(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

(Recap film)

1st edition, November 2024. Shot and edited by Sensei Productions.

2nd edition — Apr 2025

(Recap film)

2nd edition, April 2025. Shot and edited by Jana.

The two recap video files, so they play here on the site’s own player.

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)

Film screening

Mixtape, as part of the 3rd edition.

The rest of the day’s programme and lineup, as confirmed by Vinyl Souk.

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

Names on this edition were read from a small poster in the old-site recording: please check the spellings.

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

Mini Festival news

All news

Links to articles about Mini Festival.