The 2026-27 UAE calendar
Festivals, fairs, openings and fixtures in date order, with the organiser's dates. Calendar last checked 19 October 2026.
October to April on one strip
Running all season
Abu Dhabi Comedy Season
A run of international comedy shows with Russell Peters, Morgan Jay, Mo Amer and Maz Jobrani announced, and more to come.
Dubai Miracle Garden reopens, Season 15
The flower park reopened for its 15th season with weekly themed celebrations and more than 50 floral displays.
Abu Dhabi Festival 2026, autumn programme
The autumn leg of the 23rd Abu Dhabi Festival runs from 10 October to 19 December 2026, opening with the UAE National Orchestra at Etihad Arena and closing at Louvre Abu Dhabi with Dhafer Youssef. Hans Zimmer plays on 13 November.
Dubai Safari Park reopens, Season 8
The wildlife park reopened for its eighth season with the “Live More Wild Life” theme and a Royal Safari Experience for groups of up to ten.
Global Village Dubai, Season 31
Dubai's open-air world fair opened its 31st season on 14 October 2026 and runs until May 2027, with national pavilions, stage shows, rides and food stalls. Tickets are Dh25 on weekdays and Dh30 from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.
October 2026
Traditional Handicrafts Festival
Master artisans, live craft demonstrations and a cultural market showcasing Emirati traditions.
Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial
New commissions bring contemporary art into public spaces, opening first in the Al Ain Region and then in Abu Dhabi, with works remaining on display into 2027.
UFC Abu Dhabi Showdown Week: main card
A week of UFC events in Abu Dhabi with open workouts, weigh-ins and fan zones, culminating in the main card with title and trilogy fights at Etihad Arena.
Sheikh Zayed Festival 2026-27
Abu Dhabi's biggest heritage-and-entertainment festival opens its 2026-27 season at Al Wathba on 30 October and runs for 136 days to 14 March 2027, with new music and theatre, art and photography exhibitions and a redesigned aerial light show.
Dubai Fitness Challenge (10th edition)
Thirty minutes of activity a day for thirty days. Flagship events: Dubai Ride (1 Nov), Stand-Up Paddle at Hatta Dam (7 and 8 Nov), Dubai Run (22 Nov) and Dubai Yoga (29 Nov). Free; registration required.
November 2026
Dubai Design Week (12th edition)
The region's leading design festival, with the Downtown Design fair running 4 to 8 November.
Sharjah International Book Fair 2026 (45th)
The 45th Sharjah International Book Fair runs from 4 to 15 November 2026 at Expo Centre Sharjah under the theme “Made of Stories”, with Oman as guest of honour, more than 2,600 publishers and exhibitors from 124 countries and some 1,500 cultural events.
Dubai Racing Carnival opens
Sixteen race meetings over the winter at Meydan, with new restaurants and hospitality, building to the Dubai World Cup on 27 March 2027. Entry was reported from Dh10.
Frieze Abu Dhabi 2026 and Abu Dhabi Art Week
Frieze Abu Dhabi makes its debut on 19 to 22 November 2026 at Manarat Al Saadiyat, the same week as NOMAD Abu Dhabi (18 to 22 November, Old Abu Dhabi Airport) and the opening of the Public Art Abu Dhabi Biennial in the city on 15 November.
Maritime Heritage Festival
Performances, artisan demonstrations, storytelling and coastal cuisine celebrate the emirate's seafaring and pearling past, now in its fifth year.
Emirates Dubai 7s
Three days of international rugby sevens, with Gaelic football added to the programme this year.
December 2026
UAE National Day 2026 (55th)
The UAE marks its 55th National Day (Eid Al Etihad) on Wednesday 2 and Thursday 3 December 2026, under the theme “Spirit of the Union”. The city programmes had not been published when this page was checked.
Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2026
Race week runs 3 to 6 December 2026 at Yas Marina Circuit, with the Yasalam after-race concerts (Lewis Capaldi, Imagine Dragons, The Chainsmokers and The Script announced) and an official after-party on 4 December headlined by Anyma.
Dubai Shopping Festival (32nd edition)
The 32nd Dubai Shopping Festival returns from 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027: 45 days of retail promotions, live entertainment, concerts and citywide experiences.
GITEX Global 2026
The technology show moves to Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City for the first time, with an opening summit at DWTC on 7 December and the exhibition from 8 to 11 December. Hotels and venues in Dubai fill around it.
Culture Summit Abu Dhabi
A gathering of cultural leaders and artists on how culture shapes shared memories, spaces and futures.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi opens
The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a museum of modern and contemporary art designed by the late Frank Gehry, is scheduled to open on Saadiyat Island on 11 December 2026, completing the Saadiyat Cultural District's major museums.
Liwa International Festival 2026-27
The desert festival around Tal Moreeb, one of the world's tallest dunes, returns from 11 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 with motorsport, music, heritage and family programmes. The full 2026-27 schedule had not been released at the time of checking.
New Year's Eve in the UAE 2026
The 2026-27 New Year's Eve programmes had not been announced when this page was checked. Last year's pattern: Burj Khalifa and fireworks at 40+ sites in Dubai, a record-attempt show in Ras Al Khaimah and a drone-and-fireworks night at Sheikh Zayed Festival.
January 2027
Al Hosn Festival 2027
A celebration of Emirati traditions, crafts, community and local flavours at Abu Dhabi's oldest stone building and its surrounding cultural site.
Dubai Marathon
One of the region's biggest road races, held on Sunday 17 January 2027.
RAK Art Festival 2027
An annual art festival in the historic village of Al Jazeera Al Hamra, listed on the festival's own site as 22 January to 14 February 2027.
March 2027
Eid Al Fitr 2027 holiday
Eid Al Fitr is expected on Tuesday 9 or Wednesday 10 March 2027 depending on whether Ramadan lasts 29 or 30 days; the UAE announces the holiday after the moon sighting.
Dubai World Cup
The US$12 million Dubai World Cup, the climax of the racing season, is scheduled for 27 March 2027.
April 2027
Art Dubai 2027
The fair's public days are 9 to 11 April 2027, preceded by preview days on 7 and 8 April. Art Dubai has moved its dates before, so check the fair's site closer to the time.
Listings marked “Dates expected” depend on a moon sighting or an unpublished schedule. Always confirm with the organiser. See how we verify.
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