9 great things to do in Dubai this week

Dirty Dog Challenge
As regular readers will know, we love an eating challenge here at ShortList, so the launch of a new one is something we get excited about – especially when it’s a hot dog. The Black Lion’s Dirty Dog Challenge serves up a metre-long dog that gets dirtier and hotter as you progress along its course – and challengers have just 15 minutes to complete it. Any that do will have their bill waived and a place on the leaderboard, those who don’t will have to stump up AED295.
When: 5pm-11.30pm, Saturday to Wednesday
Where: The Black Lion, H Hotel, Sheikh Zayed Road
Price: AED295
Contact: +971 4 359 2366,

Rock climbing at Rock Republic
If your idea of fun is scaling a 4.5 meter high boulder wall, then be sure to head to Rock Republic this weekend. For just AED30 guests can climb said boulder wall that spans across 250 square metres from 9am to 11am every Friday and Saturday. There’s a Friday wake up session too. It costs AED10 more but includes shoe hire. If you want to give it a go, head to Rock Republic between 9am and 1pm.
When: 9am – 1pm, Friday wake up session, 9am –11am, Friday and Saturday
Where: Dubai Investment Park 1
Contact: +971 4 882 9361,

Oktoberfest at Hofbräuhaus
They’ve been hosting an Oktoberfest at this keller in Deira for exactly 20 years now so you sense they know how to put on a Bavarian spectacular by now. Continuing all through the month, Hofbräuhaus will be serving Oktoberfest dishes such as German potato salad, Bavarian beef goulash and veal dumplings, an unending stack of pretzels, your favourite German songs from a live band flown straight from the Wiesn – or fairground – and, of course, glasses of the famous local brew. Prost!
When: Until October 28
Where: JW Marriott Hotel Dubai, Deira
Price: From AED199 per person
Contact: +971 4 607 7977, website

On N On
A relatively new Saturday pool party at the Intercontinental at Dubai Marina is hitting its stride and expanding on the resident DJ offering with a selection of one-off sets from international disc spinners being lined-up. It’s free entry for ladies and AED200 for men folk. Sunbeds can be reserved for AED150, too.
When: Saturday, October 14, 2pm-8pm
Where: Intercontinental Dubai Marina
Price: Free entry for ladies and AED200 for men
Contact: +971 56 216 6230, website

That 80s Party 
The soundtrack to Thursday nights at Pure Sky Lounge are going way back to the era of blinding neon and gigantic hairstyles as a new 80s night launches. Expect DJ Anderson Lima’s set list to include an eclectic mix of decade defining bangers from anyone including Michael Jackson, Madonna and Culture Club. And who doesn’t like a bit of “Karma Chameleon”?
When: Thursday, October 12, 9.30pm-2am
Where: Pure Sky Lounge, Hilton Hotel JBR
Contact: +971 4 374 7888,

Pool party at Nasimi Beach at Atlantis, The Palm
Thursday nights are party nights at Nasimi Beach. The beloved beach club is offering ladies and gents the chance to unwind over drinks and floaties – there are pineapples, swans and pizzas – in the Zero Entry Pool. Aside from back-to-back tunes provided by the venue’s in-house DJs Stylez and David De Luca, guests can expect to play a number games including “all night to get duckie” – a scavenger hunt where you scan past hundreds of floating ducks in search of gold (it’s a lot harder than it sounds).
When: 7pm-9pm, every Thursday
Where: Nasimi Beach at Atlantis, The Palm
Price: Free entry
Contact: +971 4 426 2626, website

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power
The follow-up to the ground-breaking and Oscar-winning doc on climate change doesn’t have much good news, sadly.
In cinemas from October 5