Hotshot Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram will regale her fans at a live concert this Saturday. Nancy, who has just been named one of the region’s most influential people by the Arabic edition of Newsweek, will be accompanied by fellow Lebanese singer Paolo Kay.

Artist Carl Bergman’s vision of living and working in the multicultural city of Dubai finds expression in a series of paintings titled Air-conditioned Nightmares.

• Where: Gallery 76, Dubai International Art Centre, Jumeirah Beach Road, Street 75B, Villa 27
• When: December 1-14
  

Manoj Joshi, who has acted in Hindi films like Sarfarosh, Page 3, Devdas, Golmaal, Hungama, Phir Hera Pheri, Garam Masala and Guru, stars in a rib-tickling play, Rangeela Re, being staged this evening.

• Where: Shaikh Rashid Auditorium, Indian High School, Dubai
• When: November 29, 9pm
• Tickets: Dh50-250, available at Spinneys audio video. For home delivery call 04-337 3724
  

DJ A-myth, producer of smash hit numbers like Bhool Bhulaiya and Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai, performs tonight. The evening also features mixmaster DJ Hani and resident DJ Tushar.

• Where: Club Touch, Four Points Sheraton, Dubai
• When: November 29
• Tickets: Dh75. Ladies enter free before midnight. Call 050-739 8169
  
  

Take time out to visit BurJuman which is hosting a two-week-long art and fashion event. Art Expose, where 30 local artists will showcase their creations, and a photo exhibition by Jean Paul Gaultier will be the highlight of the fortnight, which will also feature a fashion show by Dubai-based designers.

• Where: BurJuman
• When: December 1-14
  

Treat yourself to a weekend of extravagant shopping at the Dubai Ladies Club where leading fashion and jewellery stores have set up stalls to showcase their products. The event, of course, is for women only.

• Where: Dubai Ladies Club
• When: Until December 1
  

The Great Entertainment Company is presenting its Winter Ballet Season, with performances of The Nutcracker Ballet by Ballet Russe, the classical ballet company of Wales.

Chaikovsky’s the Nutcracker is based on the story of The Nutcracker and the King of Mice by ETA Hoffman and revised by Alexandre Dumas.

• Where: Madinat Theatre, Dubai
• When: November 29-December3
• Time: 4.30pm and 8.30pm
• Tickets: Dh195, Dh250 and Dh350. Call 04-366 6546
  

Rock Challenge, the biggest dance and drama competition for schools in the UAE is just round the corner. Last year’s event was a smashing hit and the organisers expect a rocking response this time around as well.

chools and children who are interested in participating in the event may contact Aysel Duman at 050- 873 3900 or e-mail her at aceduman@yahoo.com

Lebanese singer Ghada Shbeir will regale listeners with a medley of classical Arabic songs at a live concert on Wednesday evening and also release her new album.

Shbeir shot into the limelight when her first album won her the coveted BBC World Music Award for best performance.

Where: Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi

A terrific trio of Arab-American comedians -- Ahmed Ahmed, Aron Kader and Maz Jobrani will try to bridge the gap between Arab and western cultures when they come to town with their rib-tickling show, The Axis of Evil , later this month.

Combining comedy, politics and pop culture, the act will use humour as a tool to address misconceptions about the Middle East.

Where: Dubai Community Theatre, Mall of the Emirates

An international Latin and Salsa Festival gets under way in Dubai from today. The highlight of the three-day- long cultural extravaganza will be the highly acclaimed show, The Museum of Salsa. As many as 50 top Salsa and Latin performers will participate in the event.

Where: Dubai Community Theatre and Art Centre, Mall of the Emirates
When: Till November 22-24

Get your dog to take part in the Canine Couture event happening on Saturday. There are prizes worth Dh2,000 for events like Best Fancy Dress Dog and Dog Most Like Its Owner.

Where: Marina Terrace, Festival Centre, Dubai
When: November 24. From 3pm

Jump Media are hosting an afternoon and evening of live music featuring headline acts Fun Lovin' Criminals and Arrested Development supported by local band Abri and UK band Vix and the Kix. DJ set will be provided by New Order’s Peter Hook.

Where: Emirates Golf Club
When: November 24. From 3pm

Pino, one of the world’s most prominent contemporary realism artists, will be showcasing 25 original artworks for the first time in Dubai from Monday.

Where: DIFC Atrium, The Gate
When: November 26-29

An exhibition featuring the works of German artist Ilona Herx gets under way from Saturday.

Where: Aqua Sleep Sensation showroom, Al Quoz
When: November 24-December 1

Thirty royal crowns are on display at at Dubai Festival City. Enriching the exhibition are a number of original pieces, such as the Royal Diadem of Tutankhamen and the Dalai Lama’s Silver Crown from Tibet. Replicas include crown of the Prince of Wales and the crown of Queen Elizabeth.

Where: Festival City, Dubai
When: Until November 18

DJs J.S. Allegro and David Zipperle make sure that you get a real classical music treat this weekend. The Swiss musicians will play music from Bach to New Age on their guitars.

Where: Evory Lounge – Kempinski Hotel, Dubai
When: November 16 and 17, 8pm–12am

If rock ‘n’ roll is your forté, get ready to show the world how you move at the newest hotspot in town – Club Submarine, which opened yesterday at the Dhow Palace Hotel.

The club hit all the right notes on its debut with a tribute to Robby Williams by Lee Cadly being the highlight of the evening. RJ Chris Fisher from Dubai 92 FM was on top of his game, while the resident band, Something Extra, from Canada had the crowds rocking into the wee hours of the morning.

And there was enough space to groove, with the spacious dance floor “capable of accommodating a minimum of 150 people at a time”, according to James, Operations Manager, Club Submarine.

The Rain Festival is back and this year it’s set to be bigger and better. The event offers a ladies-only rain dance arena as well as a chance for any aspiring DJ to enter the Rain Festival DJ Challenge and walk away with $15,000 (Dh55,050) in prize money.

More than 37 DJs from 17 countries will compete for the top honours. A performance by award-winning DJ Kali will be yet another highlight of the event which is expected to draw over 5,000 revellers.

When: November 16, 1pm until late

Grammy-nominated artist and globally acclaimed DJ and producer Paul van Dyk continues to dominate the electronic music charts and he’s bringing his sound to Dubai. This tour is promoting his new album In Between.

PvD, as his fans call him, is renowned as one of the hardest working artists, with sold-out tours that cross each continent, and now he plans to enthrall the UAE crowd.

When: November 16, 9pm

A slew of entertaining activities awaits you and your family at Safa Park on Saturday where a 4.2km walkathon to create awareness about diabetes is also being organised.

he walkathon will begin at 10am and will be followed by the distribution of goodie bags. Special arrangements have been made to keep your children occupied with games like pop the balloons and aqua football. Towards the end of the programme, health tips will be given by Dr Abdulrazzaq Al Madani, Head of Emirates Diabetes Society.

When: November 17, 9.30am-3pm

Iranian artist Ramin Haerizadeh showcases his distorted photographs of urban and rural life. The 24 pictures on display lure viewers into deep reflection.

Where: B21 Gallery, Al Quoz 2, Dubai
When: November 20 - December 12

See the unveiling of the world’s biggest breast cancer ribbon at Zabeel Park today and also participate in the Avon Breast Cancer Walkathon.

Where: Zabeel Park Amphitheatre, Gate 3, Dubai
When: November 15

Bollywood singer Vinod Rathod will regale listeners with a medley of Hindi songs tonight. The evening will also see mimicry artist Sanjay Keni tickling the funny bone with his witty one-liners.

Where: India Club, Dubai
When: November 15

Runa Laila, Sabina Yasmin and Akhi Alamgir are among 45 hotshot Bangladeshi celebs who will rock the Sharjah Stadium which is hosting the Lux Channel 1 Performance award tomorrow evening. More than 30,000 people are expected to turn out at the extravaganza.

Where: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
When: November 9. From 7pm

Headline-making DJ Rob Wilder is in Dubai for a night of sophisticated and stylish entertainment.

The world famous DJ, who first found fame as a resident DJ with the legendary Head Kandi scene, will be playing at the Apartment Club tonight. Now one of the stars of Pukka Up, and fresh from a summer- long party in Ibiza, Wilder is bringing big-name celebrity appeal to Dubai’s name-hungry clubbers.

Where: The Apartment Lounge & Club, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Dubai. Tel: 02-665 5332

After making big waves in Europe and the Far East, the Czech Republic’s famous Wihan Quartet is now all set to make a lasting impression on the UAE as well.

Widely acclaimed for its interpretation of the native Czech heritage, the Wihan Quartet has over 25 CDs of their unique brand of music.

Where: Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre

Carmen the Opera, one of the greatest stage performances in modern times, opens at the Emirates Palace Hotel from today. An engrossing tale of passion and obsession by Georges Bizet, the opera revolves around the eponymous gypsy girl Carmen who falls in love with a corporal.

Where: Emirates Palace Hotel, Abu Dhabi
When: November 8-11. Doors open at 7pm

Not just great networking opportunities and electrifying entertainment, the Oil Barons Ball now also offers one lucky guest the chance to win a Dh3.3 million plot of land in the Bahamas.

There aren’t many tickets left for this all important social do, and by the time you finish reading this, they may be gone as well. But it’s still worth giving it a try.

So call 04-391 0830 or visit www.theoilbaronsball.com right away.

Renowned Chinese pianist Lang Lang, 25, will perform in Dubai next week. Lang Lang was just two years old when he saw Tom playing the piano in a Tom and Jerry cartoon show on TV. He began lessons at age three and won an award at his first public recital when he was just five years old. Proceeds from the concert will go to charity.

Where: Madinat Jumeirah, Dubai.
When: November 12. From 7pm

Sa’adi Al Ka’abi, 70, is regarded as one of the pioneers of Iraqi contemporary art. An exhibition of his works is currently under way at the Green Art Gallery.

Where: Green Art Gallery, Dubai
When: Till November 19