Dubai is the perfect destination to celebrate a magical holiday season, with tree lightings, delightful festive treats and wonderful winter lands combined with unbeatable sunshine.
SEASON’S FESTIVITIES
- Seasonal Menus
Dubai’s favourite restaurants come alive for the festive season, serving scrumptious family-style festive feasts and decadent brunches with gastronomic delights from all over the world. Special menus throughout the festive season will spoil diners for choice with classic favourites, including roast turkeys, mince pies, yule logs and other traditional treats in elegant settings.
A highlight of the season will be the world-renowned Atlantis, The Palm’s ‘Cirque de Cuisine’, set to kick off the festive season with a Winter Wonderland theme. Taking place in The Avenues at Atlantis, The Palm on 6 December, the all-you-can-eat-and-drink concept welcomes diners to enjoy signature dishes, live cooking stations, extravagant buffets and delicious drinks from all of the resort’s restaurants – be it Nobu by Nobu Matsuhisa, Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen & Bar, Gregoire Berger’s award-winning underwater restaurant Ossiano, Ronda Locatelli by Giorgio Locatelli and the recently opened Michelin star Cantonese restaurant brand, Hakkasan. The festivities will also include showstopping performers from Cirque le Soir, with an incredible line up of fire-blazing performances, feather fan dancers, magicians and acrobats.
- Festive Family Markets
Festive markets are a key highlight of the December season in Dubai. Kids and the young at heart can find everything they love about the festive season in one place – from a selection of retail vendors selling fashion, jewellery and homeware pieces by boutique brands, to food stalls and children’s activities, and of course, towering Christmas trees. Much-loved local favourites include the annual Festive Market at Madinat Jumeirah, the Festive Market at Dubai Festival City Mall, the Winter Garden Market at Habtoor Palace, the Festive Market at Jumeirah Creekside Hotel, the Raffles Christmas Market, and the Atlantis Festive Village.
- Tree Lightings
Richly decorated trees begin popping up across Dubai’s malls, hotels and top attractions towards the end of the year, with several venues hosting grand ceremonies to celebrate the tree lightings. Some local favourites include winter wonderlands at Wafi Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Festival City Mall, Jumeirah Zabeel Saray, The H Hotel, The Irish Village, and Fairmont, the Palm.
- Soak Up Some Winter Sun
With year-round sun and a dramatic combination of the desert and beach, Dubai is the perfect winter sun holiday destination to escape the rain and snow and enjoy the great outdoors for some al fresco family fun.
• For a secluded, rural experience, escape to Dubai’s exclave of Hatta, surrounded by the Hajar Mountains. Visitors can hike through mountain passes and wadis (dry canyon riverbeds), take a dip in the area’s rock pools, or even kayak on Hatta Dam’s stunning blue waters. Celebrating the serenity and scenery of the mountain enclave, a range of new developments have recently opened up, including the high-energy Hatta Wadi Hub, and a tranquil eco-lodging experiences at Hatta Damani Lodges and Hatta Sedr Trailers. Visitors can also choose overnight stays at the dedicated Hatta Campsite, where tents can be set up to offer an indoors-meets-outdoors experience.
• The Al Qudra Lakes are perfect to discover Dubai’s sprawling desert oasis with a series of manmade lakes sprawled across 10 hectares of Dubai’s Saih Al Salam Desert. Visitors can tuck into a picnic after a leisurely ride around the Al Qudra Cycling Track and spot local wildlife in their natural habitat – including flamingos, swans and many migratory birds. The newest addition to the cluster of lagoons is the Love Lake, carved in the form of two hearts entwined together.
• Al Marmoom Desert is the latest of Dubai’s collection of nature reserves, rich with hundreds of species of wildlife – from the Arabian Oryx, Arabian Gazelles, Sand Gazelles, to foxes and wild cats. It is home to the Al Marmoom Desert Conservation Reserve, the largest tourism project of its kind in the region and the first unfenced desert conservation reserve in the UAE. The reserve includes ten animal and bird observation platforms, star and sunset observations decks, and even an outdoor theatre. Visitors can also experience the true essence of life in the desert with the newest Marmoom Bedouin Experience, and learn to saddle, ride and look after their own camel as they join a caravan travelling through the desert before they arrive at the camp. Other highlights include a falconry display, traditional breakfast or dinner at the Bedouin village and stargazing.
• The Dubai Miracle Garden welcomes visitors into a world of floral wonder. The 72,000sqm garden showcases remarkable structures, with 50 million blooming flowers covering the different exhibits. Another great feature worth seeing is the Dubai Butterfly Garden, housing over 35,000 species of butterflies in ten custom-built domes.
• Dubai’s latest island destination, Bluewaters Island is set to boast 200 retail and dining concepts in a modern district featuring unparalleled views of the Arabian Gulf. Located off Jumeirah Beach Residences, Bluewaters is also home to Ain Dubai, the world’s largest observation wheel, rising as the centrepiece of the island.
• The Pointe is Dubai’s newest waterfront destination on Palm Jumeirah, featuring a retail, dining and entertainment complex across the bay from Atlantis, The Palm Dubai. The 130,000sqm destination hosts spectacular fountain shows, a vibrant promenade and more than 80 restaurants and retail outlets for dining and shopping.
• Global Village brings cultures together to help visitors explore different countries around the world in one place – be it London’s Big Ben, the leaning tower of Pisa in Italy, the Taj Mahal or Ancient Egypt. There is plenty to enjoy for the whole family, with more than 75 countries displaying traditional handicrafts and snacks across 30+ pavilions.
Seasonal Events
Taking the festivities up a notch, plenty of performances are lined up across the city in the run up to the holiday season – from fun family events to seasonal classics in stunning surroundings.
• The Nutcracker Ballet at Dubai Opera
The Nutcracker, an indubitable holiday classic, is arriving at Dubai Opera to ring in the festive season with the prestigious St. Petersburg Tchaikovsky Ballet Theatre and a live orchestra. Known for its hauntingly beautiful score, The Nutcracker is a quintessential holiday show that captures the enchanting spirit of the winter season with eye-catching costumes, sets and masterful choreography.
o Date: 4 – 7 December
o Location: Dubai Opera
• Handel’s Messiah at Dubai Opera
The renowned Tchaikovsky Theatre of Ballet Orchestra and newly inaugurated Dubai Opera Festival Chorus are joining forces to present Handel’s Messiah, bringing together over 200 talented musicians. Composed in just 24 days and premiered in 1742, Messiah has been the German composer’s most performed work, and continues to be an audience favourite around the world.
o Date: 8 December
o Location: Dubai Opera
• Jingle Bell Favourites at Dubai Opera
A family concert of carols and much-loved Christmas classics is coming to Dubai Opera this December, performed by the London Concert Orchestra Show Band, Capital Voices and West End soloists. With morning, matinee and evening performances, gear up to sing along to festive favourites including ‘Jingle Bell Rock’, ‘Frosty the Snowman’, ‘Silent Night’, ‘Santa Claus Is Coming to Town’, ‘Winter Wonderland’, ‘Let It Snow’ and many more.
o Date: 12 – 14 December
o Location: Dubai Opera
• The Santa Run at Dubai Festival City
Set against the background of the Dubai Creek, the latest Santa Run in Dubai calls all Santas in town for a fun run. This will include a 2.5km run for kids and a 5km distance for adults of all skillsets.
o Date: 13 December
o Location: Dubai Festival City
• La Perle by Dragone
As Dubai’s first resident show, La Perle will host 10 performances a week, twice a night, in a purpose-built theatre in the heart of Al Habtoor City. Expect to see 65 world-class performers from 23 countries performing extraordinary acts including acrobatics, contortion, flying, diving and even motorcycles defying gravity amidst state-of-the-art technology that produces waterfalls, torrents and rain on a floor that floods and drains within seconds.
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• Theatre by Queen Elizabeth 2 is another stunning grand venue in the city, onboard the world-famous ocean liner that is now a permanently floating hotel on the docks of Dubai’s Port Rashid Marina. The 515-seat theatre presents a varied programme that showcases the best of both local and international arts, entertainment and culture.
NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATIONS
- NYE Fireworks
Dubai’s legendary new year’s celebrations are like no other. Spectacular fireworks illuminate the city’s night skies at popular destinations across the city, including Burj Khalifa; Burj Al Arab; Atlantis, The Palm; and four incredible displays at Dubai Festival City Mall coupled with the record-breaking IMAGINE light, water and fire show.
- Gala Dinners
For those looking for the best ways to celebrate the New Year, Dubai is home to several elegant Gala Dinner celebrations featuring an array of live entertainment and views of the city’s legendary firework displays.
• Jumeirah Beach Hotel is set to usher in the New Year in style at The Enchanted Forest Gala Dinner, featuring a delectable spread of international cuisine in an exclusive setting by the hotel’s beautiful seafront. Diners will also have an opportunity to witness stellar fireworks against the backdrop of the Burj Al Arab hotel.
• The Midnight Gala Dinner at Madinat Jumeirah turns into a radiant and lavish experience to welcome the New Year. The celebrations continue with access to the Shimmers Beach Party, offering spectacular views of the Burj Al Arab fireworks at midnight.
• The world’s most iconic hotel, the Burj Al Arab, is set to ring in 2020 with an ultimate firework display and live performances. The Burj Al Arab Terrace invites guests to unwind with exclusive access to the infinity pool and Jacuzzis while sipping on bespoke beverages and savouring international cuisines tailor-made by Signature Chefs.
• For those looking for a vibrant dining experience this New Year’s Eve, Atlantis, The Palm’s Gala Dinner welcomes guests to enjoy fantastic views of The Palm, the Dubai skyline and the spectacular resort itself while tucking into culinary delights at a decadent buffet and live cooking stations. For the first time, the Gala dinner will also feature four, two-metre-high, caviar fountains.
