Dubai Design Week 2026 opens on Tuesday 3 November and runs until Sunday 8 November at Dubai Design District (d3). The 12th edition is free to attend and open to all ages, with exhibitions, installations, talks and workshops across the district, according to the official Dubai Design Week website. This guide covers what you can see for free, the one part that needs a ticket, and how to get there.
Key points
- Dates: 3 to 8 November 2026, at d3
- Entry: free, open to all ages
- Programme hours: 10am to 10pm daily
- Downtown Design is the only ticketed part: AED80 for one day
- Parking at d3: first 2 hours free, then AED20 an hour
Dubai Design Week 2026 at a glance
| What | Dates | Hours | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Festival programme (exhibitions, installations, talks) | 3 to 8 Nov | 10am to 10pm | Free |
| Abwab public tours | 4 and 5 Nov | 4pm, Atrium 7 | Free |
| Downtown Design (public days) | 5 to 8 Nov | 12pm to 8pm (Sun until 6pm) | AED80 one day, AED150 four days |
| Marketplace | 7 and 8 Nov | See the official programme | Part of the festival |
Free things to see
Abwab. This year Abwab moves indoors as a group exhibition titled “In Other Words”, curated by Caoimhe CJ Reynolds and Alexie Glass-Kantor. It brings together five design practices: Dalia Rafeh, Grace Shieh, Kanaka Raghavan, UBIK and Varussi. Free public tours run on Wednesday 4 and Thursday 5 November at 4pm from Atrium 7.
Installations. Walk around d3 to find large works such as “The Desert Dweller”, a new take on the Bedouin tent, “Three Gardens and a Room” and “Playing Field”. The Urban Commissions programme is in its 8th edition this year.
Maker Space by MillerKnoll. More than 35 workshops and masterclasses for all ages, including sessions for children such as stop motion and pinhole photography. Some workshops may need to be booked in advance, so check the programme early.
Downtown Design: the ticketed part
Downtown Design, the region’s leading design fair, runs alongside Design Week. Its public days are Thursday 5 to Saturday 7 November from 12pm to 8pm, and Sunday 8 November from 12pm to 6pm. Wednesday 4 November is for press and invited guests only. Tickets cost AED80 for one day or AED150 for all four days on the Downtown Design website. Inside, the UAE Designer Exhibition, themed “Inherited Futures”, shows work by 30 UAE-based creatives.
How to get to d3
By Metro, ride to Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station, then take RTA bus D03 to the Dubai Design District 1 stop. The S’hail app shows live times. If you drive, parking is free for the first two hours and AED20 an hour after that, and valet is available. Taxis have marked drop-off points, according to the visitor information page.
Tips for your visit
Weekday evenings are usually calmer than the weekend. Download the Dubai Design Week app to build your own programme, wear comfortable shoes because the event spreads across the district, and plan the weekend around the Marketplace if you want to shop from local designers.
Planning more nights out this season? See the Dubai Opera 2026-27 season and our guide to the Dubai Shopping Festival.
Sources: Dubai Design Week, Dubai Design Week visitor information, Downtown Design
For more events in the UAE, visit our events section.