- Events
- On 07.11.2026
- rupali tanwar
- Tags dubai
Dubai Shopping Festival 2026–27: Dates, Best Malls & Things to Do
The Dubai Shopping Festival 2026-27 will start in four weeks, and a lot of what’s written about it is guesswork. The dates are also confirmed: 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, 45 days. The full programme of discounts, raffles, and headline acts is not confirmed. This guide will help you know what is confirmed and what is pending, then covers where to shop, what to do between malls, and how to time your trip in a proper manner.
Dubai Shopping Festival 2026-27 Dates: What’s Confirmed
The dates of Dubai Shopping Festival 2026-27 are settled, and most of the details are still to come. If you still need early insight before your visit to Dubai then read further.
The Dates
The 32nd edition will open on Friday 4 December 2026, and it will close on Sunday 17 January 2027. It’s organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), which is a part of Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism. Moreover, last year’s edition ran from 5 December to 11 January (38 days), so this one is a week longer. It will open right after the National Day holiday, with Eid Al Etihad celebrations, which are listed for 30 November to 3 December.
Confirmed vs Not Yet Announced
| Confirmed | Still to be announced |
| etisalat DSF Nights live entertainment | Discount percentages and retailer offers |
| DSF x Hatta Wadi Hub | Raffle prizes |
| DSF Auto Season | Headline concert artists |
| etisalat MOTB (January) | Fireworks and drone show schedule |
| New: etisalat Beach Canteen at Sunset Beach | Most individual event dates |
Early reports put the Beach Canteen at 10 to 27 December and MOTB at d3 from 8 to 24 January. However, organisers said the full programme would follow about a month after their mid-October announcement, so you should always check the official DSF channels before building a trip around one event. For reference, the previous edition staged more than 100 events and paid out over AED 11 million in prizes. That says nothing about this year’s offers.
Things to Do During Dubai Shopping Festival
This festival isn’t only for shopping, and a mall-free evening keeps the trip fun. However, festival venues, Dubai’s year-round list is long, and our top things to do in Dubai is a good place to start if you have spare days.
Festival Events
The returning DSF Nights programme brings live entertainment, reported at Festival Bay in Dubai Festival City. The new Beach Canteen at Sunset Beach combines food, live entertainment and workshops. DSF x Hatta Wadi Hub extends the festival into the mountains, and DSF Auto Season adds car-themed events. Exact schedules weren’t published at the time of writing, so treat these as the framework, not the timetable. However, if you want something offbeat between shopping days, our picks of seven unique Dubai experiences that are a must are worth a look.
Global Village
Global Village Season 31 opened on 14 October 2026 and runs to May 2027, with the closing date still to be announced. Our Global Village Dubai tickets start at AED 30 per person.
Last season’s gate prices were AED 25 from Sunday to Thursday and AED 30 on Fridays and Saturdays, and Season 31 prices were reported as unchanged. Moreover, you should also remember that the hours are 4 PM to midnight on weekdays and 1 AM on weekends. That’s why you should plan three to five hours for pavilions from over 90 countries, though some rides may cost extra.
A Break From the Malls
An evening desert safari is the classic reset after a heavy shopping day. However, December evenings fill quickly, so you should book your safari as soon as possible. Moreover, when going on a safari, always wear comfortable shoes after a day on tiled mall floors, and bring a light layer, because desert evenings cool down in winter.
Free and Low-Cost Ideas
The best things to do during Dubai Shopping Festival aren’t all ticketed. Walking waterfront promenades and watching public light shows will cost you nothing, and there are several of the city’s best-known sights which are free to see from outside. Moreover, you can refer to our guide to the top 10 attractions for free in Dubai if the shopping budget is already spoken for.
Planning Your Trip Around the Festival
Timing decides both your budget and your crowd level.
Timing and Crowds
The first weekend overlaps National Day, and New Year’s Eve falls in the middle of the festival. Moreover, you should also know that packages from 20 December to 5 January are the peak window, with surcharges for festive periods. Calmer options are weekdays in early December and January after the first week. However, you should treat it as a general expectation, not a guarantee.
Weather is most comfortable from November to March. If you’re still choosing dates, you can check out our guide to the best time for Dubai city sightseeing, which covers each season.
Packages
| 3 Nights 4 Days | 4 Nights 5 Days Luxury | |
| Displayed price | AED 1,195 | AED 1,369 |
| Includes | 3 nights, breakfast, return transfers, dhow cruise dinner, evening desert safari, visa assistance, insurance | 4 nights, breakfast, return transfers, half-day city tour, Marina dhow dinner, desert safari with BBQ, full-day Abu Dhabi tour |
| Watch for | Burj Khalifa admission isn’t in the formal inclusions | Airfare, visa fee (USD 99), insurance, and Tourism Dirham are not included |
For a compact first visit, the 3 Nights 4 Days Dubai tour package covers a dhow dinner, a desert safari, and city sightseeing on a shared basis. Hotel category, dates, and occupancy all change the final quote.
Both packages are listed as starting prices, so you should expect date-specific quotes in festival weeks. Cancellation charges on both are 50% at 30 days or more, 80% at 29 to 15 days, and 100% at 14 to 1 day before travel, and visa fees are non-refundable.
If you’d rather add Abu Dhabi and a 4- or 5-star hotel, you can also go with the 5 Days Dubai luxury holiday package, which is the bigger option. Moreover, you should also ask for a written quote that names the hotel, dates, and exactly what is included in your package before you pay.
Dubai Shopping Festival Shopping Guide: Where to Spend
Festival or not, these are the places that reward a shopping day.
| Place | Best for |
| Dubai Mall | Luxury labels, Fashion Avenue, dining and an aquarium |
| Mall of the Emirates | Designer shopping plus Ski Dubai |
| Dubai Outlet Mall | Branded fashion at reduced prices |
| Dragon Mart | Electronics, furniture, home accessories |
| Karama Market, Meena Bazaar, Naif Souk | Budget fashion, gifts, souvenirs |
| Gold, spice, and Perfume souks | Jewellery, spices, oud |
Luxury Malls
Dubai Mall has more than 1,200 outlets, and Fashion Avenue is where the designer houses sit. Mall of the Emirates pairs premium brands with Ski Dubai, so it suits mixed groups where not everyone wants to shop. If you’d like the full picture of cheap and luxury options, our Dubai shopping guide covers both ends.
Bargain Hunting
Dubai Outlet Mall typically offers 30% to 90% off on brands such as Nike, Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein, and those discounts run all year. That matters during the festival, because a “festival price” there may be no better than a normal Tuesday. Dragon Mart suits electronics and home goods, while Karama Market, Meena Bazaar and Naif Souk are the usual stops for budget fashion and souvenirs. Bargaining is normal in these markets and rarely done in malls.
Souks and Markets
The Gold Souk, Spice Souk and Perfume Souk are the traditional counterparts to the malls. Gold shops sell jewellery, diamonds and custom pieces, spice stalls sell saffron, dried fruit and incense, and perfume shops will blend custom oud scents. Prices in souks are negotiable, so start friendly and be willing to walk away. For more ideas on where to browse beyond the big names, see shopping places to visit in Dubai.
Shopping Tips for the Festival
- Compare prices. A festival tag isn’t automatically a bargain, especially at outlets that discount year-round.
- Keep receipts. Visitors may be eligible for VAT refunds on certain purchases when leaving, so don’t forget to ask retailers whether they take part.
- Read raffle terms. Entries are usually linked to participating retailers, so check each promotion’s rules.
- Check customs before buying gold. Allowances differ by home country.
- Set a budget. This Dubai shopping festival shopping guide rule matters most because the temptation lasts 45 days.
However, if you are travelling on a tighter budget? Our roundup of affordable shopping places in Dubai can help you to see where your dirhams go furthest.
Conclusion
First, you should lock in your dates, then book your flights and hotels before the festive surcharge window. Moreover, you should also treat headline discounts as unconfirmed until the programme is published, and also keep one evening free for something other than shopping. The Dubai Shopping Festival 2026-27 is long enough that you don’t need to cram everything into one weekend. If you need help planning your visit, you can reach out to Dubaicitysightseeing.com; they can help you plan your visit and make your Dubai experience more enjoyable.
FAQs – Dubai Shopping Festival 2026–27
It will be running from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, which is basically a 45-day season. It’s the 32nd edition and has been organised by DFRE.
No. There is no such information about discount percentages, retailer offers, or raffle prizes at the time of writing.
The festival itself is citywide and generally has no entry fee, though individual attractions like Global Village charge separately.
Yes, it is open. Season 31 opened on 14 October 2026 and it will run until May 2027. Our tickets start at AED 30 per person, and hours and prices can change, so before making a booking, you should first confirm with our team.
They can rise. Our packages have surcharges for peak season and the New Year period, with 20 December to 5 January as the top-peak window. Moreover, you should also ask for a date-specific quote. For more questions, see our FAQs page.