Dubai Shopping Festival

Dubai Shopping Festival

The Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) began February 16, 1996 as an event that is aimed at benefiting retail trade in Dubai, but became one of the city’s major attractions since then. It has been promoted as a month-long event that is usually held during the first quarter of each year, featuring attractive product discounts, car raffles and spectacular firework displays that attract about 3 million people to join the celebration.

Top Places to Check Out During the Festival

This one-month long extravaganza attracts both local and foreign tourists with the following places of interest. 

• Global Village - Without a doubt, this is the mainstay of the festival, where you will find great cultural specialties and riches from more than 50 countries. Aside from exquisite shopping and dining opportunities, this open-air theme park offers several enthralling entertainment shows that are performed by exceptionally talented individuals from around the world.
• Al Seef Street - This vibrant street is thronged by thousands of curious visitors to mark the start of the DSF, which includes a fascinating parade and a spectacular firework show. Throughout the event, this street will give off a carnival-like vibe with a lot of flamboyant and lively things to experience for adults and children alike.
• Night Souks - The night souks that are put up on the streets of Al Rigga, as well as Al Seef, offer a dynamic and enchanting backdrop for shopping, events and night outs. In these places, you will be able to buy unique items that depict local heritage and art; enjoy fresh food and drinks; and experience an unmatched Emirati ambience.

Top Things to Do During the Festival

Make sure you do not miss doing these activities during this event on your Dubai Holiday:

• Watch the Layali Dubai Concert - Your DSF trip will be made even more memorable by watching the Layali Dubai Concert that takes place on the Burj Steps. This event is categorized into 2 nights of Arabic concert performed by gifted Arab singers belting out popular and classic tracks.
• Walk along the Dubai Festival City promenade - This chic and effervescent promenade will keep you enthralled and busy, with plenty of things like fun fairs, culture-oriented performances and international dance shows that will not fail to entertain you. You will also see some striking firework displays here.
• Visit the DSF Desert Camp - Mainly focusing on the Emirati heritage, this camp should not be missed with appealing factors, such as horse and camel rides, as well as a food court and barbeque facility that serves sumptuous local foods. If you want to indulge in a bit of shopping, there are also a number of souks here selling traditional items.

The 2017 Festival

Next year, the Dubai Shopping Festival will celebrate its 22nd anniversary. Aside from unbeatable deals, the DSF 2017 is also stated to include fashion flash mobs, live raffle drawings, firework shows and many events that would suit everyone’s shopping and entertainment needs. It will also see shows across 2 locations in the city. Whether you want to explore the grandiose modern malls or the old souks, there will be plenty of ways to enjoy yourself during the DSF 2017.