Dubai Shopping Festival opens December 4 for 45 days with concerts and waterfront light show

The 32nd Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) will run for 45 days from Friday, December 4, to January 17, 2027, with two Coca-Cola Arena concerts and a nightly waterfront light show, organiser DFRE said on Tuesday.

The festival is organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism. Its programme stretches from the waterfront at Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) and Bluewaters to the mountains of Hatta.

Shopping stays part of the format. Participating malls and destinations will run shopping experiences and promotions through the festival, and individual offers are not detailed yet.

The opening weekend pairs Khaleeji music with international electronic music in two concerts at Coca-Cola Arena.

Rashid Al Majed performs on Friday, December 4, with a selection of his best-known songs. Tickets will be sold through Platinumlist, with the on-sale date still to be announced.

Steve Aoki takes the stage on Saturday, December 5. Further details on his performance will be available through the Coca-Cola Arena website, and official channels will announce updates on both concerts.

The Dubai Lights show returns in a new format on the waterfront between The Beach, opposite JBR, and Bluewaters Island. It combines animation, dynamic lighting, lasers, architectural laser mapping and sound effects.

Shows run nightly from Saturday, December 5, to Sunday, January 17, 2027, between 7.30pm and 10.30pm.

Each night’s programme has two drone shows set to music, architectural laser mapping and a laser show synchronised with the music.

A floating platform with searchlights and lasers forms the centrepiece. Lighting installations extend along the JBR waterfront and the Bluewaters promenade.

Laser mapping across selected JBR towers adds a further layer, and the view differs depending on where visitors stand along the waterfront.

The shows sit alongside the dining, hospitality and entertainment options at the two destinations, so visitors can combine watching, walking and eating out in one evening. Ticket prices for Dubai Lights are not published.

Before the official opening, DSF x Hatta Wadi Hub hosts a free candlelight concert on Wednesday, December 2, to celebrate Eid Al Etihad. The Khaleeji-themed performance is set against Hatta’s mountain scenery.

DFRE chief executive Ahmed Al Khaja said the 32nd edition brings together Dubai’s diversity, from its waterfronts to Hatta, combining concerts, light shows and family experiences with shopping and gastronomy.

DSF has grown over more than three decades from an event focused on retail into a season that also includes live performances, entertainment and culture, according to the organiser.

Commercial Bank of Dubai is the key sponsor. Strategic partners include Al-Futtaim Malls (Dubai Festival City Mall and Festival Plaza), Al Zarooni Group’s Mercato Shopping Mall and AW Rostamani Automotive.

Dubai Holding Asset Management (Al Seef, Bluewaters, Ibn Battuta Mall, Nad Al Sheba Mall, Palm Jumeirah Mall and The Outlet Village) is also a partner. So are Emirates Airline, ENOC, etisalat and talabat.

Majid Al Futtaim (Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif and City Centre Deira) and Merex Investment (City Walk and The Beach, JBR) complete the list of strategic partners.

• When: Friday, December 4, to Sunday, January 17, 2027. Dubai Lights nightly from Saturday, December 5, 7.30pm to 10.30pm. Hatta concert on Wednesday, December 2.
• Where: Coca-Cola Arena for the opening concerts; the waterfront between The Beach, JBR, and Bluewaters Island for Dubai Lights; Hatta for the candlelight concert.
• Price: Hatta concert free. Other prices not published.
• Tickets: Al Majed concert through Platinumlist, date to be announced. Aoki details on the Coca-Cola Arena website.