When Tarek Abou Dib first threw a small beach party for a hundred friends in Fujairah, he wasn’t setting out to create a brand.
“I just found an opportunity. The location is stunning,” he said. “You’ve got the Indian Ocean, the mountains as a backdrop, one of the few sunrises that happen over the ocean. Then I connected the dots: music, community, nature, a getaway from Dubai.”
That casual gathering, held at Sandy Beach Resort, his family’s business, became the seed of Snoopy Beats, one of the UAE’s most recognisable homegrown festivals. Today, the brand spans several verticals including Snoopy Productions, Snoopy Weddings, and Snoopy Retreats, all under the umbrella of Snoopy Everything.
“People come to Snoopy once or twice a year, so they need to feel like, ‘What are they doing next time?’” Abou Dib told Arabian Business. “That play on curiosity keeps them engaged, and that’s where I double down on theme and detail. From decor to costumes, it’s about immersion.”
While global DJs have become the lifeblood of Dubai’s nightlife scene, Abou Dib deliberately took a different path. His focus is on building atmosphere, not hype.
“A lot of events here lose that sense of engagement,” he said. “They invest in artists, not experiences. For us, the artist performs within an environment we create, not the other way around.”
The strategy is slower to scale, but it’s built a loyal following. Each edition of Snoopy Beats carries a distinct theme, from Zootopia to Carnival Island, with bespoke production built from scratch. It’s labour-intensive, Abou Dib admits, but worth it. “We’re not reusing anything. That’s what sets us apart.”
The festival’s growth mirrors the evolution of Fujairah itself. Once a quieter emirate, it is now finding its place in the UAE’s creative economy. But success didn’t come without friction.
“My father’s old-school hospitality meant everything must make sense financially,” Abou Dib said. “When I started Snoopy Beats, he’d see how much I was spending and say, ‘You’re not making any money!’ But now he sees the outcome. The hotel is more popular, the brand is stronger.”
The pandemic forced the festival’s cancellation a day before its 2020 edition. But instead of folding, Abou Dib pivoted, launching Snoopy Productions to design boutique events for private clients, brands, and corporates. Later came Snoopy Weddings, which now hosts high-profile ceremonies, including that of a major influencer earlier this year.
“Snoopy turned from a passion project into multiple businesses,” he said. “Now I’m bringing them together under a holding company and building the right teams around each one.”
Running a homegrown festival, he said, is not for the faint-hearted.
“Mega clubs in Dubai keep rotating big-name DJs, and the crowd just follows. For homegrown festivals, you either spend huge money on artists or risk low turnout. That’s the double-edged sword,” he said.
Having the resort as a base gives him an advantage, from infrastructure to staff, but scaling remains tough. “Dubai has its tables and high spenders. We have community. People come to snorkel, camp, and dance. They remember the weekend.”
The next edition of Snoopy Beats is scheduled for Halloween weekend, co-produced with Lebanese collective Second Sun and France’s Yoyaku, marking the Paris label’s 10th anniversary showcase in the UAE.
“We’re collaborating with promoters from Lebanon, Paris, and even Saudi,” Abou Dib said. “The regional scene is opening up. People are travelling between Saudi, Lebanon, Jordan, and Fujairah should be part of that map.”
For Abou Dib, it’s never just been about parties. It’s about people.
“My definition of hospitality is hosting, not just selling a room and breakfast,” he said. “It’s about curating an experience that lets people reconnect with their inner child.”
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