The Top 10 Annual Events on Dubai's Calendar

 

Whether it's a high end or low end event, one thing is for sure, Dubai events are never small and always lush!
 

See if you can try and get along to most of them- you won't regret it- great times and a great atmosphere!
 

 

The Dubai World Cup is one of our favourite Dubai events: fashion, a great day out and wonderful horse racing to watch! Here we take a look at what will be happening on the day!

The Dubai World Cup is usually held on the last Saturday of March and is a lavish event full of big names and iconic fashion styles. We've got a full article here on what to wear, survival tips and everything you need to know about the richest horse race in the world!
 

Record-breaking crowds, thrilling rugby action, entertainment second to none and an impressive purpose-built venue all ensure that each year the Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens is an event to remember.

 

The Sevens proved to be a resounding success, with the spirit of the previous venue encapsulated in a bigger and better setting for one of the region’s greatest sporting and social events of the year. The Sevens, which boasts six pitches, sees an average of around 120,000 fans streaming through its gates over the three days of the tournament.

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It's a great event with what seems like the whole expat community of Dubai in attendance with everyone getting into the spirit, dressing up, wearing their team shirts or colours, singing, dancing and of course eating pies... a Rugby 7s institution. A great 3 day event not to be missed- don't forget your sun tan lotion either!
 

 

The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon is an annual marathon held in Janaury. The marathon originally launched with just over 100 runners in the year 2000n with not much fanfare. 

Today it has one million dollars in prize money, the highest first place prize money ($250k) for both men and women, it has over 2,000 runners competing the full distance and over 10,000 in the five and 10k events with bands, DJs entertainment and international coverage. You can take part or you can be a spectator- it's a wonderful event to be part of.
 

 

The UAE Desert Challenge is a rally across some of the most dramatic and demanding terrain. Drivers from all over the world race their cars, trucks and motorbikes on a thrilling journey through the desert. It is now known as the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge as most of the stages now take place in Abu Dhabi.

The event begins with a ceremonial start in Abu Dhabi and heads south into the desert. The race is based at the Moreeb Hill Bivouac, close to the Liwa Oasis, and special stages stretch out into the legendary Rub Al Khali or Empty Quarter, a perfect name for one of the largest sand deserts in the world. Nerves and endurance are crucial survival tools, as well as some hardcore driving skills.

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While previous Desert Challenges have seen motorbike, quad-bike, four wheel and truck competitors battle cross-emirate stages, the event in recent years has gradually migrated towards a majority routing through Abu Dhabi's majestic desert areas.

During the Challenge, competitors face two days of documentation and scrutinizing (usually on a Friday and Saturday), before a Super Special Stage (on a Sunday) which decides the starting order. Competitors then brave the Liwa Desert and the Moreeb area of the Empty Quarter for five days.
 

 

The Dubai Jazz Festival features a chilled out atmosphere with comfortable seating and seating-free zones, alongside a specially created Food & Beverage zone hosting a number of big bands and attracting large crowds topping 46,000 fans throughout the weekend.

It's a great event for music lovers of all kinds and has a very relaxed, funky vibe. Held annually in February it can be a little bit chilly at night so make sure you take a pashmina or a cardi with you just in case.
 

 

DSF, which started in February 1996 has become a great tourist attraction for visitors from around the world. Besides discounted shopping sometimes up to nearly 75%, there are other activities for the whole family such as raffle draws, music concerts, fashion shows, children’s events and lots more.

Initially, Dubai Shopping Festival was conceived as a pure retail event, the primary aim of which was to revitalise the retail trade in Dubai. It was later developed into a comprehensive tourism product in line with Dubai's far-sighted stance to set global standards in every field.

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Dubai Shopping Festival is basically a shopping paradise. Dubai is known around the world as such a paradise throughout the year, but they really lay out the red carpet during shopping festival month, with over 2,300 retails outlets participating, that offer everything imaginable from gold, perfume, haute couture, cars, electronics to handicrafts and textiles.

There are other events as well, including international fashion shows, children's events, streetside performances, nightly fireworks, film festivals, and many other cultural events that reflect the emirate's cosmopolitan character.
 

 

DSS was launched in 1998 to position Dubai as a summer destination. The festival is one of the highlights of the city’s summer calendar with GCC residents and other tourists flocking to the city looking for bargains in the over 6,000 stores participating in this annual event.

This shopping festival is also heavily geared towards families with each mall undertaking a programme of events for children of all ages. Mall-based events and international character shows are entertainment highlights of DSS.

In addition to the shopping bonanza, a part of Dubai Summer Surprises has nothing to do with shopping and everything to do with fun! Modhesh World features the festival mascot, the smiling yellow character named Modhesh. This huge entertainment space is divided into different themed zones. Toddlers, kids, and teenagers will all find plenty to do and discover here - from playgrounds and soft toy areas to the latest video games and a 4D cinema. Modhesh World is a child's dream come true.

 

The Omega Dubai Desert Classic was born in 1989 when the European Tour visited Asia for the first time. It was the 38th event on the European Tour. The roll of honour includes six different Major Champions. They are: Seve Ballesteros (1992), Ernie Els (1994, 02, 05), Fred Couples (1995), José Maria Olazábal (1998), Mark O'Meara (2004) and Tiger Woods (2006, 08). Between them they have won 27 Major Championships.

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England's Barry Lane is the only player to have played in all 23 editions of the event, having played in the inaugural one in March 1989, and he has set his sights firmly on reaching the milestone of 25 at a venue he describes as “five star in every respect”. Held annually in January this is a lovely civilised event and it is great to be outdoors watching these golf masters at play.
 

 

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships began life as the Dubai Men’s Open back in 1993, a year in which Karel Novacek won the singles and the pairing of Anders Jarryd/John Fitzgerald the doubles. Since that tournament almost nineteen years ago, the Championships has continued to go from strength to strength.

The roll call of players in both the men’s and women’s tournaments (the latter of which began in 2001) reads like a ‘who’s who’ of tennis stars – Goran Ivanisevic, Juan Carlos Ferrero, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Martina Hingis, Amelie Mauresmo and Justine Henin have all taken part.

Tickets for this event sell like wild fire so it is advisable to buy them as quickly as possible on the day they are released- especially for anything past the men's quarter finals. This another great outdoor event held at the time of year when the weather in Dubai is lovely and cool- the event has a great sporting vibe and is very relaxed- and thrilling!
 

Dubai Film Festival (DIFF)

The Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) is the leading film festival in the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Since its inception in 2004, the festival has served as an influential platform for Arab filmmakers and talent at an international level, by spearheading the cinema movement in the region.

DIFF has established itself as a major international festival, while continuing to serve as a premier showcase event for Arab cinema, and contributing to the development and growth of the regional industry.

DIFF has also extended its platform to present and honour excellence in cinema from countries in Asia and Africa. Independent and established talents from Asian and African countries with a burgeoning cinema culture are given prominent standing in the festival’s programme and competition.It is held annually in December and is a great cultural event.

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