Soca stars to shine in desert sky at Dubai’s Caribbean Carnival

King of Soca Machel Montano will bring the Caribbean’s finest music to Dubai next month when he shares headlining honours with dancehall supremo Beenie Man at the inaugural Dubai Caribbean Carnival.

Dubai-based DREAM Carnival Entertainment and T&T’s SCORCH have created a ground-breaking festival of Caribbean music, mas, energy and colour. Dubai is the third most visited city in the world and is known for its lively, multicultural vibe. Still, it will never have experienced anything like the full-on bacchanalian excess of a soca-powered Caribbean carnival!

Event organiser Shastra Maharaj of DREAM said: “This event is about more than just a festival – it’s about sharing the culture and identity of the Caribbean in a city where diversity thrives. In Dubai, cultures come together, and this Carnival festival experience will create a new space for the Caribbean spirit to shine globally.”

It kicks off on Friday 29 November with SCORCH Duck Work, a classic high-energy Caribbean fete, with top DJs pumping out the soca and dancehall tracks. That’s just to get revellers loosened up for Friday’s DREAM Carnival Mas Parade. “Dubai’s first authentic costumed masquerade experience” takes place at JA The Resort from 10am to 4pm. Masqueraders have a wide choice of designs, created by some of the Caribbean’s top mas bands, including Tribe, Ronnie & Caro, Krave, Xodus, The World by Anya and Fog Angels.

At 7pm, the spotlight moves to Dubai’s Barasti Beach for Feteland Dubai, an exclusive mega concert featuring Machel Montano, Beenie Man and Nailah Blackman. Top DJs including Oso City, DJ Crown Prince, DJ Scottie B, DJ Ana & Simmo and DJ Ranger will keep the party animals feteing the night away until 3am.

SCORCH founder Kwesi Hopkinson said: “Machel is not just a performer – he’s a movement. He’s taken soca from the shores of Trinidad and Tobago to the biggest stages in the world, and now he’s bringing that fire to Dubai.” He added: “Nailah Blackman is a true ambassador for the new wave of soca music, and we can’t wait to see her light up the stage in Dubai.”

After a day off on Sunday, it’s back to bacchanal business on Monday 2 December, for Colourland Dubai. It’s billed as “the city’s first-ever J’Ouvert celebration” – and perhaps the first to be held after a carnival parade! It’s been “tailored for the Dubai market”, so instead of dawn mayhem, the paint and powder will fly from 2pm to 10pm, with music from Nailah and DJs at Barasti Beach.

For costume sales, fete tickets and packages and more information, go to dubaicaribbeancarnival.com; social media: @dreamcarnivaldxb.