Expat Guide to Holidays and Festivals in Dubai

As an expat living in Dubai it’s important to be aware of the cultural differences between the West and Islam, and one of the first things for newcomers to understand is that the Islamic calendar is a lunar calendar.  Therefore key dates depend on the sighting of the moon each month.

This makes the predicting of holidays a bit of a sport as many holidays may only be known the evening before, such as Eid Al Fitr, and people need to watch the news or read the morning paper to know if the next day is a working day or a holiday!

This is the expat guide to holiday and festivals in Dubai, which will be of value to you if you’re thinking of living and working in Dubai, or even if you want to plan a holiday in the emirate.

Whilst there are secular holidays in Dubai, notably New Years Day and United Arab Emirates National Day on the 2nd of December, the major holidays are religious and expats living in Dubai, even if they are not Muslims, need to know how things work during these times.

Due to the lunar calendar, the date of Ramadan changes each year but is due to start in 2009 on the 21st of August.  During the month of Ramadan Muslims fast from dawn to dusk and as such it is considered bad manners for expats living in Dubai to eat, drink or smoke in public during the entire period. 

If you are offered tea or coffee by a Muslim friend or colleague during Ramadan, it is polite to decline.  During the month of Ramadan alcohol is not served publicly either, but expats who live in Dubai with a liquor licence can purchase alcohol to drink at home.  In general, daily life is slower during Ramadan due to the effects of fasting and lack of sleep for Dubai’s Muslim population.  At the end or Ramadam is the three day Eid Al Fitr celebration, it’s a very festive time and there are many feasts and celebrations.  Homes are busy with visitors greeting friends and family, and it is generally a time to be thankful and generous. 

Other holidays in the Muslim calendar are Eid al-Adha, the feast of sacrifice, Lailat al Mi’raj, the night of power and one of the most spiritually powerful days of the year, the Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday and the Islamic New Year.  It is important if you are living in Dubai that you are aware of these holidays and the importance of them to Muslims.

Dubai also hosts two major tourist orientated events during the year.  First up is the Dubai shopping festival, started in 1996 and used to promote Dubai as the ultimate global shopping destination.  This year the party started on the 15th of January and lasted until the 15th of February and offered residents living in Dubai and visiting tourists the opportunity to get involved in a veritable feast of purchases, free promos and giveaways.  One lucky Indian resident won two new Lexus cars and a $100,000 cash prize!

The Dubai Summer Surprises festival is more of the same later in the year, a veritable gluttony of shopping and prizes for people living in Dubai.  Lasting for 10 weeks the festival has a weekly theme and has a family emphasis focusing on fun and education.  This year’s smorgasbord of shopping starts on the 23rd of June and runs until the 31st of August.  It’s a great time to visit Dubai if you’ve never been, as the party atmosphere is quite electric.  Alternatively, if you’re living in the emirate it’s a really enjoyable time when you will find plenty of events for all the family to get involved with.

Dubai is certainly a fun city to live and work in, and the emirate as a whole is doing its best to promote its appeal to the wider world.  As a result, the benefits of living in the region are manifold as you get to enjoy the local culture and you also get to enjoy very regular festivities and events too.