Events in Dubai: The UAE Confirms Its Eid Al Etihad Holidays, With Eleven Days of Celebration Ahead

Dubai has already announced how it intends to fill that week. From Thursday, November 26 to Sunday, December 6, the city will celebrate across its malls, neighborhoods and waterfront, with further details to come from Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment. The 2026 celebrations coincide with the UAE's Year of the Family, and the program places families, heritage and national identity at its center.

Among the confirmed moments are two free concerts at Festival Bay in Dubai Festival City Mall, with the Emirati singer Balqees on December 1 and the Khaleeji singer-songwriter Mohammed Al Shehhi on December 2, and a performance by the Lebanese singer Yara at City Walk on December 2. City Walk will also host a pop-up Eid Al Etihad Village, while light displays inspired by the national flag and the country's symbols will illuminate the waterfront.

Early December is, in any case, one of the most agreeable moments of the year in the Gulf: warm, clear days, cool evenings and calm seas, ideal for dining outdoors and for the beach. Our guide to Dubai's finest hotels and things to do in Dubai covers where to stay, from Palm Jumeirah to Downtown, and our Middle East events calendar sets the National Day week in the context of the whole season.

Those who prefer to divide the holiday between two emirates will find Abu Dhabi equally festive, with its own celebrations and the cultural riches of Saadiyat; our guide to Abu Dhabi's luxury hotels and things to do is the place to begin. For the story behind the day itself, the founding of the federation and the traditions it celebrates, see our introduction to UAE history and culture, and for the wider season, our note on the best time to visit the Middle East.