DUBAI (ALETIHAD)
Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) is gearing up to celebrate its monumental 30th edition with the city’s greatest, most memorable, and most out-of-this-world celebration yet.
Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) is pulling out all the stops to transform the entire city into a wonderland of endless excitement, joy, and togetherness from December 6, 2024, to January 12, 2025.
With a jam-packed calendar spanning 38 days filled with exhilarating daily entertainment, captivating retail offers, free-to-attend twice-daily drone shows, grand raffles with mega prizes, breathtaking daily fireworks, and, if that’s not enough, new to DSF and only-in-Dubai citywide experiences.
This season promises some of the city’s most epic, astonishing, fun-filled, and iconic DSF moments for everyone, every day, in every corner of the city.
The DSF started 30 years ago as a key sales event at just five shopping malls has evolved into the world’s longest-running retail festival. Today, DSF is Dubai’s biggest and most highly anticipated annual festival, showcasing everything that makes the city extraordinary, including world-class events, entertainment, gastronomy, concerts, immersive experiences, fireworks, and drone shows, to name a few.
In a press statement on Wednesday, Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), commented: “As we proudly mark the 30th edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival, we are thrilled to present an unparalleled lineup of events that will truly solidify Dubai’s position as the world’s premier destination for extraordinary events, festivals, and experiences.”
He said: “DSF’s landmark celebration is a testament to the visionary leadership that has transformed our city into a global hub of innovation. With 38 days of endless entertainment — including star-studded performances, astonishing drone shows, immersive light displays, and awe-inspiring fireworks — DSF’s 30th anniversary promises to be an incredible experience for all, at the ultimate time to be in Dubai.”
Al Khaja added, “This season, as we bring together the entire city in celebration of this incredible milestone, we are delighted to share all that DSF, and Dubai, have to offer to our local community, visitors, and the world. Every moment will be filled with joy, wonder, and unforgettable memories, reaffirming why Dubai remains at the forefront of global excellence in tourism, entertainment, and retail.”
Fireworks and Drone Shows
Dubai’s skyline will light up every single night throughout the 38 days of DSF with free firework displays by Al Zarooni Group at Dubai Festival City Mall (DFCM) at 8:30pm, while Hatta’s skies will spark every Friday and Saturday. This beloved DSF tradition illuminates the skies with a mesmerising burst of colour and excitement.
For its 30th anniversary celebration, DSF will elevate entertainment to a new level with twice-daily, free-to-watch drone shows presented by Emarat and AO Drones at Bluewaters Island and The Beach, JBR. Audiences will experience a magical fusion of technology and storytelling as an astounding 1,000 drones deliver two captivating performances each night at 8pm and 10pm.
Continuing to evolve, this year’s highly anticipated DSF will shine like never before, bringing together a mix of not-to-be-missed, brand-new experiences and returning festival favourites with an elevated 30th-anniversary layer of excitement. From the incredibly popular 321 Festival kicking off DSF’s opening weekend in style to the hottest markets and dining pop-ups, including e& MOTB and CanteenX, and the biggest-ever collections of retail stores and shopping deals from over 1,000 global and local brands. In addition, the festival will feature spectacular raffles and one of the most diverse and dynamic line-ups of artists to ever perform in its 30-year history.
This year’s edition will also raise the bar even higher with new-to-Dubai concepts such as DSF Nights at Dubai Festival City Mall, DSF Auto Season, THE UNCOMMON x DSF, and DSF x Hatta, among several others. Visitors can also look forward to joyful festive experiences, world-class New Year’s Eve celebrations, sensational adventures at thrilling theme parks, high-octane outdoor adventures, and iconic beachside destinations — all brought together during Dubai’s beautiful weather.