Here's how you can celebrate Diwali in Dubai

Dubai's glittering celebrations for Diwali are set to light up the city with family fun, special shows, retail promotions and much more.

'The Festival of Lights' is a major highlight on Dubai’s annual events calendar, with the city’s diverse neighbourhoods, shopping malls and landmarks illuminated in a wonderful display of colour, lights and revelry.

Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), this year’s Diwali celebrations will bring together the different communities that call Dubai home and who help make the city such an exciting place to live all year round.

"With so many great promotions, activations and shows this year, Diwali is the perfect event to start the festive season and showcase Dubai’s well-earned and famous status as the premier family and retail destination for residents and tourists from all over the world," said Ahmed Al Khaja, the CEO of DFRE.

EVENTS:

Celebrate the Festival of Lights at Global Village with the UAE’s best representation of Indian tradition, culture and food at the attraction’s India Pavilion.

Residents and tourists can shop for unique items and special gifts from more than 240 stalls selling the finest Indian handicraft and artefacts, while also enjoying spectacular cultural shows at the pavilion’s main stage. Families and friends can indulge in delicious Indian flavours at a wide range of restaurants and kiosks. 

Dubai Festival City Mall will host a double bill of spectacular Diwali celebrations with two Bollywood-themed performances by the shopping destination’s record-breaking IMAGINE show.

Taking place each day starting 6:30 pm, the attraction will stage a performance of ‘Hathi’s Garden’, which tells the heartwarming story of a baby elephant, along with a stunning rendition of ‘Jai Ho’, the pop song featured in the movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’.
 
The Pointe on the Palm Jumeirah will join this year’s Diwali festivities with an incredible performance by the world’s largest dancing fountain, The Palm Fountain, and fireworks show on November 13.

This year, Diwali coincides with Dubai Design Week, offering those celebrating the festival as well as residents and tourists the chance to explore some of the best contemporary designs and interior furnishings available anywhere in the region.

Held at Dubai Design District (d3) from November 9-14, Dubai Design Week turns the spotlight on the region’s design scene under the theme of redefining and reimagining the way we will live in the near and distant future, all taking place within a safe open-air setting.
 
Shoppers looking for unique household items, clothes, cosmetics and jewellery this Diwali will find these things and much more at the Ripe Market at Academy Park. The weekly event coincides with this year’s Diwali celebrations.
 
Visitors to the Bloomingdale’s store in The Dubai Mall can grace the front page of their own edition of Filmfare, one of Bollywood’s most prestigious film publications, from 1 to 14 November with a great in-store activation. 
 
Dubai’s resident theatrical and acrobatic stage show, La Perle is a great choice for residents and visitors looking to celebrate Diwali in spectacular fashion with twice-daily shows, at 6:30 pm and at 9:30 pm.

Al Seef, the creekside retail and leisure destination, will welcome residents and visitors to its very own ‘Festival of Lights’ from November 12-21.

Families can enjoy a range of exclusive offers on dining, hotels stay, entertainment and shopping in the Al Seef souq throughout Diwali as well as a series of special Bollywood-themed live shows at the venue’s open-air stage area. During the celebrations, shoppers can also win one of the 20 family staycations when they spend AED 200 at Al Seef.

RETAIL:

Residents and visitors can also look forward to special raffle draws, gold and jewellery promotions as well as exciting retail offers during the Diwali festivities in Dubai.