Top 10 Things to Do at The Ripe Market Academy Park (Yup, it’s opening soon!)
The Ripe Market Academy Park returns on Saturday, 10 October 2026, marking the start of a new outdoor season and a milestone year as The Ripe Market celebrates 15 years of bringing Dubai together through local food, homegrown brands, family days out and community experiences.
Running every Saturday and Sunday from 9AM to 9PM until 2 May 2027, this season brings back the much-loved Academy Park weekend experience, with even more time for visitors to shop, eat, explore and enjoy the market from morning through to evening.
From mid-term family fun and viral food finds to fresh produce, wellness, local shopping, live entertainment, community-led initiatives and partner activations, here are 10 things to do at The Ripe Market Academy Park this opening weekend.
1. Start the day with coffee, waffles or breakfast
Ease into the weekend with a morning coffee, pastry, waffle or relaxed breakfast before exploring the market.
Visitors can discover a wide range of cafés, breakfast concepts and food vendors across the park, from familiar favourites to new viral coffees, sweet treats and seasonal bites waiting to be discovered.
2. Browse homegrown brands, gifts and accessories
The market continues to champion small businesses, artisans and independent brands from across the UAE, giving visitors the chance to shop local while directly supporting homegrown businesses.
Visitors can browse jewellery, accessories, fashion, beachwear, children’s products, gifting, homeware and handcrafted pieces, while discovering new and returning local businesses throughout the season.
This year, a fresh line-up of exciting new brands will also be joining the market, giving visitors even more reason to explore, support local and see what is new at Academy Park.
3. Shop fresh from the farmer’s market
A Ripe Market visit would not be complete without stopping by the farmers market and wholefood vendors.
Visitors can pick up fresh produce and local pantry staples, from fruits and vegetables to honey, jams, spices, olives and other seasonal favourites to take home.
4. Support young makers at Ripe Next Gen Market
This season will also see the launch of Ripe Next Gen Market on the 24 October from 4PM – 8PM, a youth-led pop-up market experience giving the next generations young creators, makers and future founders the chance to showcase their products and experience selling in a real market environment.
Designed for young entrepreneurs aged 8–17, the regular Next Gen markets will give the Ripe community a chance to discover and support the next generation of local talent.
Visitors can also stay tuned for more themed mini-markets and trend-led pop-ups across the season, with new concepts and viral market moments still to be announced.
5. Enjoy live music, Magic Phil, stage entertainment and Open Mic Nights
From family-friendly shows like Magic Phil to afternoon live music, the stage programme brings energy to Academy Park throughout the weekend.
Visitors can relax on the lawn, enjoy the atmosphere and look out for market favourites including live singers, seasonal performances, children’s entertainment and special community moments.
This season also introduces Open Mic Nights, a new community-led stage initiative giving local singers, musicians, stand-up artists, storytellers and performers the chance to share their talent with the Ripe community.
Across the season, visitors can also expect themed entertainment linked to moments such as Halloween, National Day, Christmas, Ramadan and more.
6. Keep the kids entertained all day
Families can look forward to plenty of activities designed to keep little ones busy.
From playground fun and creative workshops to train rides, trampoline and carousel experiences, carnival-style games and hands-on activities, there is plenty for children to explore between food stops and shopping.
With opening weekend falling during mid-term break, this is an easy outdoor day out for families looking for something fun, relaxed and familiar.
7. Taste your way through viral treats and foodie finds
Academy Park is made for grazing, whether visitors are after brunch, lunch, ice cream, sweet treats, street food or something new.
From food containers and dessert stops to family-friendly bites, viral treats and fresh seasonal concepts, opening weekend is the perfect chance to explore the food line-up and discover new favourites.
8. Shop beauty, self-care and lifestyle finds
Beauty, self-care and lifestyle products will be part of the market mix this season, with visitors able to discover skincare, candles, fragrances, handcrafted pieces, gifting and lifestyle finds from local and independent brands.
For shoppers looking for thoughtful gifts, self-care products or something new from the UAE’s growing beauty and lifestyle scene, this category will be one to explore across the season.
9. Visit the petting zoo and animal experiences
One of the market’s much-loved family favourites returns with animal experiences for children to enjoy.
Families can visit the petting zoo, meet furry friends and explore other outdoor activities across the park, including horse riding where available.
It is one of the classic Academy Park experiences that keeps families coming back season after season.
10. Start the weekend with wellness, movement and mindful moments
For visitors looking to start the weekend with movement or a moment of calm, Academy Park will feature wellness and fitness experiences across the season.
Look out for yoga, Pilates, sound healing, wellness talks, assisted stretching and community-led sessions, with schedules announced across The Ripe Market’s social channels.
This season also welcomes Tesla to The Ripe Market Academy Park, bringing a new layer of interactive experiences for visitors to enjoy throughout the season. Step into the world of Tesla with the Cybertruck, experience in-car arcade games and karaoke, or get behind the wheel with test drives of Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck - adding even more to discover on your Ripe Market weekends.
The Ripe Market Academy Park opens on Saturday, 10 October 2026, with full opening weekend programming, vendor highlights and activity schedules to be announced across The Ripe Market’s social channels.
Event Details
Event: The Ripe Market Academy Park
Season: 10 October 2026 – 2 May 2027
Location: Dubai Police Academy Park, Umm Suqeim, Dubai
Opening Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 9:00am – 9:00pm
Entry: 5 AED (Free for Kids under 12 and Senior Citizens 60+)
Pets are not permitted.
Follow @ripemarket on Instagram for weekly updates.
Facebook: Ripe Market
Tiktok: Ripe Market
About Dubai Police
Dubai Police Force was established on June 01, 1956, and was based in "Naif Fort," as its Headquarters, until the year 1973 when it was moved to the current location. "Naif Fort" was transformed, later, into one of Dubai Police Stations. Dubai Police is an integral part of the United Arab Emirates Police Force. Its mission is to improve the quality of life, in the Country, by operating in accordance with the constitutional rights to enforce the law and maintain security and safety of the community and of everyone living in the Country. Dubai Police Force is chaired by His Highness, Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum; Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai.
About The Ripe Market
The Ripe Market is a community-led business that was founded in 2011 with a passion to support homegrown businesses who were looking to launch and grow their business in the UAE. The Ripe Market offers emerging businesses a platform to, sell, promote, and engage new and existing customers in an affordable setting. The Ripe Market runs weekly across several locations in Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi each year with one flagship location at the Academy Park in Umm Sequim. Over 100 SME businesses take part each week, including farmers, food, merchant and makers, activities, workshops and more.
Ripe Community
Ripe is not just a business but a catalyst; we're planting seeds throughout the community to ensure we not only support and nourish the local SME businesses including farmers, but provide a platform for young, talented artisans and trend setters in the UAE to grow and develop. We believe educating the next generation of eaters, growers, makers, and bakers is just as important.
Ripe Events
Ripe Events Management provides the unique ability to deliver brand awareness in a way you've never seen before. Central to our ability to deliver on brand awareness is our focus on understanding your brand, your internal marketing strategy and communication objectives. Ripe Event Management is a team of professionals passionate about creating and delivering high quality and engaging events. With years of local market knowledge, we work with only the top professionals and experts in the industry ensuring we produce the perfect event. We offer everything you require to make your event a huge success adopting a creative approach, innovative ideas, and a convenient, all-encompassing marketing service, we include strategy, concepts, design, and project management through to implementation. The authenticity of our passion is fuelled by our desire to ensure every event impress in line with the objectives of the event at the highest standards.
The Collective by Ripe
The Collective by Ripe was established in 2017 with a vision to offer an affordable platform for entrepreneurs to trial and test their creations in a retail environment. The Collective is a marketplace of makers, designers, and curators. A community of like-minded people who challenge the status-quo. They are aspiring entrepreneurs, fresh graduates, creative freelancers: all influential. They have their finger on the pulse, they strive to be independent creators. Together, this creative community of shoppers & sellers come to discover and be discovered. Our vision is aimed at supporting local SME businesses within the region. By keeping their rent low and their footfall high – we help minimize the risks generally associated with entrepreneurship. Local entrepreneurs will be given the platform to run their very own business. Our retailers can network, build, and grow their creative ideas within an upscale central hub offering support to each other.