Flagship Dubai festival Groove on the Grass shows it's still got it ahead of Saudi Arabia expansion

The electronic dance music festival under the stars celebrates 12 years of bringing beats to the city

Crowds gather on the hillside at Emirates Golf Club for Groove on the Grass, a long-established staple in the UAE's music calendar. All photos: Ruel Pableo for The National

Morgan Dope, whose music is a fusion of Latin, Arabic, and Mediterranean, sets up the evening on the main stage

Performers and two markets bustling with local brands create a festival feel

Trio Honeytrap System in the Groove Arena tent

The festival's organisers are gearing up for a busy season, with two shows in Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks

The night market at Groove on the Grass

Local artists and streetwear brands turned out for the one-night festival

Groove on the Grass kicks off the winter party season in Dubai

Groove on the Grass returned to Dubai for a 12th year on Saturday night, thrilling fans of deep house and techno and drawing some of the finest acts around.

Bathed in neon light and with Dubai Marina as a backdrop, Emirates Golf Club was the perfect venue for the spectacle that was a great spot to kick off the winter party season.

This year's festival was a whole month earlier than last November's, which made for a steamy night under the autumn humidity. But the change of date also meant that many of the acts were hot off the plane from late summer performances in party destinations such as Ibiza.

Groove's main stage hosted headliner Ash, who delivered a high-energy blast of house and techno in a captivating mix of electronic beats and energy as part of his Self-Discovery tour which he'll now take to Europe, before returning to Jeddah in November.

French electronic music composer Viken Arman's mid-evening set took fans on a spiritual journey that could have almost transported the crowd to the laid-back beaches of Goa. Emerging starlets Jamiie and Fiona Kraft, fresh off the Balearic dance circuit and performances at Black Coffee's night at mega club Hi Ibiza, closed out the main stage in the early hours.

Groove on the Grass's grungier second venue, Groove Arena, made for a more intimate setting with fans packed into an illuminated tent. Trio Honeytrap drew in a crowd looking for heavier beats, while Margaret Dygas, a minimalist DJ and resident of Berlin's Panorama Bar, took the audience into the later evening. Rhadoo, a star of Romanian techno, headlined with a hypnotic performance that ran late into the night – far later than this tired dad was around for.

Groove's stage set-up has grown in sophistication over the years, with pulsating screens and a light show that can be seen far and wide. The promoter says it has introduced more than 180 artists to the region, and expanded from its anchor annual event, earning a loyal following among the Emirates' electronic music fans. Local fashion brands rallied for retail slots at the Festival's Ripe Market and Cosmic Market.

Groove's Ras Al Khaimah festival in February – billed as an escape from the height of Dubai's tourist season – drew hundreds to the Dunes Desert Resort campsite for two days of musical performances, fashion stalls and art exhibits.

Most recently, organisers have branched out to Saudi Arabia, where the live music scene is booming. Two big announcements in recent weeks demonstrate that the kingdom is firmly on the radar of established music promotors.

On Friday, Groove will set up shop in Riyadh's Jax Viewpoint in Diriyah hosting Satori, Mano Le Tough and Saudi duo Dish Dash, among others. Groove's most recent Riyadh event was in Al Ammaria Village in February.

And on November 8, Ash, the festival will host Germany's Konstantin Sibold, Dish Dash, pioneering Saudi DJ Cosmicat and Groove founder Deian in King Abdullah Economic City's Juman Park, a dazzling setting on a peninsula that juts out into the Red Sea.

The Kingdom's entertainment market is forecast to surge from $2.5 billion this year, to $4.2 billion in 2029, according to consultancy firm Oxford Business Group.