Dubai Shopping Festival returns on 4 December for its 32nd edition
The 45-day festival runs until 17 January 2027. Here is what has been announced so far, and what it means for shops and brands.
- DSF runs from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, a 45-day season.
- It is organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE). Commercial Bank of Dubai is the key sponsor.
- The full 2026–27 programme had not been published when the dates were announced in October.
- For retailers, the season straddles the December holidays, New Year and the January sales.
The Dubai Shopping Festival will return for its 32nd edition on 4 December 2026 and run until 17 January 2027, a 45-day season, according to an announcement reported by TradeArabia in October.
The festival is organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), the government body behind Dubai's retail calendar. Commercial Bank of Dubai is the key sponsor. Emirates, etisalat, talabat and ENOC are listed among the strategic partners, alongside retail, property and automotive groups.
What has been announced
Returning events include etisalat DSF Nights, the DSF x Hatta Wadi Hub, the DSF Auto Season and etisalat MOTB, along with the raffles, retail promotions and mall activations that have defined the festival since it launched in 1996.
New this season is the first DSF edition of the etisalat Beach Canteen at Sunset Beach, which combines food, live entertainment and workshops. In January, MOTB returns and the DSF Auto Season continues.
DFRE said the full 2026–27 programme would be announced within a month of the October date announcement, so mall-by-mall promotions and raffle details are still to come.
"Dubai Shopping Festival has grown alongside Dubai for more than three decades." Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of DFRE
How last season went
According to DFRE, the previous edition featured more than 100 events, and shoppers won more than AED 11 million in prizes. One of its headline moments was the Red Bull Tetris World Final at Dubai Frame, staged with 4,000 synchronised drones. DFRE also says the festival drew millions of visitors and billions of dirhams in retail spending, though it has not given exact totals.
The season at a glance
| Date | What happens | Why it matters for retailers |
|---|---|---|
| 4 December 2026 | DSF opens | Promotions, raffles and mall campaigns begin. Peak footfall usually starts here. |
| Mid to late December | Winter holidays, tourist season | Visitors arrive for the holidays; gifting and fashion lead. |
| 31 December | New Year's Eve | Evenings and weekends get busy. Plan staffing. |
| Early January | MOTB, DSF Auto Season continues | A second push. Clearance and bundles work well. |
| 17 January 2027 | DSF closes | Last chance for festival offers and raffle entries. |
What it means for shops and brands
It is a long season, not a weekend. Forty-five days is long enough to wear out a single offer. Brands that plan two or three waves (an opening offer, a holiday gifting push and a January clearance) tend to keep their windows fresh for the whole run.
Stock has to arrive early. Anything shipped from overseas for December needs to be ordered well before the festival opens. Shipping and customs clearance add weeks, and the shelves fill up fast once the festival starts.
Mall participation runs on deadlines. Official promotions, raffles and in-mall placements are organised through the malls and DFRE's partners, usually weeks ahead. If you want to be part of a mall's DSF campaign, ask its marketing team now about what is still open.
Online stores feel it too. Shoppers compare festival prices online before they visit. A clear festival offer on your website and social channels, matching what is in store, avoids losing the sale to a competitor that shows its price first.
We will update this story when DFRE publishes the full programme. For a step-by-step plan, see our six-week DSF plan for brands.