When should we start planning the entertainment?

At the same time as the venue. Confirm the acts six to eight weeks ahead for a standard evening and ten to twelve weeks ahead for a gala between October and April.

What should the brief include?

The date, venue, guest count and age mix, the purpose of the event, the agenda with any speeches or awards, a budget range and the moments you want entertainment for.

Public or ticketed events in Dubai usually need a DET permit. Private events in hotels usually run under the venue licence. Private parties at home need none.

How to Plan Event Entertainment in Dubai

To plan event entertainment in Dubai, start with the purpose of the event and the agenda, set the entertainment budget at the same time as the venue budget, build a running order with a different act for each part of the evening, check permits and technical needs with the venue early, and name one person to manage the performers on the night. This guide takes each step in turn.

1. Write a short brief

Vague briefs get vague quotes. Before you ask anyone for a price, write down:

the date, the venue and whether it is indoors or outdoors
the guest count and the age mix
what the event is for: thanking staff, impressing clients, launching a product, celebrating a wedding
the agenda, including speeches, awards, dinner service and any reveal
a budget range
the moments where you want entertainment

2. Set the budget with the venue, not after it

The most common mistake is booking the venue and catering first and fitting entertainment into whatever is left. Usual ranges help: corporate event entertainment in Dubai usually costs AED 3,500 to AED 45,000, and a band, an MC and one specialty act for a 300 to 500 guest gala usually runs AED 25,000 to AED 45,000. See event entertainment prices.

3. Build the running order

Plan a different act for each part of the evening rather than one act for everything:

Arrival: ambient music or roaming performers while guests come in.
Dinner: music people can talk over.
Agenda: an MC to run speeches, awards or the reveal.
The highlight: one stage moment, timed between courses or after the awards.
The end: a band or DJ for dancing.

Set exact times for each act and each changeover. Without changeover times, sets run long and the whole evening slips.

4. Match the act to the room

Size and format matter as much as taste. Under 30 guests, one strong act is often enough. Between 30 and 100, two acts in sequence. Over 100, or with children present, plan separate areas and an MC. A conference needs roaming acts, not a stage show. A launch needs a short, visual reveal. See corporate event entertainment for formats.

5. Check permits and the venue early

Public or ticketed events in Dubai usually need a DET permit; Abu Dhabi uses DCT.
Private events in hotels usually run under the venue licence, though it varies by act.
Fire, pyrotechnics and aerial rigging need the venue's safety sign off, which can take one to two weeks.
Agree power points, stage size, rigging points and load in times with the venue's technical team at least a week before.
Outdoor events may have a sound curfew, often around 11pm to midnight.

6. Book in time

Six to eight weeks for a standard corporate evening, ten to twelve weeks for a gala at a popular ballroom between October and April, three to six weeks for a wedding, and 3 to 10 days for a private party on a normal weekend. National Day week, Ramadan, Eid and December fill fastest.

7. Decide who runs the night

Most problems on the day happen in the gaps: between the sound company and the band, or between the event manager and the performers. Name one person as the final decision maker for stage timing, sound checks and the running order. When we plan the entertainment, our team briefs every act, agrees the cues with your event manager and the venue, and manages the performers on site.