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In the heart of the UAE lies a land of new ventures, great events, and exciting festivals. Dubai is a land where dreams take shape. Known for its innovation, resilience and openness of its people and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai is the place to be for events and festivals that attract tourists from all over the world, all year round. Aside from the holy month of Ramadan, the month of prayer, fasting, reflection, and community, the rest of the year is pretty much buzzing with Dubai events and festivals. Below is an interesting read about the Dubai events happening in the year 2023.
Dubai Events 2023 – Monthwise
February – Elrow XXL Dubai
Elrow is a legendary musical fiesta from Barcelona that has been held in 30+ countries and 80+ cities. Dubai is the first Middle Eastern nation to host this popular Spanish Music festival in the year 2023. Elrow XXL Dubai is the first Dubai event to hit the UAE in February and is most likely to happen from 17th -18th February 2023. The debut will take place at D3 (Dubai Design District) and ensures over-the-top spangle and swank. The outdoor venue is said to be capable of hosting a capacity of over 8,000 guests. So, book your tickets ASAP!
Dates: 17th – 18th February 2023
Venue: D3 (Dubai Design District)
March – Art Dubai
The next Dubai event that will be held in March is the Art Dubai fair. The sixteenth version of Art Dubai will showcase the works of more than 100 contemporary artists from 40+ nations and 6 continents. Here are some more exciting facts. This 2023 fair will consist of 30 new entrants and some artists will be present at the fair via online mediums. Moreover, more than 60% of artists hail from the Global South, emphasising Art Dubai’s stand as the primary trade centre for fine art in the Middle East.
Dates: 3rd – 5th March 2023
Venue: Madinat Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim
April – Dubai Food Festival
The month of April is going to be a culinary haven for all the food lovers from MEA (Middle East Africa). Dubai Food Festival is an exemplary platform for budding local chefs, willing to showcase their culinary prowess through unique gastronomical tricks. The food festival ensures an unforgettable culinary adventure boasting local and international favourites. Along with some stalls offering a dive into fusion cooking at pocket-friendly fares. For all the foodies in the city and across the Emirates, this festival is a breath of fresh flavours and aromas. Plan a visit to this exclusive event and get ready to have your taste buds blown away to the gastronomical heaven.
Dates: April 28th – March 7th 2023
Venue: Madinat Jumeirah, Umm Suqeim
May – Abu Dhabi International Book Fair
A few hours’ drive from Dubai lies the emirate of Abu Dhabi, which will be hosting an international book fair in May. The fair will feature over 400+ events open to the public with over 1000 exhibitors. Many of these authors will be showcasing their work and will also be open for a lively debate on the topics covered in their books. So, if you wish to embark on a hunt for intellect and knowledge, do visit the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair.
Dates: 22nd – 28th May 2023
Venue: Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
June – Men’s Arab Fashion Week
The next on the list of Dubai Events 2023 is the Men’s Arab Fashion Week. This unique fashion week will have on display the most trending items from men’s fashion in MEA. The fashion week attracts fashion designers from the Middle East Africa region, materialising ideas that redefine the paradigm of human creativity. Do plan a visit to the Men’s Arab Fashion Week to catch a glimpse into the world of fashion and imaginative ingenuity?
Dates: 28th – 30th June 2023
Venue: D3 (Dubai Design District)
July – Eid Al Adha
The month of July witnesses Dubai in its glory, celebrating the Holy festival of Eid Al Adha. This celebratory day falls at the end of June, however, prayers and celebrations tend to trickle over to the first week of July. The festival is celebrated in reverence to Abraham’s willingness to offer his son Ishmael as a sacrifice and as an act of obedience to Allah. The festival sees a lot of cultural events and shopping offers in Dubai and the surrounding Emirates.
Dates: 28th June – 9th July 2023
Venue: D3 (Dubai Design District)
August – Dubai Summer Surprises
August is the month when Dubai kicks off the Dubai Summer Surprises festival with loads of surprises such as unique deals and discounts for both locals and tourist shoppers alike. This Dubai event is one of the popular affairs in Dubai for people looking to buy electronics, fashionable wear, gold, and other luxury items. This month also witnesses a lot of special deals and offers from cafes & restaurants offering discounts and combos of popular items from their menu. So, plan a visit during the Dubai Summer Surprises festival for an exciting shopping extravaganza.
Dates: 29th July – 3rd September 2023
Venue: Across Dubai
September – Sleep Expo Middle East
The Sleep Expo is a one-of-a-kind Dubai event that is expected to become a growing sector in the UAE. The expo hosts mattress brands from across the globe offering unique environment-friendly options. The Sleep Expo is the only event of its kind in the MEA region attracting startups from across the region. The expo is an ideal platform for exhibitors like mattress manufacturers, mattress machinery distributors, sleep techs, mattress accessories, bed linen and sleeping aid suppliers and distributors.
Dates: 05th – 7th September 2023
Venue: Sheikh Saeed Halls, Dubai
October – Oktoberfest
The tradition of donning dirndls and lederhosen has long been a custom surrounding the famous Bavarian festival of Oktoberfest. Oktoberfest is one of the popular events to grace Dubai every year with its popular Bavarian cuisine and beers. The event takes place across Dubai at some of the most happening joints. Some of them include places like Barasti Beach Bar, High Note Lounge, Lock Stock & Barrel and many more. The unique German festival over the years has become a special part of Dubai Events.
Dates: Sep 16, 2023 – Tue, Oct 3, 2023
Venue: Across Dubai
November – Downtown Design
On the list of Dubai events 2023, the next event to grace the tourism capital of UAE is the Dubai Downtown Design Expo. The exhibition takes you for a dive into the world of art, design and architecture in Dubai’s most creative district. The event is the perfect platform for homeowners looking to revamp their humble abode with new sleep techs. The exhibition has on offer the latest in-house decor tech and other home innovations that offers a personalised touch and turn your abode into your home.
Dates: 29th July – 3rd September 2023
Venue: D3 (Dubai Design District)
December – UAE National Day
The last month of the year will witnesses UAE celebrating the unique Dubai Event of the UAE National Day. This year will be the 52nd anniversary that marks UAE’s formal nationalisation in 1971. Every emirate has a national holiday on this day and sees people stepping out for a get-together and family time. One would witness the parks being occupied by families that are out for a picnic, celebrating the years of togetherness. The day is to commemorate the day all the Trucial Sheikhdoms came together to become the United Arab Emirates.
Dates: 2nd December 2023
Venue: Across UAE
January (2024) – Dubai Shopping Festival
The Dubai Shopping Festival is one of the biggest and greatest shopping festivals the world has ever seen. The festival goes on for more than 40 days and attracts customers from all of UAE and surrounding neighbouring countries. Dubai Shopping festival first took place back in 1996 and since then has been attracting locals and tourists alike. Over 1500 brands take part in the Dubai shopping Festival. These brands offer deals starting from a minimum discount of 25% going up to 95%, depending on the item you wish to procure.
Dates: 14th December 2023 – 22nd January 2024
Venue: Across Dubai
