While my friends spent their teenage summers packing rucksacks with camping gear, neon paint and Wellington boots to hop between the biggest festivals on the UK circuit, I was happy to bask in ROMO - which means the Relief Of Missing Out, a phrase I can thank our deputy editor, Elise, for introducing me to.
It's not because I don't love music. I grew up in a house where even the most basic of tasks had a soundtrack and it's something that's carried through to my adult life. I take active charge of the radio at work, much to the dismay of my colleagues that sit nearby, and have curated playlists for gym sessions, pre-night out and Sunday morning coffee (the latter my personal favourite). But the wider festival experience – the high probability of rain, lack of showers, overwhelming crowds – was enough to put me off.
But that was before I moved to Dubai, and I was introduced to the UAE's way of putting on a festival. As well as music festivals covering a whole host of music genres, there's food festival, literature festivals – and even fitness festivals. Gourmet delights from homegrown brands, dazzling fireworks displays the final act in a roster of incredible acts, inspiring sessions that provoke thought and discussion… the UAE's festival scene deserves to be celebrated. Which is exactly what we're doing from p19.
Speaking of celebrating, this month I'm entering the final year of my twenties, a decade I've spent living almost entirely in Dubai. I arrived here in 2015 as a fresh faced graduate with dreams and ambitions superseded only by those of this city. Whether it's a slew of new restaurants (from p34), a cool new DIFC camp (on p39), or a soaring new attraction, (p28), still to this day, Dubai never fails to amaze me at the way it continues to grow.
Enjoy the issue,
Alice Holtham Group Editor | 
