The Dubai Fountain is scheduled to hold its last show on April 19 before closing temporarily. Photo: Emaar
The Dubai Fountain is scheduled to hold its last show on April 19 before closing temporarily. Photo: Emaar
The Dubai Fountain is scheduled to hold its last show on April 19 before closing temporarily. Photo: Emaar
The Dubai Fountain is scheduled to hold its last show on April 19 before closing temporarily. Photo: Emaar

Dubai Fountain to close for restoration after last show this weekend


Evelyn Lau
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai Fountain will be closed to visitors for five months following its final show on Saturday, April 19.

The work will begin in May and will introduce advanced technology, improved choreography and an enhanced sound and lighting system to make the experience more immersive, say developers. The project is expected to be finished by October.

Areas surrounding the fountain in the 12-hectare Burj Lake will remain open to the public, as will access to the Dubai Mall and Burj Khalifa.

“Dubai Fountain stands as a reflection of Dubai’s bold vision and its ability to captivate and inspire on a global scale,” said Mohamed Alabbar, founder of Emaar, which owns the attraction. "This restoration underscores our commitment to maintaining its legacy as a beacon of creativity and excellence. We look forward to welcoming guests back to experience the fountain in all its renewed splendour."

The fountain, created by Emaar in 2005 and opened in 2009, was designed by Wet Design, which was also behind the famous Bellagio Fountains in Las Vegas.

The Dubai Fountain, which can shoot water up to 152 metres in the air, is the largest of its type in the world. It has 6,600 lights and 25 colour projectors that help to create mesmerising performances synchronised to a range of musical genres.

The diverse playlist has included artists such as British singer Adele, Italian opera singer Luciano Pavarotti, American pop star Lionel Richie, French chanteuse Edith Piaf and K-pop boy band Exo.

Read next: Where to watch water shows in the UAE after Dubai Fountain closes?

Antonie Robertson/The National
Antonie Robertson/The National

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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The Brutalist

Director: Brady Corbet

Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn

Rating: 3.5/5

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Staff of The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Ky.

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Dominic Gates, Steve Miletich, Mike Baker and Lewis Kamb of The Seattle Times

International Reporting
Staff of The New York Times

Feature Writing
Ben Taub of The New Yorker

Commentary
Nikole Hannah-Jones of The New York Times

Criticism
Christopher Knight of the Los Angeles Times

Editorial Writing
Jeffery Gerritt of the Palestine (Tx.) Herald-Press

Editorial Cartooning
Barry Blitt, contributor, The New Yorker

Breaking News Photography
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Feature Photography
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Audio Reporting
Staff of This American Life with Molly O’Toole of the Los Angeles Times and Emily Green, freelancer, Vice News for “The Out Crowd”

LETTERS AND DRAMA

Fiction
"The Nickel Boys" by Colson Whitehead (Doubleday)

Drama
"A Strange Loop" by Michael R. Jackson

History
"Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America" by W. Caleb McDaniel (Oxford University Press)

Biography
"Sontag: Her Life and Work" by Benjamin Moser (Ecco/HarperCollins)

Poetry
"The Tradition" by Jericho Brown (Copper Canyon Press)

General Nonfiction
"The Undying: Pain, Vulnerability, Mortality, Medicine, Art, Time, Dreams, Data, Exhaustion, Cancer, and Care" by Anne Boyer (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

and

"The End of the Myth: From the Frontier to the Border Wall in the Mind of America" by Greg Grandin (Metropolitan Books)

Music
"The Central Park Five" by Anthony Davis, premiered by Long Beach Opera on June 15, 2019

Special Citation
Ida B. Wells

 

Fixtures

Sunday, December 8, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – UAE v USA

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Wednesday, December 11, Sharjah Cricket Stadium – UAE v Scotland

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Updated: April 19, 2025, 6:43 AM`