# Dubai Shopping Festival

The Dubai Shopping Festival, founded in 1996, holds its 32nd edition from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027: 45 days of retail deals, raffles, concerts and entertainment across the city, from the malls to the beaches and out to Hatta.

Source : https://sabaro-travel.com/en/events/dubai-shopping-festival/

## A city-wide festival

Launched in 1996 as a retail promotion, the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) has become Dubai's big winter festival. It is organised by DFRE (Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment, the public body for festivals and retail), part of DET (Department of Economy and Tourism, the emirate's economy and tourism department). The 32nd edition lasts 45 days, from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027.

The formula has not changed: for six weeks, shops across the city offer deals, malls run raffles and activities, and the city hosts open-air concerts and shows. The last edition had more than 100 events, more than AED 11 million in prizes were won, and the Red Bull Tetris world final was played in the sky above the Dubai Frame with 4,000 drones.

## The 2026-2027 programme

The full programme, with artists and prizes, is expected in the weeks after the official announcement. Already announced:

- **DSF Nights**, music evenings at Festival Bay;
- **a new beach canteen** at Sunset Beach;
- **a Hatta strand**, with Hatta Wadi Hub, the outdoor activity park in the Hajar Mountains;
- **a motoring season**, DSF Auto Season;
- **raffles and activities** in the malls throughout the festival.

The official website, mydsf.ae, publishes the calendar week by week.

## Shopping during the festival

The DSF covers the whole city, from the big malls to the souks. Two ways to approach it:

- **Downtown and Dubai Mall**, at the foot of Burj Khalifa, for international brands;
- **the Old Dubai souks**, the gold souk and spice souk in Deira, across the Creek, reached by abra, the wooden public boat, for 1 dirham.

Our [shopping](/en/themes/shopping/) theme lists addresses, and the [Old Dubai](/en/dubai/old-dubai/) page covers the souks.

## When to go and where to stay

December and January are the coolest months: the average high is 26.5 °C in December and 24.4 °C in January, with lows of 15 to 17 °C. The festival overlaps several highlights that fill the city:

- **2 December**, [UAE National Day](/en/events/fete-nationale-emirats/), just before the opening;
- **11 to 13 December**, the street-culture festival [Sole DXB](/en/events/sole-dxb/);
- **31 December**, [New Year's Eve at Burj Khalifa](/en/events/nouvel-an-burj-khalifa/);
- **17 January**, the [Dubai Marathon](/en/events/dubai-marathon/), on closing day.

For shopping, Downtown is the most practical base: [Palace Downtown](/en/hotels/palace-downtown/) is within walking distance of Dubai Mall. For the souks, [Al Seef Heritage Hotel](/en/hotels/al-seef-heritage-hotel/) on the Creek is about 3 km from the gold and spice souks. For the festive season, Sabaro advises booking early.

## Frequently asked questions

### When is the Dubai Shopping Festival 2026-2027?

From 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, for the 32nd edition.

### Do I need a ticket?

Malls and souks are free to enter. For concerts and shows, the programme on mydsf.ae gives the entry conditions event by event.

### Are prices really lower?

Participating shops run promotions throughout the festival; how big they are depends on the brand.

### Where should I stay for the festival?

Downtown for Dubai Mall, at Palace Downtown, or on the Creek for the souks, at Al Seef Heritage Hotel.