Things to do in the UAE this week, from glowing monster trucks to fitness villages

Fitness is this week's main theme, with Dubai Fitness Challenge and Active Abu Dhabi's Walk 1000 initiative under way. A monster truck showdown is also on the schedule, as well as an Indian food festival channelling a popular tourist hub in the South Asian country. Here, The National rounds up seven things to do around the Emirates from November 4 to November 10. Lace up your walking shoes in Abu Dhabi as Emirates Foundation and PureHealth launch Walk 100 to promote health and fitness across the capital. The main event is a 1,000km walking challenge by 10 athletes from Al Sila, through the Liwa desert to Al Wathba, passing cultural and historical landmarks along the way. The journey will be documented, with the film showcase taking place next year. Members of the public will have opportunities to join the walk at different points throughout the month, with details to be made available on Active Abu Dhabi's Instagram account. In the meantime, residents can download PureHealth's Pura application and clock in 6,000 steps per day as part of the 30-day walking challenge. November 1 to November 30; more information on activeabudhabi.com Dubai Fitness Challenge is back, which means several neighbourhoods in the city have transformed into open-air gyms. Tilal Al Ghaf is one of them, with free daily activities at the lagoon park. Four fitness zones are on site, dedicated to a variety of workouts including spin classes, CrossFit and yoga. The activities are open to everyone, but it's perfect for people who live close by in Motor City, Arabian Ranches and Mira. A dedicated children's zone is also available. Classes can be booked in advance on the Fitcode app. Until November 24; Tilal Al Ghaf; dubaifitnesschallenge.com Beauty enthusiasts can head to Coca-Cola Arena as Sephoria begins. The three-day event by Sephora gathers some of the biggest beauty brands to showcase their products and engage with their customers. Guests can sample products, take photos in the funhouse-inspired decor and attend special masterclasses with moguls such as Huda Kattan of Huda Beauty, Mario Dedivanovic of Makeup by Mario and Chris Appleton of Color Wow. Dozens of brands will be at the event, including Fenty Skin, Gucci, Laneige, Olaplex, Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez, Supergoop and Youth to the People. Wednesday to Friday; 2pm-10pm; from Dh250; Coca-Cola Arena; 800 22 33 88 The charm and flavours of Mall Road, a major tourist centre in India's Himachal Pradesh, are being recreated at Pahadi restaurant in Dubai. Live food stations are on the cards, such as a chaat counter with kamal kakdi, spicy gol gappa and dahi bhalla; as well as a grill station with yellow chilli and amchoor paneer tikka, hariyali stuffed mushrooms, chargrilled lamb chops and jumbo prawns with Kashimi chilli glaze. Other Himalayan dishes on the menu include palak ka kapa with butter rotia and gawti murgh with butter naan. Round off the meal at the dessert counter, with dishes such as moong dal halwa and creamy kulfi. Monday to Thursday, 6pm-2am; Friday to Sunday, 6pm-2am; until November 30; Bur Dubai; 052 399 7543 Drop by Dubai Design District to stroll around the area's numerous art installations and displays, as part of the ongoing Dubai Design Week . Among the highlights is a large-scale floral installation handcrafted from recycled materials by Dutch artist Linda Nieuwstad and an outdoor pavilion by Dubai-based studio Bone made entirely of prefabricated earth blocks. Visitors can also check out the inaugural Editions Art and Design , which features more than 50 galleries, design studios and collectives selling limited-edition art, from photographs to prints and ceramics. Wedneday to Saturday, from noon; from Dh50; Dubai Design District; downtowndesign.com Fitness and environmental consciousness will combine at Eco Walk 2024 on Saturday, taking place at Expo City Dubai . About 2,000 ghaf seeds will be planted at the event, and the organisers will also distribute an additional 5,000 seeds to visitors. The free event will start with a 2km walk, followed by the tree-planting ceremony at Al Forsan Park. Eco-friendly food will be served and visitors are encouraged to wear green clothing. Saturday, 7am-12.30pm; Dubai Expo City; ecowalk@jyk.ae Glowing monster trucks will take over Etihad Arena on Sunday. The Hot Wheels glow party is perfect for families and will feature several recognisable monster trucks such as Tiger Shark, Mega Wrex, Demo Derby and Gunkster. Aside from the show, a dance party is also on the cards, as well as dazzling light shows. Visitors can also enjoy Hot Wheels giveaways. Friday, from 6.30pm; Saturday, from 11am and 6.30pm; Sunday, from 11am; from Dh160; Etihad Arena; abu-dhabi.platinumlist.net

Things to do in the UAE this week, from glowing monster trucks to fitness villages

Plus, an Indian food festival is recreating a famous neighbourhood in Himachal Pradesh