The Dubai Shopping Festival 2026 will be the 32nd edition of the city’s longest-running retail event, and it is expected to open in early December 2026 and run into January 2027. Organisers have not yet issued the formal date announcement, but every recent edition has followed the same winter pattern, which gives residents and visitors a reliable planning window.
This guide sets out what is confirmed, what is reported but unverified, and what last season’s programme tells us about the Dubai fireworks, raffles, concerts and Dubai shopping deals likely to return. It will be updated when DFRE, part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), publishes the official calendar.
When is the Dubai Shopping Festival 2026?
As of 4 October 2026, the official DSF 2026 dates have not appeared in a DET press release. For comparison, the dates for the 31st edition were announced on 2 September 2025, and the 30th edition’s dates were announced on 18 September 2024, so this year’s announcement is later than usual.
One UAE consumer site reported in late September that Visit Dubai currently lists the festival from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027. The same report said electronics retailer Sharaf DG has published its own DSF campaign from 5 December 2026 to 31 January 2027. Retailer campaigns often run longer than the official festival, so the two windows are not necessarily in conflict
The table below shows how recent editions were scheduled, which is the most useful guide until the official calendar is released.
| Edition | Dates | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 28th (2022–23) | 15 Dec 2022 – 29 Jan 2023 | 46 days |
| 29th (2023–24) | 8 Dec 2023 – 14 Jan 2024 | 38 days |
| 30th (2024–25) | 6 Dec 2024 – 12 Jan 2025 | 38 days |
| 31st (2025–26) | 5 Dec 2025 – 11 Jan 2026 | 38 days |
| 32nd (2026–27) | Reported: 4 Dec 2026 – 17 Jan 2027 (unconfirmed) | TBC |
The trend since 2023 is clear: DSF now opens on the first Friday of December rather than mid-month, and closes before the second half of January. If the reported dates are confirmed, the 32nd edition would be roughly a week longer than the last two, at 45 days. Several online travel guides still give 15 December 2026 to 29 January 2027. Those dates match the 2022–23 pattern rather than recent editions, and none of them cites an official source.
Why the DSF 2026 dates matter for residents and visitors
For UAE residents, the festival’s opening is the start of the city’s biggest discount season of the year. It also overlaps with the busiest stretch of the winter calendar, which pushes up hotel rates and short-haul airfares for visitors from India, Saudi Arabia, Europe and the wider Gulf.
The December window is already crowded. According to Dubai’s retail calendar, the Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) retail period runs from 30 November to 3 December 2026, so a 4 December opening would carry promotions straight from one event into the next. Black Friday falls on 27 November.
Visitors who need an entry permit should sort it out before booking flights. Our guide to Dubai visa types for short visits explains the tourist options and what each one allows.
Dubai fireworks during DSF: what last season looked like
Fireworks are one of the festival’s main free attractions, and the 2025–26 schedule is the best indication of where shows are likely to be staged this year. Organisers have not yet published locations or times for 2026–27.
| Location (2025–26) | When | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Festival Bay, Dubai Festival City Mall | Every night of the festival | 8.30pm |
| Hatta Sign, DSF x Hatta | Fridays and Saturdays in December | 8pm |
| Souk Al Seef, Bluewaters, The Beach JBR, Hatta | New Year’s Eve | 11.59pm |
Dubai Festival City Mall was the only venue with a show on all 38 nights, which made it the most reliable choice for families. Hatta offered a quieter mountain setting, but only on weekends and only until 31 December.
The DSF Drone Show
Alongside the fireworks, the DSF Drone Show used more than 1,000 drones, including 100 pyro drones, according to organisers. It ran twice nightly, at 8pm and 10pm, over the stretch between Bluewaters and The Beach, JBR. DFRE listed the drone show among the festival’s returning attractions last season, so it is a strong candidate to come back.
Dubai shopping deals: discounts, flash sales and raffles
Shopping remains the core of the festival. Last season’s main sale period, DSF Sale Season, began on 26 December 2025 with discounts of 25 to 75 per cent across more than 1,000 brands and over 3,500 outlets, according to organisers’ announcements reported in Khaleej Times.
The biggest one-day discounts usually come in the 12-Hour Sale. In 2025, it ran across Majid Al Futtaim malls on 26 December from 10am to 10pm, with reductions of 25 to 90 per cent at more than 100 brands.
Raffles and prize draws
Raffles are the festival’s other big draw. Last season’s citywide Shop, Scan and Win promotion asked shoppers to spend AED 300 or more at participating stores for a chance to win one of five Nissan Patrol cars, drawn weekly until 1 February 2026. Individual malls, including Dubai Festival City Mall and Mercato, ran their own draws in parallel.
How to get more from DSF discounts
- Shop the first week for the best stock in your size, and the 12-Hour Sale for the deepest single-day cuts.
- Keep receipts and register them in mall apps, since most raffles require you to scan proof of spend.
- Compare the DSF price with Black Friday and National Day offers, which in 2026 fall only days before the festival is expected to open.
- Tourists can reclaim VAT on eligible purchases from registered retailers when leaving the UAE, so ask for a tax-free tag at the till.
None of this year’s retail promotions has been officially announced yet. Expect participating brands, discount levels and raffle prizes to change from last season.
DSF events: concerts, markets and family days out
The 2025–26 programme opened with a weekend of concerts and then spread across the city. The returning formats are the most likely to reappear this year:
- Opening Weekend Concerts featuring international and regional artists.
- e& MOTB, the outdoor market at Dubai Design District (d3), which ran from 1 to 11 January 2026 with free entry.
- DSF Auto Season, a series of motoring events and meet-ups for car enthusiasts.
- DSF x Hatta, with light trails, outdoor concerts, food pop-ups and weekend fireworks in the mountains.
- e& DSF Nights at Festival Bay, Dubai Festival City Mall, combining live music with the nightly fireworks.
Last season’s line-up included Angham, Mahmoud El Esseily, Ruby and Franz Ferdinand, the last at Coca-Cola Arena. No artists have been announced for the 2026–27 edition.
DSF also overlaps with Dubai’s other winter attractions. Global Village Season 31 opens on 14 October 2026 and runs until May 2027, so it will be open throughout the festival.
Where to shop during the festival
DSF promotions run citywide rather than at a single venue. The main hubs in recent editions have been Dubai Festival City Mall, The Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Ibn Battuta Mall, Dubai Hills Mall and City Centre Deira, alongside the traditional souks in Deira and Bur Dubai.
Evenings at the waterfront venues, such as Souk Al Seef, Bluewaters and JBR, combine shopping, fireworks and dinner. For somewhere to eat after the shows, see our guide to the best restaurants in Dubai.
What happens next
The next milestone is DFRE’s official date announcement, followed by the full events calendar, which it usually releases a few weeks before opening. Details still unknown include the exact dates, the concert line-up, fireworks venues and times, the 12-Hour Sale date and this year’s raffle prizes.
Until then, the safest plan is to treat the first week of December to mid-January as the festival window, book accommodation early, and check the official Visit Dubai DSF page before finalising travel.
Frequently asked questions
What are the DSF 2026 dates?
Official dates had not been announced in a DET press release as of 4 October 2026. A UAE outlet reports that Visit Dubai lists 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, which matches the early-December pattern of recent editions.
Is the Dubai Shopping Festival free to attend?
Yes. There is no ticket for the festival itself. Fireworks, drone shows and most markets are free, while concerts and some attractions are ticketed.
Where can I watch the Dubai fireworks during DSF?
Last season, Festival Bay at Dubai Festival City Mall hosted fireworks every night at 8.30pm, with weekend shows in Hatta during December and New Year's Eve displays at Souk Al Seef, Bluewaters, The Beach JBR and Hatta. This year's venues are still to be confirmed.
How big are the discounts?
During the 2025–26 edition, DSF Sale Season offered 25 to 75 percent off, and the 12-Hour Sale offered up to 90 percent off at participating brands.