Dubai is getting a new festive attraction this winter, with the first DXB Winter Festival set to open at Dubai Festival City. The outdoor event will transform a 20,000-square-metre waterfront area into a seasonal destination featuring food, shopping, family activities and live entertainment.
The festival is scheduled to run from December 1, 2026 until January 10, 2027, giving residents and visitors more than five weeks to experience the event.
Where: Festival Bay, Dubai Festival City Mall
When: December 1, 2026 to January 10, 2027
Time: 4 pm to midnight on weekdays; 2 pm to midnight on weekends
Price: Ticket prices have not yet been announced
What to expect at DXB Winter Festival
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The new festival will bring together more than 150 vendors across the waterfront site, covering food, shopping and entertainment.
Visitors can expect market streets featuring independent makers, festive food stalls and open-air cafés. The event is being designed around the atmosphere of European-style winter markets, while adding entertainment and activities suited to Dubai’s outdoor winter season.
A large Christmas tree will form part of the festive setting, alongside a funfair and other seasonal attractions.
Family entertainment, Santa and live performances
Families will have plenty to do beyond browsing the market stalls.
A Santa’s grotto is planned for younger visitors, while creative workshops and fairground rides will add activities for children. The festival will also have a main stage for live performances, alongside festive parades and other entertainment throughout its run.
The programme is expected to change across the season, with events planned around major festive dates including UAE National Day, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
The festival will continue into January
Unlike many Christmas markets that finish shortly after Christmas Day, DXB Winter Festival is scheduled to remain open until January 10, 2027.
That means visitors will be able to attend during the New Year period, with the festival’s run covering both December and the first part of January.
Weekday opening hours are scheduled to begin at 4 pm, while the festival will open from 2 pm on weekends. On both, the planned closing time is midnight.
Early-bird tickets will offer 25 per cent off
Ticket prices for DXB Winter Festival have not yet been announced.
However, organisers have announced an early-bird offer covering 10,000 tickets, with a 25 per cent discount available for the initial allocation.
Visitors can register ahead of the ticket launch to receive a discount code. The standard ticket price and the exact date when general ticket sales will open have not yet been announced.
For anyone planning a Dubai winter outing, the new festival adds another waterfront option to the city’s growing festive calendar, with its combination of market stalls, food, family attractions and live entertainment.