Vinyl Souk Mini Festival

Fourth edition

Coming soon

The UAE’s home for alternative music and vinyl culture returns for a fourth edition, and we’re inviting partners to build it with us.

Get in touch Hear first

About Mini Festival

(What it is)

A full-spectrum celebration of regional sounds, live acts, DJs, workshops, film, visuals and community.

(Where)

Multi-venue, music-led activations, all under one roof at 25hours Hotel One Central.

(So far)

Three editions: November 2024, April 2025 and February 2026.

Recap films

(1st edition - Nov 2024)

Shot and edited by Sensei Productions.

(2nd edition - Apr 2025)

Shot and edited by Jana.

Previous editions

Banner: Vinyl Souk Mini Festival, 01 Feb ’26, 25hours Hotel One Central.

(3rd edition - 1 Feb 2026)

Mini Festival, February 2026

4pm till late at 25hours Hotel One Central, with workshops, a film screening of Mixtape, the Jameson Connects Green Sofa stage, a record fair, marketplace and kids’ activities.

Souk Sessions at Nomad Day Bar · 4–10pm

  • Unfamiliar Familiar by Disc Jockey (LB)
  • DMC Middle East Showcase, feat. DJ Angelo (UK) & DJ Shock (AE)
  • Prasanth, DapoStar (AE)
  • Vik Sohonie, Ostinato Records (US)
  • Somalie (AE)

Full lineup · 4pm till late

Including the film premiere of Mixtape.

Lineup poster: Mini Festival, 01 Feb ’26, 4pm till late, 25hours Hotel One Central. DMC Middle East Showcase & Workshop (AE), DU$T (BH), Elijah Semine (AE), Esther Eden (AE), Hassan Abou Alam (EG), JAZ, Feedasoul Records (AE), Karen Sakr (LB), Kinda (AE), Kitsch Radio presents Sonido Tropical (AE), Koba Maru, Feedasoul Records (LB), MemoryAll (AE), Mixtape film premiere (BH), PATCH, Feedasoul Records (AE), Postcards (LB), Prasanth, DapoStar (AE), Rudoh, Jugaar Records (AE), Snakeskin (LB), Somalie (AE), Unfamiliar Familiar by Disc Jockey (LB), Vik Sohonie, Ostinato Records (US). Partner logos along the top and bottom, including 25hours Hotel, CAVO, dr.head and Jameson.

Flyers

  • Poster: Vinyl Souk Mini Festival, 1 February 2026, 4pm till late, 25hours Hotel One Central, with the day’s lineup.
  • Artist card for Koba Maru at Mini Festival, 1 February 2026.
  • Save the date for Mini Festival, 01.02.26, over a photo of a crowd.

Photos

  • A crowd gathered around the decks under a Jameson Connects neon sign in the courtyard.
  • A red Vinyl Souk neon sign glowing above the bar.
  • Two DJs side by side at the decks, one hand on the mixer.
  • A DJ in a yellow and purple patterned shirt and a hat reaching across the decks.
  • A guitarist playing on stage in front of a green curtain.
  • A singer at a keyboard on stage, under a green neon sign.
  • The decks on the terrace at night, with Dubai’s towers lit up behind.
  • People sitting on rattan chairs in the courtyard under strings of lights.
  • A stall table of printed bags and zines with a card reader.
  • Printed T-shirts pegged on a line above a stall of prints and records.
  • A decorated stall with a Sonido Tropical sign, flowers and bright fabric.
  • Someone dancing with their arms raised as the room moves around them.
  • The decks set up in front of the Museum of the Future, its calligraphy lit at dusk.
  • A DJ at the decks on the terrace, Dubai’s towers out of focus behind.
  • People flicking through blue crates of records at the fair.
  • Someone holding a record up to the light beside the turntables.
  • Stalls under the arcade: records, clothes and prints on blue-draped tables.
  • A stall wall covered in posters, sleeves and prints.
  • People at the front desk under strings of lights, one leaning back laughing.
  • Hands drawing at the craft table, paints and pens spread out.
  • Children and adults making things together at the craft tables.
  • A guitarist singing into a microphone under red and green stage light.
Illustration: a cut-away building full of music, art and activities, for Mini Festival’s second edition.

(2nd edition - 13 Apr 2025)

Mini Festival, April 2025

4pm till 2am at 25hours Hotel One Central: art, music and activities, a marketplace from 4 to 10pm, and the film premiere of Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes with Doc’n Roll Film Festival, dr.head and Cinema Akil.

Music line-up

  • 199x
  • Analog Room Showcase: Moss B2B Shemroon
  • Baby B · Bull Funk Zoo · Cheb Moha
  • Dirty Backseat · Espervene · Gharam Electric
  • Karim Atari · Hassan Alwan (Boogie Box)
  • Refugee Sound System · Shadi Megallaa
  • Tala Mortada · Walashi, and more

Schedule

The day’s schedule across the Courtyard, Live Room, Disco Terrace, Secret Garden and Cinema Club.

Flyers

  • Poster: Vinyl Souk Mini Festival lineup, April 13, 25hours Hotel One Central.

Photos

  • A young DJ in a white T-shirt concentrating at the decks under a striped awning.
  • A breakdancer in a red and grey outfit mid-move on a wooden stage.
  • The festival seen from above: a Kiss the Chef sign, stalls and crowds on the terrace.
  • A dancer in a grey vest and red T-shirt posing with arms out.
  • A DJ smiling at the decks among palm leaves.
  • A crowd gathered in a courtyard around a performance.
  • Two musicians on stage, one playing tabla and one a stringed instrument.
  • People relaxing on bean bags in a shaded courtyard with hanging artworks.
  • A group of dancers posing together for a photo.
  • A DJ with long hair mixing at night, with city lights behind.
Banner: Vinyl Souk Mini Festival, 24/11 2024, with a photo of the crowd.

(1st edition - 24 Nov 2024)

Mini Festival, November 2024

4pm till late at 25hours Hotel One Central: five stages, DJs, live acts, a film screening and a marketplace.

Souk Sessions · curated by Nightjar · 4–10pm

  • Artifact Sun
  • Leon Surynt
  • Mr Fresh
  • Tarik Omar

Bass stage · curated by Sawt Systems · 7pm–2am

  • Baby B
  • Brown Panda
  • Cyrill Reaidy
  • Motion

Electronic stage · curated by The Flip Side · 6pm–1am

  • Bood
  • Omar Fayyad
  • Shadi Megallaa (B2B2B set)

Cinema Akil · curated by Karam Toubba · 4–8:30pm

  • From Tracks to Tribes, a panel conversation
  • God Said Give ’Em Drum Machines (film), supported by Doc’n Roll Film Festival and Cinema Akil

Room #3 · curated by Temple · 7pm–12am

  • Radish Cheddar Experiment
  • Sandra Ivette Quartet
  • Shilpa Ananth & Beatbox Ray
  • The Niki Mukhi Trio

Marketplace

Analog The Room, Cavo, Dr.Head, Dubai Audio, Lolife, Metal East Records Store, Nightjar, Raw Music Store, Retro House, The Source Distro and more.

Flyers

  • Poster: Vinyl Souk Mini Festival, 24 November 2024.
  • Artwork: Mini Festival, 24/11 2024, with a photo of the crowd.

Photos

  • A DJ in a red cap and glasses mixing at the decks.
  • The festival seen from above, with a Kiss the Chef sign and stalls below.
  • People dancing with their arms raised.
  • A DJ in a patterned hat cueing a record, with a second DJ behind.
  • A drummer playing an orange drum kit on stage.
  • A cinema marquee reading Cinema Akil in 25hours: Vinyl Souk Mini Festival presents From Tracks to Tribes and God Said Give ’Em Drum Machines.
  • Two women dancing in patterned trousers.
  • The courtyard seen from above, with stalls, tables and red balloons.
  • A small white dog on a lead with its tongue out.
  • People seated in front of the Mini Festival programme projected on a red-lit wall.

Mini Festival news

All press

(Coverage)