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Cheers! We are minutes away from opening the door to a shopping enthusiast’s paradise! The much-awaited Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is finally here again.
Hands down, it is the best time of the year to get everything from your wish list at heavy discounts and the best prices. So, jot down a list of everything you plan on buying as the countdown begins.
Table of Contents
When and where is the Dubai Shopping Festival happening?
The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) returns for its pearl jubilee on 6 December 2024 and will continue till 12 January 2025.
DSF has everything you need for an incredible time to bid adieu to 2024 or welcome 2025 with open arms—38 days of fantastic shopping opportunities, captivating experiences, awestruck fireworks, and outstanding entertainment.
Celebrate 30 years of Dubai Shopping Festival with DSF NIGHTS! 🎉 38 nights of live music, concerts, fireworks, Imagine shows, X Factor Live & more! 🎶🔥 Join the fun from Dec 6 – Jan 12. Free entry – grab your spot via the Blue app! #VisitDubai #MyDSF
📸 dubaifestivals pic.twitter.com/ky2oPXz3hO— Visit Dubai IN (@VisitDubai_IN) December 4, 2024
Where to go shopping?
Dubai Festival City Mall – The Bay by Social
As one of the major shopping malls in Dubai, it offers 50 dining options and over 400 brand outlets. Participating in the anticipated shopping festival, you can check out one of the most iconic shopping destinations in the region.
So be on the lookout for food trucks, unique finds, and family-friendly activities!
Dubai Shopping Festival markets
Fun for friends and family, delicious food, and endless shopping await you at the DSF markets! For real-time updates on location, you can check out the official Instagram page of Dubai Festivals.
Etisalat MOTB (Market Outside The Box) parking lot
Featuring the all-new Fenty Beauty Drive-in. Visitors can get shade matched, purchase products, receive a sneak peek of upcoming launches, enjoy Fenty Style Juke Box tunes, and potentially receive extra Fenty goodies.
Expo City
Winter City is the go-to Christmas destination, boasting chalet-style huts perfect for finding gifts. The ambiance promises a festive spirit, featuring a towering Christmas tree, Santa’s grotto, a magical light ceremony, and workshops with hot chocolate, mulled drinks, and mince pies. Get into the Christmas magic at Expo City Dubai.
Other participating malls include:
- Dubai Festival City Mall.
- Wafi Mall.
- Al Rigga Street.
- Dubai Mall.
- City Walk.
- Gold Souk.
- Dubai Outlet Mall.
- Dubai Marina Mall.
- Promenade at Dubai Festival City.
- Al Seef Street.
- Mall of the Emirates.
- Deira City Centre.
- City Centre Mirdif.
- Ibn Battuta Mall.
- Festival Waterfront Centre.
- Global Village.
Note: For up-to-date information, please visit the official website of the Dubai Shopping Festival.
Contests and raffles
Lucky participants can win remarkable prizes, ranging from cars and cash to gold and even a luxurious new apartment. However, DSF 2025 updates are yet to be revealed.
Promotions
The participating malls will have in-store promotions, flash sales, and other exclusive offers throughout the festival.
Shopping benefits and discounts with ‘Tickit’ app
Transform your shopping into a rewarding experience with the Tickit app, an innovative rewards program that stands out.
It is super simple to use the Tickit app:
- Become a Tickit program member
- Link a UAE-issued Visa or MasterCard (credit or debit) to the app
- Accumulate points from purchases at participating stores.
- Link a UAE-issued Visa or MasterCard (credit or debit) to the app
Plus one fortunate shopper stands a chance to win Tickit points valued at AED 100,000 — just spend AED 200 to enter. Daily prizes also await app users.
Shopping benefits with Dream Dubai
Visitors and shoppers can win AED 3 million (USD 8,16,785), the highest amount ever given away at DSF—by shopping online at the Dream Dubai official website and entering an online draw.
Shoppers who spend AED 1,000 will be eligible to participate in a raffle to win AED 1.5 million and over 20 kilograms of gold—organized by the Dubai Gold and Jewelry Group. The gold raffle tickets will be available online for the first time.
Other prizes during the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) include a daily AED 10,000 cash prize, luxury cars, and one million Skyward points.
What else is there to do?
Food
Canteen X
Prepare for the highly anticipated culinary extravaganza of the year. Brace yourself for 17 days filled with urban culture and a delightful array of cuisines from the city’s finest restaurants. Canteen X made its debut at Mushrif Park, captivating taste buds. With over 20 homegrown foodie brands, including some premiering for the first time, this event promises the discovery of new flavors, presenting a wide array of delectable dishes and delightful sweets.
Admission is free, inviting guests to immerse themselves in an extraordinary experience. Explore an enchanting outdoor market with family-friendly entertainment boasting activities like giant inflatables, trampolines, bungee experiences, and a dedicated children’s gaming zone for all ages to relish.
Global Village
Get ready to indulge as this season’s Global Village offers an enticing array of experiences. With 27 country pavilions and over 200 food outlets, it’s a gastronomic adventure waiting to be explored. From a 14-train carriage to a floating market, an entire road dedicated to Asian cuisine, the vibrant appeal of curbside eats on Fiesta Street, and the aptly named Happiness Street, where you’ll find various street vendors offering tempting snacks like pizza slices, burgers, and Mexican bites—there’s something to please every palate.
So, loosen your belt, get your taste buds excited, and put on comfortable shoes because this culinary journey is not to be missed!
Attractions
321 Festival
Celebrate the joyful anniversary of 3 decades of the Dubai Shopping Festival with 321 Festival on the opening weekend— 6 December & 8 December 2024 at Coca-Cola Arena. The lineup of artists who will be joining you to toast this iconic festival includes global Arabian and Southeast Asian stars like Hasan Raheem, Kaavish, Kaifi Khalil, Abdul Hannan, Umair Butt, Gharwi Group, QuickStyle, Shae Gill and Zain Zohaib just to name a few.
Dubai Harbour Experience
On 7 December, get ready to be bedazzled at Da-Bangg Reloaded!
Tick off, ending the year with a bang on the DSF opening weekend with a four-hour live show full of vibrant performances by Bollywood stars and dancers. The show will be headlined by Bollywood superstar Salman Khan along with a star-studded line-up of Tamannaah Bhatia, Jacqueline Fernandez, Disha Patani, Sonakshi Sinha, Prabhu Deva, and comedian Sunil Grover.
Tickets for the concert can be purchased from Platinumlist.
Coca-Cola Arena
DSF is ready to have its name written in the history book of shopping enthusiasts and music lovers with its line of global A-list singers ready to take center stage at Coca-Cola Area. The list of superstars set to celebrate the 30th anniversary of DSF includes the following:
- 12 December: 30 Seconds To Mars
- 13 December: Sherine Abdel Wahab
- 14 December: Ricky Martin
Tickets to the shows can be purchased from the Coca-Cola Arena website.
Aquaventure Waterpark
Dive into the world’s largest waterpark, featuring 105 attractions, including nearly vertical and tallest water slides, kids’ Splashers Zones, and a Surf’s Up wave ride.
Open daily from 8:45 am to 5:30 pm at Atlantis, The Palm.
AYA Universe
Explore an immersive park with 12 cosmic areas that transport visitors to otherworldly realms.
WAFI City Mall is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 am to 10 pm and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to midnight.
Dubai Garden Glow
Experience dazzling themed areas like Glow Park, Magic Park, and Dinosaur Park with giant glowing installations, upside-down rooms, and more daily from 5 pm to 10 pm at Zabeel Park.
Deep Dive Dubai
Plunge into the world’s deepest diving pool, featuring a sunken city setup for diving enthusiasts.
Open daily from 9 am to 6 pm at NAS Sports Complex.
Dubai Parks and Resorts
Explore Riverland Dubai and three vast-ticketed parks that offer entertainment.
Open daily from 10 am to 11 pm on Sheikh Zayed Road.
Dubai Safari Park
Discover 3,000 animals across themed villages, including an Arabian Desert Safari experience.
Open from Saturday through Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm and on Fridays from 11 am to 5 pm at Al Warqa 5.
XLine Dubai Marina
Speed across a 1 km zipline, 170 meters above Dubai Marina, reaching speeds up to 80 km/h.
Open from Wednesdays through Mondays from 9:20 am to 5:40 pm at Dubai Marina Mall.
Museum of Illusions
Explore mind-boggling illusions and challenging perspectives featuring cloning tables and mesmerizing holograms.
Open Mondays through Thursday from 10 am to 10 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 11 pm at Al Seef.
Museum of the Future
Experience futuristic exhibits showcasing possible technological developments, including glimpses of space and Earth’s ecosystems.
The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 am to 7:30 pm, on Sheikh Zayed Road.
DSF Drones Show
Presented by Emarat Petroleum, enjoy the captivating drone light show featuring Mohammed Saeed Harib, the creator and producer of the popular cartoon series FREEJ.
Open every night from 8-10 pm at Bluewaters and The Beach, JBR.
Sporting events
Dubai Marathon
The Dubai Marathon will be held on 12 January 2025.
The marathon course starts and finishes on Umm Suqeim Road. Regardless of the course, participants will enjoy views of Madinat Jumeirah and Burj Al Arab.