DUBAI, 10th November, 2026 (WAM) -- Dubai is preparing to open a new chapter in the journey of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), with its 32nd edition beginning on 4th December, building on a legacy spanning more than three decades with a renewed vision combining shopping, entertainment and culture across the city.
Over 45 days, the festival will present a programme of concerts, light shows, family experiences and culinary offerings, reinforcing its position among the major events that bring vitality and diversity to Dubai’s winter season.
The new edition will begin with an action-packed opening weekend headlined by regional singer Rashid Al Majed and global electronic music star Steve Aoki, alongside visual and interactive experiences extending from Dubai’s waterfronts to its mountain destinations.
These events will be complemented by shopping offers, prizes and experiences allowing residents and visitors to discover Dubai from new perspectives and create shared memories across its diverse destinations until the festival concludes on 17th January, 2027.
For more than three decades, DSF has evolved alongside Dubai and its ambitions, expanding from an event focused on retail into an integrated season combining shopping experiences, live performances, entertainment and culture.
With each edition, the festival renews its connection with audiences, building on accumulated experience and partnerships while introducing new ideas that give visitors fresh reasons to participate and return.
The 32nd edition reflects this approach through a programme connecting Dubai’s destinations and diverse experiences, from the shores of Jumeirah Beach Residence and Bluewaters to the mountains of Hatta.
The wide range of options allows visitors to shape their own experiences, whether by attending concerts, spending an evening on the waterfront, enjoying outdoor family activities or exploring shopping and dining offers.
Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said that over more than three decades, DSF has become part of the memory of Dubai and the experiences of its residents and visitors, accompanying the city’s journey towards consolidating its position as a global destination for tourism, shopping and entertainment.
He said the strength of this legacy lies in the ability to build on and renew it, with every edition presenting an opportunity to introduce ideas and experiences that respond to audience aspirations and offer new reasons to discover Dubai and return.
Al Khaja added that the 32nd edition brings together Dubai’s diversity in a celebratory experience extending from its waterfronts to the mountains of Hatta, combining concerts, light shows and family experiences with shopping and gastronomy.
He said the opening weekend provides a glimpse of this diversity and sets the stage for a season offering something to inspire and enrich every visitor.
In cooperation with government and private-sector partners, DFRE continues to develop the festival in ways that strengthen Dubai’s appeal, support the vitality of the tourism and retail sectors, and create renewed value for audiences and partners, he added.
The opening weekend will combine Khaleeji music and international electronic music in two concerts at Coca-Cola Arena.
Rashid Al Majed will perform on 4th December, presenting a selection of his best-known songs, while Steve Aoki will take the stage on 5th December, adding an energetic international electronic music experience to the festival’s opening.
Tickets for Al Majed’s concert will be available through Platinumlist at a date to be announced, while further details on Aoki’s performance will be available through Coca-Cola Arena’s website. Official channels will announce further updates on both concerts.
The “Dubai Lights” show will also return in a new format, presenting a multimedia experience that transforms the waterfront between The Beach opposite Jumeirah Beach Residence and Bluewaters Island into an open-air space combining light, music and movement.
The experience will bring together animation, dynamic lighting, lasers, architectural laser mapping and immersive sound effects.
Shows will run from Saturday, 5th December, 2026, until Sunday, 17th January, 2027, between 19:30 and 22:30.
The nightly programme will feature two drone shows accompanied by music, architectural laser mapping and a laser show synchronised with musical rhythms.
A floating platform equipped with advanced searchlights and lasers will form the centrepiece, while lighting installations will extend along the Jumeirah Beach Residence waterfront and Bluewaters promenade.
Laser mapping across selected JBR towers will add another visual dimension, bringing buildings, water and the sky together as part of the experience and offering audiences different perspectives depending on their position along the waterfront.
The shows will complement the dining, hospitality and entertainment options available across the two destinations, allowing visitors to combine viewing, walking and dining in a festive atmosphere.
Ahead of the festival’s official opening, DSF x Hatta Wadi Hub will host a candlelight concert on 2nd December, 2026, to celebrate Eid Al Etihad.
The free event will feature a Khaleeji-themed musical performance amid Hatta’s mountain scenery, offering audiences an outdoor evening of music under the stars.
The event adds a distinctive experience shaped by its natural setting and reflects the variety of destinations hosting DSF activities, from vibrant waterfronts to the tranquillity of the mountains.
DFRE, part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, organises the 45-day festival, bringing residents and visitors together through live performances, family activities, shopping and entertainment experiences across the emirate.
Alongside its entertainment programme, the 32nd edition will offer a range of shopping experiences, promotions and opportunities to win prizes at participating malls and destinations.
DSF’s ability to continually renew itself and expand across the city is underpinned by cooperation between the public and private sectors, bringing together retail, entertainment, hospitality and participating destinations to create an integrated experience for audiences.
The 32nd edition is supported by Commercial Bank of Dubai as key sponsor, alongside strategic partners including Al-Futtaim Malls, comprising Dubai Festival City Mall and Festival Plaza; Al Zarooni Group’s Mercato Shopping Mall; AW Rostamani Automotive; Dubai Holding Asset Management, comprising Al Seef, Bluewaters, Ibn Battuta Mall, Nad Al Sheba Mall, Palm Jumeirah Mall and The Outlet Village; Emirates Airline; ENOC; etisalat; Majid Al Futtaim, comprising Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif and City Centre Deira; Merex Investment, comprising City Walk and The Beach, JBR; and talabat.