Beginning 1st May, Grey Days in Dubai invites the community on a neighborhood hop through Alserkal Avenue’s most creative spaces
Dubai, UAE, April 29, 2026 – Today, New Balance announces its annual Grey Days celebration, a month-long tribute to the brand’s signature color. Grey Days unites New Balance’s renowned family of athletes and ambassadors to feature a range of special edition products, immersive experiences, and stories that honor the unique and timeless influence of grey.
Grey first entered the New Balance design language in the 1980s as a practical choice for urban runners. While competitors embraced neon hues and bright whites, New Balance introduced grey as a choice that blended seamlessly with the concrete and asphalt of city running. What began as a unique choice quickly evolved into a defining expression of the brand, one that has shaped its identity for decades.
This year’s campaign offers an invitation into the world of grey, brought to life by a cast of New Balance athletes and ambassadors including Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Darius Garland, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Andrew Reynolds. From Aminé raising the Grey Days flag in celebration to Quincy Wilson narrating “The Origins of Grey,” each individual lends their own authentic personality to the campaign, united by the unwavering foundation of grey.
Grey Days in the UAE
In the UAE, Grey Days comes to life through a neighborhood-led experience, connecting different homegrown spaces nestled within Alserkal Avenue, one of Dubai’s most vibrant creative neighborhoods and a long-standing meeting point for the city’s makers, artists and cultural communities.
Designed as a neighborhood hop, the 10-day program invites the community to move through truly authentic community-first spaces, with each stop bringing a different layer of the Grey Days story to life.
From fashion and sneaker culture to movement, music and community, the experience has been built to welcome people back into the neighborhood in a way that feels bold, immersive and unmistakably New Balance.
The Grey Days Neighborhood experience:
Gooder
The iconic skatepark becomes the central hub, featuring a dedicated retail space showcasing the latest Grey Days apparel and footwear collection alongside a curated line-up of community-first programming.
Within the space, OLLIE’S S.K.A.T.E brings high-energy skate performances open for all to watch. The space will also come alive with sets from local favorites Ben Palace and Friends by Karak Sounds, a collective deeply rooted in Dubai’s music scene.
Adding a unique flavor to the community program are special Grey Days limited-edition, food and beverage collaborations with Ollie’s Pizza and DRVN Café,
UrArtU Gallery
Dubai’s most radical floral gallery founded by Gurgen Yeritsyan, becomes a creative Grey Days canvas over the weekends. New Balance will host bespoke floral workshops where participants explore creativity through an unexpected intersection of movement, design and nature.
The Workshop DXB
A leading screen-printing studio known for custom hand-pulled prints and artist residencies, The Workshop DXB will host exclusive Grey Days sessions where guests can design and leave with their own personalized Grey Days keepsake.
Nightjar Coffee Roasters
One of Dubai’s most iconic coffee destinations, Nightjar is a true hotspot in the city’s creative scene and an award-winning leader in artisanal coffee roasting and cold brew culture. Across the weekends, guests can enjoy curated Grey Days coffee moments and limited-edition menu items, bringing a more social, laid-back rhythm to the neighborhood experience.
CRANK
The UAE’s most loved boutique indoor cycling studio will also be part of the neighborhood experience in Alserkal Avenue, with a series of curated CRANK Shape classes across the weekend schedule. Members will ride through high-energy sessions with participants receiving exclusive Grey Days tees.
From 1st May to 10th May, The Grey Days neighborhood experience will be open to the public, with workshops, live cultural moments and shared community programming taking place across each weekend.
Speaking of Grey Days 2026,Stuart Henwood, Senior Director – New Balance, Middle East, Africa and India (MEAI) said, “Grey Days is a celebration of our legacy, but it is also a powerful reflection of what continues to define New Balance today: our fearlessly independent spirit and the confidence to keep evolving at the intersection of sport and culture. Grey is more than just a color, it’s a symbol of timelessness, authenticity & quiet confidence. The Middle East market, which has seen sustained strong growth since we set up our own operations in 2019, is a place where culture moves fast, communities shape conversations and the appetite for authentic brand experiences is stronger than ever. Given the recent challenges Grey Days comes at a great time as the market rebounds and opportunity to welcome everyone back into the neighborhood, creating a space for different communities to re-connect and celebrate being together in such a vibrant and unique place.”
The Grey Run
Further extending the celebration across the region, New Balance will host Grey Runs in the UAE, KSA and Qatar. Rooted in the brand’s “Run Your Way” ethos, the Grey Run invites runners of all levels to show up as they are and experience running on their own terms, whether that means pace, distance, or intention.
In the UAE, the experience will continue beyond the finish line allowing participants to refuel post run through a limited-time collaboration with Nightjar Coffee Roasters.
More details on dates, timings, routes, and registration will be shared via New Balance Run Club channels across each market.
New Balance Grey Days Collection 2026
This year’s Grey Days collection features key product offerings across lifestyle, performance, and kids ranges, including:
- May 1: The Grey Shop launches in New Balance stores and on NewBalance.com with new and existing grey styles including the 204L, FuelCell Rebel v5, 1080v15, and more, in addition to a selection of classic grey apparel.
- May 8: The ABZORB 2010 launches. With wearability in mind, the shoe combines the excitement of an innovative style with a sense of the familiar. The drop is priced at AED 799.
- May 15: The ABZORB 2000 and ABZORB 5030 launch. Both models offer a progressive approach to the brand’s exploration of 2000s era running influences and transform ABZORB technology into a signature visual design statement. Retail pricing for the ABZORB 2000 is AED 899, and the ABZORB 5030 is AED 899.
- May 22: The ABZORB 1890 launch. Introduced earlier this year, the ABZORB 1890 draws on the brand’s heritage DNA while offering a playful exploration and representation of visible tech. Drops are priced at AED 549.
The Grey Days collection will be available across New Balance stores, online and select retailers in the UAE, KSA and Kuwait.
- New Balance Grey Days collection:
- What: Apparel and shoe collection drops throughout the month of May
- Where: available across New Balance stores, online and select retailers in the UAE, KSA and Kuwait.
- The Neighborhood:
- Gooder, Alserkal Avenue
- Dates: 2 May – 10 May
- Time: 9 AM – 8 PM
- What: Community space with:
- Retail space to shop the Grey Days collection
- Pizza from Ollie’s Pizza
- Skating performance at 1PM on weekends
- OLLIE’S S.K.A.T.E competition at 6PM on weekends
- Karak sound DJ set from 8-10PM
- Common space with community games
- UrArtU, Alserkal Avenue
- Dates: 3 May and 10 May
- Time: 2PM and 4 pm (1 hour per session)
- Registration: https://www.nbgreydays.com/
- Gooder, Alserkal Avenue
- The Workshop DXB, Alserkal Avenue
- Dates: 2 May and 9 May
- Time: 11AM, 3PM (45 mins per session)
- Registration: https://www.nbgreydays.com/
- CRANK, Alserkal Avenue
- Date: Sat and Sunday CRANK Shape classes across both weekends
- Registration: Through the Crank App
- The Grey Run at The Nightjar, Alserkal Avenue
- What: Relay run
- Dates: 10 May
- Time: 6AM
About New Balance:
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA, has the following purpose: Independent since 1906, we empower people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. New Balance employs 14,000 associates around the globe, and in 2025 reported worldwide sales of $9.2 billion. New Balance owns five athletic footwear factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance MADE U.S. footwear contains a domestic value of 70% or more and makes up a limited portion of New Balance’s U.S. sales. To learn more about New Balance, please visit newbalance.com; for the latest press information visit newbalance.newsmarket.com.