The biggest international street theatre and comedy fair in the Middle East is back for the second year at Al Ghurair Centre. With double the acts, street markets and never before seen shows in the Middle East, this year’s DubFest is sure to be the most memorable family experience of the year.

The free street-based fair taking place between 19-28th March will be showcasing the talents of over 45 international acts from over 17 different countries. With over 380 shows in 5 different performance areas, DubFest 2015 will be taking over the streets of Al Ghurair Centre.

Last year’s 10 day fair of never before seen acts brought 500,000 people to the streets surrounding the shopping mall. This year promises even more unique performances and for the first time ever a live circus school for kids of all ages will take over the mall’s Eastern Atrium.

DubFest will wow visitors with whimsical and outlandish street comedians and award winning street performers from all around the world including musicians playing their own unique hand-crafted instruments, magical mimes and fire-eating daredevils. Seeing really is believing with spectacles of chainsaw juggling and a brave soul pole diving into a bucket of water. Along with incredible stunts including a tiny bicycle, a flaming arch and a man brave enough to attempt both, this family-friendly event is not to be missed.

VP of Al Ghurair Centre David Thurling says; “We are incredibly proud and honoured to be hosting Al Ghurair Centre’s DubFest for the second year and have made a lot of additions to the size and scale of the event. With almost double the amount of acts taking place and additional workshops and programmes adding to the fair, DubFest 2015 is set to be a huge success. Our hope is for DubFest to become as famous globally as other similar international festivals such as the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.”

Capitalising on its previous success and Al Ghurair Centre’s experience of hosting large scale events, such as BandJam battle of the bands and StreetCon urban art fest, the city’s urban hub will inject a new lease of life into Dubai’s largest street theatre show.

Doctor Bucketman

Doctor Bucketman is a musician, drummer, composer, artist and creator who offers an original rhythmic percussion performance using a drum kit made from paint buckets, frying pans, Tupperware containers and other elements which are immediately recognisable.

Spandy Andy

Spandy Andy is set to leave the crowd bewildered with his zany dance moves, quirky personality and vibrant spandex outfits. Boombox on his shoulders, blasting party music, Spandy Andy loves to celebrate life.

Born in Canada, Spandy Andy is now internationally recognised as a world-class entertainer with You Tube hits of nearly 6 Million. His mission continues as he travels the globe spreading positivity through dance. Spandy’s high-energy performance is guaranteed to have you grinning ear to ear.

Checkerboard Guy

By skillfully manipulating clubs, balls, axes, machetes, and stinky shoes, while riding a giraffe unicycle, or making balloon origami, David Aiken, aka The Checkerboard Guy, will make the crowd question the laws of physics.

The playful nature of his show is one part inspired insanity, one part interactive game, one part skillful demonstration, and 100% infectious fun.

Victor Rubilar

Victor Rubilar isn’t just another regular performer, he is a true international football freestyle star.

With 18 international awards under his belt, five Guinness World Records and shows in 52 countries, he will not only entertain but amaze DubFest’s crowd with jaw-dropping world-class tricks.

DubFest 2015’s brand new circus workshop will include a tight wire, walking globe, trapeze, aerial ring, rola bola, stilts, unicycle and pedal go, with additional areas for soft play, plate spinning and more. Experienced trainers will teach children all their favorite circus acts daily between 3pm and 9pm on the weekdays and 2pm ­ 9pm at the weekends.

“We continuously support art, music and culture in the region with free events and like to push the boundaries each time, ensuring each year is bigger and better than the last. This year’s DubFest is due to be an exciting success. ” says Thurling.

Al Ghurair Centre’s DubFest is taking place on the inner streets of Al Ghurair Centre from 3pm to 11pm on weekdays and 2 pm ­ 11 pm on weekends with all day markets starting from 10am, 19th to 28th March. Nearest Metro: Union Square Metro Station

Acts include:

The Flying Dutchman

The Rolling Stones of street performance! The Flying Dutchmen present unbridled comedy in six languages. With freewheeling stunts, fantastic juggling, and heart-stopping unicycle tricks, The Flying Dutchmen have left jaws dropped around the globe. Check out their immense skill and inimitable style!

Thelmo Parole

I am a lover of the art, of the aesthetics, the poetry… of the great emotions that comes out from the small moments… of love!…Am I a romantic!?? I enjoy the chaos, the disorder, the anarchy, the adverses situations…. I love the challenge!….Am I a warrior!?? I want to cross the line, to skip the fence, to break the norms, to look at people in the eye, to provoke….and make fun of everything!….Am I a buffoon!?? I observe life with love…and I live it with humour!! through the ingenuous look of the child…..humble, innocent, naked!…..

Checkerboard Guy

Clubs, balls, axes, machetes—even stinky shoes! The Checkerboard Guy’s manic energy, zany humor, and robust juggling skill will leave you rolling in the aisles. High atop his giraffe unicycle, David will make you question the laws of physics. And with balloon origami, gentle audience participation, and his playful attitude, he’ll remind everyone that fairy tales do come true. The Checkerboad Guy’s inspired insanity and skillful stunts have been his passport to the globe—come with him on a journey to the land of laughter and fun!

Stickman

Anything is possible with the Stickman show! Fun for all ages with fire, knives, and audience participation galore. It’s a comedic contest and the audience always wins!

Victor Rubilar

Victor Rubilar is a true international football freestyle star. With 18 international awards, 5 Guinness World Records and shows in 52 countries, he will not only entertain you but also amaze you with jaw-dropping world-class tricks. You’ll be astonished at Victor’s footballing skills and charmed by his hilarious personality!

Spandy Andy

Boombox on his shoulders and blasting party music, Spandy Andy loves to celebrate life! He’ll leave you bedazzled and bewildered with his zany dance moves, quirky personality and vibrant spandex outfits. Originally from Canada, Spandy Andy travels the world spreading positivity through dance. His high-energy performance will keep you dancing—and leave you grinning ear to ear!

Todd Various

This is what troublemakers in school grow up to do. Todd Various used to get detention—now he gets an audience with his bold magic and unabashed comedy style. A skilled magician and sleight-of-hand wizard, Todd brings roars of laughter and gasps of wonder, culminating in the grand finale—his original take on a 2000-year-old magic trick or a classic Houdini-style escape!

Witty Look

Clowning, acrobatics, comedy and unicycle—this pair of whimsical comedians will amaze and delight you! As world-traveling performers, Witty Look have amazed audiences from Japan to Switzerland with their cheeky style and incredible stunts. You’ll definitely be laughing!

Dr Bucketman

Paint buckets, frying pans, Tupperware and trash cans transcend their everyday existence when Doctor Bucketman brings his percussion to life! The performance is extremely creative and high quality. All of the music is composed and performed by Doctor Bucketman, creating an original performance that evokes astonishment, admiration and smiles in audiences of all kinds.

Dan Waples

Hovering like a UFO and ringing like a bell, the Hang is a unique percussion instrument. Using only the hollow steel shell and his talented hands, Daniel Waples fills the air with earthly and ethereal music. One of the best Hang players in the world, Daniel spans the globe creating, recording and performing with musicians and musical collectives. Sit back, turn a frown upside down and groove along with the music of the Hang.

Dick Danger

The show that should come with a public health warning! Dick Danger attempts the impossible as he steers his way through a health and safety nightmare. Watch a man flirt outrageously with physical injury without actually hurting himself. A comic show involving an Oral B precision toothbrush, funky dancing in very tight trousers and Dick’s signature trick, diving from a very high pole headfirst into a bucket of water. After seeing this show, your kids will seem totally sensible.

Richard G

Comedy with the timing of a Swiss Watch, unicycling with the balance of a Ninja, juggling with the hope of becoming better. All the way from London, Rich Garaghty is a hilarious entertainer and one of Covent Garden’s finest performers. Armed only with a suitcase and his famous 10-foot unicycle, Rich creates mayhem and merriment with his comedy juggling routines and up-in-the-air skills on his one-wheeled bike. Always loved and guaranteed to make you laugh out loud!

Otto

ward-winning clowning and comedy mixed with big balloons! Otto Bassotto has transformed rubber into a madcap show. With a rubber face and a brain that bounces, he presents incredible balloon tricks and hilarious comedy, crossing the bounds of possibility into pure imagination. Enchanting for children and families of all cultures, and winner of European clowning awards!

Eugenio

You’ve never heard a one-man band like this before! Eugenio Martinez is a virtuoso master of the guitar—under his command, the strings leap and dance, bringing forth multi-layered music and rich sounds. Add in soprano guitar, harp guitar, and rhythms, and you won’t believe the music coming from only one man! A skilled composer and master entertainer, Eugenio creates gorgeous harmonies and fills the festival with fantastic melodies. Thrill your soul with his artistic performance and let his unique songs echo in your heart.

Mauranga

A tiny bicycle—a flaming arch—a man bravely foolish enough to attempt them both! Mauranga’s one-man-show combines circus, theatre, comedy and music to manifest his madness and look for laughter in unexpected places. Step into Mauranga’s comic universe and join his world of zany skills and comic surprises.

Chris Lynam

Chris Lynam is renowned for many things, but mainly for bringing his own brand of crazed humor to bear on unsuspecting audiences. His comedy is both dangerous and exciting, stretching variety to it’s limits. Any one show may include pyrotechnics, acrobatics, outlandish operatic and orchestral overtures, flying sousaphones and anything else which may spring to Mr Lynam’s unnecessarily large and vivid imagination.

The Jay Show

Plates spin, balls fly, and a rolla-bolla teeters dangerously on a platform as the amazing Jay presents fantastic stunts and incredible escapes. You won’t believe your eyes as Jay escapes from shackles and padlocks. You’ll gasp as Jay balances objects of all sizes on his face. And you’ll thrill as Jay defies gravity in his grand finale—juggling three razor-sharp knives atop a tower of rolla-bollas!

Pop the Balloon Man

For more than 15 years, Pop the Balloon Man has been casting spells to audiences young and old. His warmth, charisma and wit captivate children of all ages. It takes only seconds to twist cartoon characters, dogs, hats and hearts, all accompanied by humor and charm. A master of his craft, every balloon comes with free smiles!

Ole

Join the ‘grande fiesta’ with Paul Morocco & Ole! This madcap trio mix ingenious slapstick, mariachi guitar-playing and wildfire comedy for a white-knuckle ride on the anarchy express! The Good, The Bad and the Ugly duel as pretentious Latin lovers, spit ping-pong balls, juggle fruits and eggs, and dance the flamenco. The sounds of salsa, swing, jazz, blues and pop fill this celebration of music and comedy, full of invention and fun. A hit in more than 30 countries.

The TNT Show

Explode with laughter at the TNT Show! You’ll think Kiki walked out of a cartoon and into real life—but he’s taking you back into the cartoon! With his expressive physical style, language barriers are leapt and audiences of all ages are enthralled. A high-energy show with a daring mix of circus, clown and physical comedy.

Gazzo

A veteran entertainer and master of card manipulation and slight of hand, Gazzo has travelled around the world perfecting his craft. A street magicians street magician, he has been schooled by some of the most famous performers (and tricksters) in the world. His style of patter and ability to amaze makes him a pleasure to watch. Gather round and watch very carefully…

Sparky Mark

A London legend and a world performance icon! Sparky Mark takes juggling to the next level—with a chainsaw! His show-stopping performances mix loopy comedy, wild stunts, wacky unicycling and audience interaction to create a menagerie of mirth. Find out what the world knows and go crazy with Sparky Mark!

Senor Markusen

Take a musical trip with Señor Marküsen’s hypnotic lowtech beats. Didgeridoo and percussion make this one-man-orchestra into a spacecraft or a soundsystem. His solid grooves owe their parentage to the electronic music by which he’s inspired, but the Señor’s acoustically-built instruments give an organic touch that makes a truly unique sound.