For more than three decades, DSF has helped shape winter in Dubai into a season of citywide celebration, creating traditions and memorable moments for residents and visitors alike
Dubai, UAE – 14 October 2026: Building on a standout summer of sold-out concerts, new events and unforgettable experiences, Dubai is ready to turn up the energy again. A defining feature of winter in Dubai, Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) returns for its most action-packed season yet from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, bringing the city to life with world-class entertainment, spectacular live events, incredible shopping and unforgettable experiences for everyone. Bigger, bolder and packed with more to see, do and discover, DSF is set to make this winter in Dubai one to remember.
Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), the 45-day celebration marks the 32nd edition of a festival that has grown from its retail roots into one of the most recognisable annual moments in the city and a defining feature of winter in Dubai. For generations of residents and returning visitors, it has become associated with the experiences and traditions that make this time of year special, from family outings to shopping, concerts, and discovering different parts of the city.
The extended season will allow DSF to unfold across different chapters of Dubai’s winter, from the opening celebrations and December weekends through New Year’s Eve and into the heart of January.
Returning DSF experiences set to feature across the season include the etisalat DSF Nights, DSF x Hatta Wadi Hub, DSF Auto Season, and etisalat MOTB, alongside raffles, mall activations, citywide experiences and retail promotions. The 2026-2027 edition will also introduce new additions, including the first DSF edition of the etisalat Beach Canteen at Sunset Beach which brings an elevated beachfront experience to DSF. A curated mix of F&B sits alongside live entertainment, interactive workshops, and signature experiences, creating a destination where dining, creativity, and discovery come together. January will have its own distinct DSF chapter, with experiences including etisalat MOTB and the continuation of DSF Auto Season building momentum through the exciting final days of the festival.
Shopping will remain at the heart of DSF, connecting global and homegrown brands with citywide promotions, mall experiences, raffles, and limited-time offers. Around it, entertainment, food, outdoor experiences, automotive culture, and destination activations will provide residents and visitors even more reasons to experience Dubai differently throughout the season.
His Excellency Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said: “Dubai Shopping Festival has grown alongside Dubai for more than three decades, and for many people it has become part of what winter in the city means. The memories people associate with DSF are incredibly varied, from shopping and raffle wins to concerts, and spectacles that have captured attention around the world.
“This year marks an important new chapter as we want to build on everything people already associate with DSF while continuing to create the unexpected moments that keep the festival fresh, relevant and worth returning to. There is much more to reveal, and we look forward to sharing what is ahead for the 32nd edition.”
A legacy of DSF moments, with more to come
Since its launch in 1996, DSF has repeatedly created moments that travel beyond the festival itself and into culture and conversation, be it global celebrity appearances and major destination launches or automotive spectacles and record-breaking public experiences. That appetite for creating the unexpected remains central to DSF today, with last season featuring the Red Bull Tetris® World Final at Dubai Frame complete with 4,000 synchronised drones creating the world’s first playable sky-based Tetris® game. Meanwhile etisalat DSF Nights celebrated live music at Festival Bay, DSF x Hatta Wadi Hub took the festival into the mountains, and DSF Auto Season continued to grow Dubai’s celebration of automotive culture.
Together, these headline moments sit alongside the personal traditions that residents and returning visitors have made their own, giving DSF a place not just in Dubai’s calendar, but in the city’s story. In total, the last edition saw millions of visitors, 100+ events, billions in retail spend, and shoppers winning more than AED 11 million.
The full DSF 2026-2027 programme will be revealed in the coming month with further announcements covering headline entertainment, new experiences, retail offers, prizes, partnerships, citywide activations and events. To be first to discover what’s coming next via the latest announcements, reveals, and festival highlights, visit www.mydsf.ae and follow @DubaiFestivals on Instagram and TikTok.
Strategic partners
Public-private collaboration has long been a cornerstone of Dubai’s approach to growth and a defining part of how DSF is delivered on a citywide scale. Each edition brings together government entities and leading private-sector partners to create a festival that encompasses retail, entertainment, raffles, and destinations throughout Dubai. For the 2026-2027 edition, Dubai Shopping Festival is supported by Key Sponsor Commercial Bank of Dubai and Strategic Partners which include: Al Futtaim Malls (Dubai Festival City Mall & Festival Plaza), Al Zarooni Group (Mercato Shopping Mall), AW Rostamani Automotive, Dubai Holding Asset Management (DHAM). (Souq Al Seef, Bluewaters, Ibn Battuta Mall, Nad Al Sheba, Palm Jumeriah Mall and The Outlet Village), Emirates Airline, Enoc, etisalat, Majid Al Futtaim (Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira), Merex Investment (City Walk and The Beach, JBR) and talabat.