Festivals in Dubai are mostly annual entertainment events scheduled at certain times of the year. During this time, the Dubai Visa authorities become very busy as a ton of visitors flock over to Dubai.

Dubai is known to attract millions of visitors across the world and generate over $1 billion in revenues from these festivals. Dubai festivals are a great supplement to the region’s already booming economy.

The biggest of all festivals is the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF held late January to late February). It, along with the Dubai International Film Festival (held in mid December) are together a big part of Dubai culture. Dubai culture generally is (or has become) very vibrant.

The DSF further reinforces Dubai’s position as the world’s shopping capital. And because it is a shopper’s paradise, the DSF becomes more meaningful and symbolic of the city. The DSF is a month long event that alone attracts millions of visitors from all around the world.

The other big annual celebration in Dubai is the month of Ramadan (usually mid September). And despite the fast paced lifestyle of Dubai there seems to always be a lot of time slotted aside for the annual festivals. It amazes me how the local residents are able to do this.

Ramadan is a very important date on the Islamic calendar and it marks the beginning of a fasting period for the entire lunar month. During this time a Muslim is not allowed to consume food, drinks, cigarettes and engage in any for of pleasure including sex.

The fasting period is from dawn until dusk so observers have their meals during dark hours. When the Ramadan period ends at month-end, everyone in Dubai celebrates and it’s quite a scene to watch the celebrations as an observer.

There are many other festivals in Dubai, but none bigger than the three mentioned above. But the other festivals are more specific and target a niche audience.

For example, the Dubai International Film Festival discussed above is one such festival that is organized by the Dubai Media City. The event is held annually at the Madinat Jumeirah and attracts a ton of visitors to Dubai every year.

If you want to observe any of these festivals, make sure to plan your travels accordingly. It is quite an experience to observe these first hand.