Events in Dubai
This November, Dubai's calendar fills up and runs on into mid December. The Dubai Fitness Challenge keeps the city moving until 29 November, Icons of Porsche takes over The Square at Nad Al Sheba on 21 and 22 November and the Dubai Shopping Festival opens on 4 December. Anuv Jain and the Wasla Festival bring live music to Expo City Dubai, Atif Aslam plays Coca-Cola Arena on 27 November and Dubai Basketball meets Partizan there two days earlier. At the Jameel Arts Centre, paintings by Salah Elmur stay on show until 14 March 2027.
Official events calendar for Dubai
The events below come from Dubai's official events calendar and an official organiser's programme, and each card links to the official listing with the dates and the venue. For the sights that stay open all year, start with things to see in Dubai.
Dubai Fitness Challenge
When: 31 October to 29 November
Where: Citywide
The 30x30 fitness festival runs citywide for a month and invites all of Dubai to get active.
Icons of Porsche
When: 21 to 22 November
Where: The Square, Nad Al Sheba
One of the region's biggest automotive festivals gathers Porsche cars and their fans for a weekend.
Atif Aslam Live
When: 27 November
Where: Coca-Cola Arena
The singer returns to Dubai for the sixth year in a row with a live show at the arena.
Dubai Shopping Festival
When: 4 December to 17 January 2027
Where: Citywide
Dubai's winter festival of shopping and celebrations runs for six weeks across the city.
Winter City and Disney+, Once upon a holiday
When: From 11 December
Where: Al Wasl Plaza, Expo City Dubai
Expo City Dubai's seasonal Winter City opens on Al Wasl Plaza with a family-friendly outdoor holiday programme from late afternoon.
Live music and festivals in Dubai
ANOTR at Playa Pacha
ANOTR plays Playa Pacha at Five Luxe JBR on 13 November at 19:00.
When Chai Met Toast
When Chai Met Toast plays New Covent Garden Theatre on 14 November at 19:00.
Anuv Jain
Anuv Jain plays Jubilee Park, Expo City Dubai on 20 November at 20:00.
Candlelight, a tribute to Fairuz
Candlelight, a tribute to Fairuz, at Al Majlis, Madinat Jumeirah on 21 November at 19:00.
Wasla Festival
Wasla Festival comes to Jubilee Park, Expo City Dubai on 28 November at 18:00.
Skyline Saturdays with RAFAEL
Skyline Saturdays presents RAFAEL at The Penthouse, FIVE Palm Jumeirah on 28 November at 22:00.
Candlelight, Coldplay vs Imagine Dragons
Candlelight, Coldplay vs Imagine Dragons, at the Waldorf Astoria DIFC on 5 December at 19:00.
House Rules with Nic Fanciulli
House Rules with Nic Fanciulli plays The Penthouse, FIVE Palm Jumeirah on 5 December at 22:00.
The Jazz Room, a journey to New Orleans
The Jazz Room, a journey to the heart of New Orleans, at Belcanto, Dubai Opera on 13 December at 18:30.
Theatre, sport and shows in Dubai
PFL Dubai, Nemkov vs Bilostenniy
PFL Dubai, Nemkov vs Bilostenniy, comes to Coca-Cola Arena on 14 November at 18:00.
Crazy Horse Paris, The Dubai Edition
Crazy Horse Paris, The Dubai Edition, comes to Jumeirah Zabeel Saray on 16 November at 18:00.
Dubai Basketball vs Partizan, EuroLeague
Dubai Basketball meets Partizan Belgrade at Coca-Cola Arena on 25 November at 20:00.
The Jury Experience, The Deadly Boat Ride
The Jury Experience, The Deadly Boat Ride, comes to Dubai Knowledge Park on 12 December at 17:00.
Art exhibitions and museum shows in Dubai
Salah Elmur, Just as the Heart of a Mango is a Stone
Until: 14 March 2027
Where: Jameel Arts Centre, Jaddaf Waterfront
Paintings, archival photographs and sketches trace the Sudanese artist's bond with his homeland and the Blue Nile, in works made since 2018.
Afrah Shafiq, Nobody Knows For Certain
Dates: 12 November 2026 to 25 April 2027
Where: Jameel Arts Centre, Gallery 10
A multimedia game built from Soviet children's books once translated across India, tracing a little-known chapter of Cold War cultural exchange.
Public holidays in Dubai to plan around
On a public holiday, offices, museums and transport in Dubai may close or switch to holiday hours. The UAE Government lists the official public holidays for both the public and the private sector under Cabinet Resolution No. 27 of 2024, and Visit Dubai publishes the same holidays for Dubai. The Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar and are determined according to moon sighting, so the exact dates are confirmed by government announcements during the year. A public holiday is not moved to another day when it coincides with another holiday or falls on the weekend. Dubai follows a Saturday and Sunday weekend, and Friday is a regular working day, although many offices and schools finish earlier for Friday prayers. In 2026 the list adds up to 13 dates.
National holidays in the United Arab Emirates 2026
- 1 January New Year's Day
- 19 to 22 March Eid Al Fitr, with 19 March, the 30th day of Ramadan, counted as an Eid Al Fitr holiday
- 26 May Arafat Day
- 27 to 29 May Eid Al Adha
- 15 June Hijri New Year (Islamic New Year)
- 28 August Prophet Mohammed's birthday
- 2 and 3 December National Day (Eid Al Etihad)
In 2026 the two National Day holidays fall on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December.
Local holidays in Dubai 2026
No Dubai-only public holiday is added to the national calendar: the 2026 list of public and private holidays in Dubai published by Visit Dubai carries the same national and religious holidays. Visit Dubai also notes that all public offices, federal organisations and government offices are closed during public holidays.
Plan the rest of your trip to Dubai
Dubai in a day and beyond
The Dubai guide on Tourist Office ranks eleven attractions, from the Burj Khalifa to the Dubai Frame, then adds free landmarks and viewpoints across the city.
Dubai tourist information
This page lists the tourist information points in Dubai and the public holidays that change opening times across the city.
Beyond Dubai
The country guide looks past Dubai to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Qasr Al Watan and Jebel Jais, with old forts and museums worth the detour.