EXTRAORDINARY LINE-UP OF ONLY-IN-DUBAI EXPERIENCES CONTINUE TO DAZZLE DURING DSF’S THIRD WEEK

Third week of DSF brings a festive wonderland to life with must-visit attractions including themed plays, spectacular concerts, and delightful family friendly experiences

First-ever edition of The Uncommon x DSF launches this week at Al Marmoon from 20 December to 12 January

Live concerts continue to dazzle the city with Yara on 21 December, Hany Shaker and Sergei Makovetsky on 26 December, and electrifying X Factor Live Shows every Sunday of DSF

The city comes alive with family-friendly festive magic with the Nutcracker, Barney, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, CoComelon, and more

Iconic DSF landmarks continue to captivate visitors across the city at DSF Nights at Dubai Festival City Mall, DSF x Hatta, and CanteenX

Brand new for this week, the city’s most anticipated sales season launches on 26 December with up to 75 per cent off across leading brands and stores

Plus, dazzling daily fireworks continue to illuminate the skies at Dubai Festival City Mall and Hatta along with spectacular twice-daily drone shows at Bluewaters Island and The Beach, JBR

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 20 December 2024

The iconic annual Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) continues to dazzle in the third week of its monumental 30th anniversary celebrations, showcasing the very best the city has to offer. Bringing a diverse range of activities across the city for all to enjoy, the city’s biggest-ever celebration launches the first-ever edition of The Uncommon x DSF this week, promising an unforgettable desert experience for all. Visitors can also enjoy a thrilling start to the festive season with shows such as The Nutcracker, Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas, the Winter District, and much more. An exhilarating line-up of A-list concerts adds to the excitement this week with Yara on 21 December, Hany Shaker and Sergei Makovetsky on 26 December, as well as ongoing live XFactor shows every Sunday as part of DSF Nights and Dubai Festival City Mall.

Plus, organisers Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) will continue to illuminate the city with free-to-watch daily fireworks, stunning photo-worthy Dubai Lights installations, and twice-daily free drone shows that have wowed audiences with their incredible artistry and innovation. Visitors can continue indulging in delicious delights at CanteenX, while immersing themselves in family-friendly attractions at Ripe Market and with the Aladdin in Dubai stage production. In addition, with the highly anticipated DSF Sales Season kicking off later this week, shoppers can bag unbeatable deals and discounts, while incredible raffles offer spectacular prizes.

BRAND NEW THIS WEEK

The Uncommon x DSF

• Date: Until 12 January 2025
• Location: Al Marmoom
• About: The Uncommon x DSF transforms Al Marmoom into a sanctuary of creativity and tranquillity, every day from 4pm to 12am. Visitors can experience breathtaking lighting installations by an international artist, cosy firepit gatherings, an intriguing mirror maze, exciting arcade and play area, with an enchanting outdoor cinema nights and live oud performances on the weekends.

The Nutcracker

• Date: Until 22 December 2024
• Location: Dubai Opera
• About: The timeless tale of The Nutcracker enchants audiences this festive season with the renowned Astana Opera ballet and orchestra under the artistic direction of Yuri Grigorovich.

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas

• Date: Until 24 December 2024
• Location: Zabeel Theatre, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
• About:  The enchanting world of Whoville takes centre stage at Zabeel Theatre with Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, a heartwarming tale of The Grinch’s transformation from mischief to holiday cheer.

Cocomelon Live: Sing-a-long

• Date: 20 – 21 December
• Location: Coca-Cola Arena
• About: CoComelon LIVE: Sing-A-Long brings a vibrant musical adventure featuring cheerful preschool teacher Ms. Appleberry, JJ, and friends at 9am, 1pm and 5pm.

Hany Shaker Live in Concert

• Date: 26 December 2024
• Location: Dubai Opera
• About: An unforgettable evening of chart-topping Egyptian melodies will take centre stage as star singer Hany Shaker delivers a live performance at Dubai Opera.

Sergei Makovetsky “Non-Accidentally Meeting” Live in Concert

• Date: 26 December 2024
• Location: Zabeel Theatre, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray
• About: Sergei Makovetsky presents a captivating one-man show, blending personal reflections, vivid stage miniatures, and rare film footage.

GameQuest Express

• Date: 20 – 29 December 2024
• Location: Ibn Battuta Mall
• About: The GameQuest Express offers an exhilarating gaming experience for all ages every day from 2pm to 10pm with free-to-play zones, tournaments, and interactive activities, located at Ibn Battuta Mall’s Persian Court. Highlights include racing simulators, VR adventures, and console classics. Participants can compete for daily prizes, including the chance to win 30 gold coins.

Shop & Win Like a Pro

• Date: Until  5 January 2025
• Location: City Centre Deira
• About: Shoppers can explore immersive, pixel-themed gaming experiences in celebration of DSF when spending AED 200 or more at City Centre Deira (excluding Carrefour) to gain access to the interactive activation, featuring fun zones, engaging gameplay, and chances to win instant prizes. Winners take home exciting prizes such as smartphones, smart TVs, laptops, PlayStations, and more.

3 Days, 30 Winners with Centrepoint

• Date: 20 – 22 December
• Location: Citywide Centrepoint stores
• About: Centrepoint invites shoppers to experience the ultimate style upgrade when spending just AED 200 for the chance to win a fabulous AED 2,000 gift voucher.

DSF Sale Season

• Date: 26 December 2024 – 2 February 2025
• Location: Citywide
• About: The DSF Sale Season kicks off with unbeatable discounts of up to 75 per cent across Dubai’s malls and shopping districts, with over 800 global brands participating across 3,500 outlets.

RETURNING WEEKLY FAVOURITES

Daily Free Fireworks

• Date: Until 12 January 2025
• Location: Dubai Festival City Mall and Hatta
• About: DSF’s third week continues to dazzle with mesmerising fireworks lighting up the city skies. At 9pm each night, Dubai Festival City Mall is illuminated by vibrant displays of colour and light crafted by the Al Zarooni Group. Meanwhile, Hatta sets the stage for breathtaking shows every Friday and Saturday at 8pm.

Twice-daily Drone Shows

• Date: Until 12 January 2025
• Location: Bluewaters Island and The Beach, JBR
• About: Dubai’s skies continue to dazzle with extraordinary twice-daily drone shows presented by Emarat at 8pm and 10pm. As the longest-running performances in DSF history, these awe-inspiring displays feature 1,000 drones crafting breathtaking visuals that honour Dubai’s vibrant heritage, dynamic present, and ambitious future. A spectacular brand-new theme launches from 27 December to 12 January, ‘Celebrating Dubai’ while seamlessly blending tradition and modernity against the backdrop of powerful beats and cutting-edge soundscapes with 2D and 3D drone formations.

Dubai Lights

• Date: Until 12 January 2025
• Location: Bluewaters Island, Palm Nakheel Mall, Palm West Beach, Al Seef, Dubai Design District, Al Marmoom, Hatta, and City Walk
• About: Dubai Lights shine brighter than ever for the 30th edition of DSF, unveiling a reimagined experience with captivating, interactive installations created by renowned international artists. This artistic showcase celebrates the harmony of the five elements—Water, Air, Fire, Energy and Connection—through innovative and immersive displays.

CanteenX

• Date: Until 31 December 2024
• Location: Mushrif Park, Gate 1
• About: Returning for its second edition, the free-to-enter vibrant outdoor market is running daily from 4pm to midnight on weekdays and until 1am on weekends and features four unique zones. Guests can indulge in mouthwatering dishes while enjoying live DJ sets, high-energy performances, interactive activities and exclusive menus curated by renowned F&B owners.

DSF Nights at Dubai Festival City Mall

• Date: Until 12 January 2025
• Location: Dubai Festival City Mall
• About: DSF Nights at Dubai Festival City Mall captivates visitors with an exciting line-up of daily activities and events, including an exceptional live concert from Yara on 21 December, Hams Fikri on 4 January 2025, and Ibrahim Al Sultan on 11 January 2025. A special ticketed performance on New Year’s Eve from Mahmoud El Esseily will ring in the New Year in style, with tickets available on Platinumlist. Visitors can look forward to lively performances by beloved characters such as Modesh & Dana, Barney, and Bluey, indulge in culinary delights such as The Bay by Social, Sayf, Helipad by Frozen Cherry, and M’OSHI, and enjoy the twice-daily brand-new IMAGINE shows.

Live X Factor Shows

• Date: Every Sunday until 12 January 2025
• Location: Festival Bay, Dubai Festival City Mall
• About: Experience the thrill of being part of a live television audience as the world-famous X Factor live shows take the stage. This iconic singing competition is broadcasting live every Sunday from 10:30pm to 1am, featuring extraordinary talent and captivating musical performances. Don’t miss the chance to witness unforgettable moments as rising stars take the stage in this globally celebrated show.

DSF x Hatta

• Date: Until 5 January 2025
• Location: Hatta Wadi Hub
• About: Hatta Wadi Hub transforms into the ultimate winter retreat for DSF x Hatta from 4pm to 10pm on weekdays and 12pm to 12am on weekends. Visitors can soar through stunning landscapes on a zipline, glide across calm waters while kayaking, enjoy live music performances and fireworks on weekends under the open sky and indulge in some of Dubai’s most loved food pop-ups including Home Bakery and G.O.A.T Burger.

Ripe Market

• Date: Every Saturday and Sunday
• Location: Dubai Police Academy Park
• About: The Ripe Market features a vibrant bazaar of artisan stalls, unique small businesses, and handcrafted products, alongside fresh organic produce, baked goods, and tasty bites from food trucks, offering a lively community shopping and dining experience.

Winter District

• Date: 20 – 22 December 2024
• Location: Dubai Media City Amphitheatre
• About: The Dubai Media City Amphitheatre becomes a festive wonderland as it transforms into a Winter District brimming with holiday magic with sparkling lights, cheerful decorations, a charming Christmas market, delicious seasonal treats, enchanting attractions, and a snow play area for children.

Aladdin in Dubai

• Date: 20 – 29 December 2024
• Location: Jumeirah Beach Hotel
• About: The Dubai Panto returns to its home at Jumeirah Beach Hotel Auditorium for its 18th year with a magical new version of Aladdin. This enchanting British pantomime, infused with a Middle Eastern twist, promises a captivating mix of comedy, music, dancing, and dazzling visuals.

Sonic Stage Show

• Date: Until 7 January 2025
• Location: City Center Mirdif
• About: To celebrate the new Sonic movie, an exciting Sonic activation and stage show debuts during the 30th edition of DSF. The 12-minute stage show brings Sonic the Hedgehog to life in an action-packed adventure, complete with meet-and-greets and a fun activity zone. Entry to the zone requires a spend of AED 200 for two tokens, accessible by presenting a SHARE ID on the SHARE Rewards App.

DSF VISA DIB Millionaire

• Date: Until 12 January 2025
• Location: Citywide
• About: Shoppers paying with a Dubai Islamic Bank Visa Debit or Credit Card can unlock the chance to win an incredible 1 million dirhams. Making cumulative purchases of AED 500 at participating DSF retailers will earn an entry into an exclusive draw—with unlimited chances to enter and turn dreams into a reality.

Celebrate 30 years of DSF with Dubai Jewellery Group

• Date: Until 12 January 2025
• Location: participating Dubai Jewellery Group outlets citywide
• About: Every jewelry purchase of AED 1,500 earns a raffle coupon for the chance to win a share of an astounding AED 1.5 million in gold. With weekly draws on 20 and 27 December 2024, and 3 and 12 January 2025, four lucky winners each week will take home 250 grams of gold.

DSF Raffles

• Date: Until 12 January 2025
• Location: Citywide
• About: With DSF, everyone has the chance to win big this season, with an incredible array of daily rewards, grand raffles, mega prize draws, and unmatched retail promotions. From ENOC’s daily prizes of up to AED 10,000 to the DSF Mega Raffle and Majid Al Futtaim’s Biggest Prize of the Year, the excitement is non-stop. Highlights include Modesh and BLUE Rewards Millionaire at Dubai Festival City Mall, Dubai Jewellery Group’s 1.5 million dirhams in gold raffle, DSMG’s Shop, Spin, and Win promotion and 30 DSF Golden Ticket prizes worth AED 300,000, making this season a true celebration of dreams and surprises.

Visitors can navigate through the endless excitement of this year’s festival through the all-new digital DSF Map – an interactive online guide to explore all of the season’s iconic and only-in-Dubai experiences, festival favourites, ever-popular signature events, and brand-new additions waiting to be discovered across the city.

Dubai Shopping Festival is supported by Key Partners Dubai Islamic Bank and VISA, and Strategic Partners which include: Al Futtaim Malls (Dubai Festival City Mall & Festival Plaza), Al Zarooni Group (Mercato Shopping Mall), AW Rostamani Group, DHAM (Al Seef, Bluewaters, Ibn Battuta Mall, Nakheel Mall and The Outlet Village), Emirates Airline, ENOC, e&, Majid Al Futtaim (Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira), Merex Investment (City Walk and The Beach, JBR), and talabat.

For more information, visit the Dubai Shopping Festival website and follow @DubaiFestivals on Instagram and TikTok.