Plan Christmas and New Year in Dubai and the UAE, from Global Village fireworks and Liwa’s desert festival to family outings and New Year celebrations.
From an evening among Global Village’s pavilions to a night beneath Liwa’s desert sky, Dubai and Abu Dhabi offer very different ways to spend the festive season. Choose the experiences that suit your group, then shape each day around one main outing so the trip feels like a holiday instead of a race between venues. This guide brings together Christmas markets, family evenings, winter festivals and ideas for New Year’s Eve from 24 December to 5 January.
Plan your festive days
Seasonal events worth building around
These are the most useful choices for this particular date range. The first two are festival destinations in Abu Dhabi Emirate; the other two give you flexible plans in Dubai.
Liwa International Festival 2027 & Liwa Village
11 December 2026 – 2 January 2027 · Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi Emirate
A desert-season programme of sport, heritage, arts, culture and family activities. At Liwa Village, six zones bring together rides, games, Emirati craft, food and live entertainment against the dunes.
Why go: This is the strongest choice here for a trip that feels distinctly different from a Dubai city break. It can be a destination in its own right rather than a quick stop between city attractions.
Before you go: Liwa Village lists 4 pm–midnight Sunday–Thursday and 4 pm–2 am Friday–Saturday. For 2 January, plan your arrival around the published season end date and use the venue's live page for that night's closing time and entry details.
Liwa Village: dates, zones and visit planning ↗
Sheikh Zayed Festival
30 October 2026 – 14 March 2027 · Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi
A long-running cultural and family festival with Emirati heritage, international participation, performances and activities. The 2026/27 announcement says New Year festivities and fireworks, drone and laser shows will return.
Why go: Choose Al Wathba for a large festival atmosphere with culture and family activities alongside the New Year programme. It is a separate Abu Dhabi outing, so plan the return journey before the evening begins.
Before you go: The 2026/27 season announcement names New Year fireworks, drone and laser shows. It does not give the 31 December show times, admission details or transport plan.
WAM: 2026/27 festival dates and programme announcement ↗
Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF)
4 December 2026 – 17 January 2027 · Citywide, Dubai
A citywide winter programme built around retail offers, entertainment, dining and family activities. It gives the trip flexible daytime and evening options while other events have fixed dates.
Why go: Treat DSF as the flexible layer of the itinerary: add a mall activation, outdoor market or concert when its exact dates and locations are published, rather than planning the whole day around the festival name alone.
Before you go: The festival runs from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027. Concerts, mall activations and their opening hours appear on separate listings; choose a specific activity from the live calendar.
Visit Dubai: DSF 2026/27 dates and winter events ↗
Global Village Season 31
14 October 2026 – May 2027 · Dubai
An evening destination for international pavilions, food, shopping, attractions and live entertainment. The operator lists musical fireworks on Fridays and Saturdays at 9 pm.
Why go: It is an easy fit for a family or mixed-interest group: people can explore food, performances and attractions at their own pace. Its regular Friday/Saturday fireworks give the Christmas and New Year weekend dates an extra draw.
Before you go: The operator lists 4 pm–midnight Sunday–Wednesday and 4 pm–1 am Thursday–Saturday and public holidays. Fireworks are listed at 9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. Tuesdays are reserved for families, couples and ladies unless they fall on a public holiday; use the live page for event-day changes.
Global Village: Season 31 hours and transport ↗
For more background before choosing your night, see our Global Village guide. Its current-season dates and hours should still be checked against the organiser’s live page linked above.
Events by date: 24 December 2026 to 5 January 2027
Thursday, 24 December
Christmas Eve: choose your kind of evening
For lights, food and a little of everything, head to Global Village; for a desert setting, make Liwa Village the main event. Sheikh Zayed Festival is another full evening out in Al Wathba. Madinat Jumeirah and JBR are also known for winter markets; the current Visit Dubai event listings do not give their 2026 dates, so build the evening around one of the operating festivals and use the venue pages for any market programme published closer to the season.
Friday, 25 December
Christmas Day and Friday-night fireworks
Global Village lists Friday fireworks at 9 pm; the operator's event-day schedule is the place to check for any timing changes. Pair the evening with its pavilions and food, or keep Christmas Day slower and choose one seasonal event. Liwa Village and Sheikh Zayed Festival offer different settings beyond central Dubai.
Saturday, 26 December
A second festive evening
Global Village lists its musical fireworks for Saturday at 9 pm. If you want a less city-centred day, use this date for Liwa's desert setting or Al Wathba's festival grounds; allow for the separate journey and avoid trying to combine distant venues in one evening.
Sunday, 27 December
Choose one main outing
The winter festivals are in full swing. Make one the centre of the day: DSF for flexible city stops, Global Village for an evening of food and performances, or one of Abu Dhabi Emirate's two major festival destinations for a longer excursion.
Monday, 28 December
A flexible weekday in Dubai or Abu Dhabi
Keep the daytime open for a Dubai attraction or DSF activity, then add a single evening venue. Global Village lists a midnight Monday closing; Liwa Village lists midnight closing Sunday–Thursday. Check each operator's live hours before you set out.
Tuesday, 29 December
A family-focused Global Village night
Global Village reserves Tuesdays for families, couples and ladies, except when Tuesday is a public holiday. Its pavilions, food and attractions make it a natural evening plan; use the operator's visitor page for entry rules and the evening schedule. Liwa Village and Al Wathba offer a different kind of family outing.
Wednesday, 30 December
Set up an easy New Year's Eve
Choose tomorrow’s celebration today, while you still have time to plan the journey. In its 2026/27 season announcement, Sheikh Zayed Festival names New Year fireworks, drone and laser shows, but gives no show times, entry details or transport plan. Dubai’s event pages checked on 30 September 2026 had no public viewing map or road plan.
Thursday, 31 December
New Year's Eve: choose the right countdown
Sheikh Zayed Festival is the announced Abu Dhabi option for a night of fireworks, drones and lasers at Al Wathba. The season announcement gives no event times, entry details or transport plan, so check the festival page before setting out. Dubai’s event pages checked on 30 September 2026 had no public viewing map or road plan. Liwa Village lists Thursday hours until midnight, so it is an evening visit rather than a post-midnight countdown.
Friday, 1 January
New Year's Day: ease into 2027
Keep the first day simple: choose one seasonal venue and plan around its holiday hours. Global Village lists Friday fireworks at 9 pm; its event-day schedule carries any timing changes. Liwa Village, Sheikh Zayed Festival and DSF are also in season.
Saturday, 2 January
Last day of the Liwa festival season
The published end date for Liwa International Festival and Liwa Village is 2 January. Make this your last desert-festival outing of the season; the Liwa Village page lists regular Saturday closing at 2 am. Global Village also lists musical fireworks at 9 pm.
Sunday, 3 January
Back to Dubai's winter programme
Liwa's season ends on 2 January. DSF, Global Village and Sheikh Zayed Festival continue, so use this day for a Dubai city plan or an Abu Dhabi festival visit. For a concert or family show, choose from the event listings for the date and venue that suit your route.
Monday, 4 January
A slower post-New-Year day
Choose one daytime activity and one evening plan rather than crossing the Emirates for multiple short stops. DSF offers a flexible citywide backdrop, while Global Village and Sheikh Zayed Festival remain the larger evening options. Check each venue's live opening hours before travelling.
Tuesday, 5 January
Family Tuesday at Global Village
Global Village's Tuesday access policy makes it a useful family option today, unless the date is officially treated as a public holiday. DSF and Sheikh Zayed Festival continue as broader alternatives. This is the end of the guide's date-by-date window, not the end of either festival season.
Christmas markets and New Year shows
Visit Dubai describes these as recurring winter favourites. Build your main evening around a festival with published season dates, then add a market when its venue publishes the programme.
Madinat Jumeirah Festive Market
Visit Dubai describes it as a recurring winter event. The venue’s own seasonal programme is the source for this year’s dates and opening hours.
Festive at JBR and JBR Winter Nights
Visit Dubai says the JBR programmes will return with family activities such as parades and screenings. See the venue’s seasonal calendar for this year’s dates and daily programme.
Dubai New Year fireworks
Dubai’s event pages checked on 30 September 2026 had no public viewing locations, access rules, transport changes or road closures for 2026/27. Use the official event-day plan to choose a viewing area and route.
Plan the route as well as the event
Pick the venue before choosing transport. Dubai and Liwa are far apart, while Al Wathba is a separate Abu Dhabi outing from central Dubai. For each event, check the route, parking or bus options, entry time and return plan together.
- For Global Village: the operator lists buses from several Dubai metro and bus hubs. Confirm the live route and timetable before departure.
- For an evening in Dubai: taxi or public transport may be simpler than driving, especially if event traffic plans change.
- For a multi-emirate trip: a rental car can make the longer transfers easier, but allow time for event traffic and parking.
Building a few city days around the main event? See Mifto’s Dubai itinerary guide.
Worth extending the trip for
Through 19 December
Abu Dhabi Festival
A music and arts programme across Abu Dhabi venues. Consider arriving early if concerts and performances are a priority.
12–19 December
Al Dhafra camel season finale
Camel competitions and heritage activities offer a distinctive pre-Christmas option for travellers interested in Emirati traditions.
11–13 December
Sole DXB
Dubai Design District brings together music, fashion, art, sport and food. It may suit a trip that starts before the Christmas period.
Through 17 January
Stay longer for DSF
Dubai Shopping Festival continues after this guide’s date range, leaving room for more activities as the programme is announced.
Official event information
- Liwa Village: official 2026/27 season, hours, zones and ticket status ↗
- Abu Dhabi Media Office: Liwa International Festival 2027 ↗
- WAM: Sheikh Zayed Festival 2026/27 ↗
- Visit Dubai: DSF dates and winter programme ↗
- Global Village: Season 31 visitor information ↗
- Global Village: regular musical fireworks listing ↗
- Visit Dubai: winter events and JBR seasonal programming ↗
Official event pages checked on 30 September 2026. Recheck each venue’s live page for event-day show times, ticket details, access and holiday opening hours.
