Nature, Year I by Kate MccGwire 

A breathtaking 53-year-old masterpiece created in collaboration with renowned sculptor Kate MccGwire. Fusing rare whisky with contemporary art, each ultra-limited release is paired with a bespoke sculpture capturing movement and transformation. With only a handful released worldwide, Bottle No. 20 is showcased exclusively at Dubai Duty Free. 

 

Royal Salute 55 Year Old – Time Series 

A remarkably smooth 55-year-old blend matured for over half a century in exceptional casks. Revealing deep complexity and refined elegance, this once-in-a-lifetime release represents the pinnacle of Royal Salute’s blending mastery. 

 

Royal Salute Coronation of King Charles III Edition 

Created to honour the coronation of King Charles III, this exquisite 55-year-old blend delivers extraordinary depth and sophistication. Highly collectible and released in extremely limited quantities, it stands as a tribute to heritage, history and royal celebration. 

 

Royal Salute House of Quinn 

A bold collaboration with fashion designer, Richard Quinn, merging couture creativity with luxury whisky. Encased in a striking floral decanter reflecting Quinn’s signature aesthetic, this limited release is crafted for collectors who value artistry, individuality and expressive flavour. 

 

The boutique also features a wide range of Royal Salute’s most coveted expressions, including: 

• Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute (Original Reserve & Peated) 

• Royal Salute 32 Year Old – The Precious Jewel 

• Royal Salute 26 Year Old – Amarone Cask Finish 

• Royal Salute 25 Year Old – The Treasured Blend 

• Royal Salute 25 Year Old – The Treasured Blend (Dubai Duty Free Exclusive) 

• Royal Salute 21 Year Old – The Signature Blend 

• Royal Salute 21 Year Old Vintage 2002 

• Royal Salute 21 Year Old Miami Polo Edition 

• Royal Salute 21 Year Old Richard Quinn Fashion Edition 

 

Exclusive to Dubai Duty Free 

Royal Salute 25 Year Old – The Treasured Blend (Dubai Duty Free Edition) 

Crafted from long-matured casks aged for a minimum of 25 years, this exclusive expression delivers exceptional depth and refinement, with notes of dried fruits, raisins and warm spices, finished with signature Royal Salute smoothness. Available exclusively at the Dubai Duty Free boutique, it reinforces the destination’s status as a hub for rare and discovery-led luxury. 

 

Pierre-Aymeric Du Cray, Chief Executive Officer, Pernod Ricard Middle East & General Management & Transformation, said: “Travel retail has become a powerful platform for delivering world-class luxury experiences, and our continued partnership with Dubai Duty Free allows us to push those boundaries even further. This boutique reflects Royal Salute’s position at the pinnacle of prestige whisky - where rarity, craftsmanship and storytelling come together to create moments of true discovery for today’s global traveller.” 

 

Ramesh Cidambi, Chief Operating Officer, Dubai Duty Free, added: 

“At Dubai Duty Free, we are committed to curating premium retail environments that surprise, inspire and reward our customers. The return of the Royal Salute boutique underscores our shared ambition to elevate the luxury spirits category and offer travellers access to some of the rarest and most exceptional whiskies in the world.” 

HUAWEI FreeClip 2 Now Available in UAE: The Next Generation of Open-Ear Audio is Here

 The successor to one of the hottest audio products from Huawei has hit the shelves in the UAE. With its unique open-ear design and chic aesthetic, HUAWEI FreeClip 2 offers an improved C-bridge design with superior comfort and sterling quality audio. Crafted using skin-friendly liquid silicone and acoustic ball and comfort bean, featuring a metallic-looking finish, the earphones create an appealing contrast between matte and gloss. Available in three colour options — Blue, White, and Black — the HUAWEI FreeClip 2 can be purchased through Huawei’s official online store and in retail stores across the UAE. 

The FreeClip 2 is 9% lighter and more comfortable for all-day wear compared to the first-generation FreeClip. Inside the charging case, the earbuds are now arranged in an overlapping fashion to improve space utilisation. This has helped make the case 17% smaller while offering a larger battery capacity and extended battery life.

 

Another key area that has seen a remarkable upgrade is the acoustic system. Despite the small size, the new dual diaphragm driver delivers surprisingly powerful bass. Both the volume and low-frequency performance see a 100% improvement compared to the previous generation, creating a more exhilarating listening experience despite the open-ear design. The earbuds can dynamically detect surrounding noise in real time and automatically adjust the volume to match the current environment.

 

To ensure smooth calling is a three-mic call noise cancellation system combined with multi-channel DNN noise cancellation algorithms. Capable of separating your voice from ambient sound, the earbuds automatically boost your voice and filter out the noise. If you are in a noisy environment, the earbuds will enhance the caller's voice. Basically, users can effortlessly attend calls with clarity in complex environments, ensuring clear calls.

 

As the earphones can last for 9 hours on a single charge, they can get you through your entire workday without breaking a sweat. Including the charging case, you get a total battery life of 38 hours. Rated IP57 for sweat and water resistance, the FreeClip 2 can withstand splashes and sweat, and is easy to clean.