UAE calendar
Public holidays, school term dates and the events worth planning around. Next up: Dubai Fitness Challenge 2026, 31 Oct – 29 Nov.
Oct 2026
Nov 2026
- Nov2ADIPECGlobal energy trade show at ADNEC, Abu Dhabi.
- Nov3Dubai Design Week 2026A free design festival with installations, talks and a market
- Nov5Downtown Design 2026The design fair inside Dubai Design Week
- Nov6Dubai Racing Carnival Opening NightMeydan's racing season returns, with a DJ after the last race.
- Nov7Dubai Stand Up Paddle 2026Free paddleboarding on Hatta Dam
- Nov8Emaar Dubai Premier Padel P1The world's top padel pairs, eight days at Hamdan Sports Complex.
- Nov10Automechanika DubaiAutomotive aftermarket trade show, first year at Expo City.
- Nov12DP World Tour ChampionshipGolf's season finale decides the Race to Dubai.
- Nov13Dubai T100 TriathlonWomen's pro triathlon and amateur races around Al Mamzar.
- Nov19World Art DubaiAffordable art fair: buy direct from artists and galleries.
- Nov21DP World ILT20Six franchise teams, a month of evening T20 cricket.
- Nov22Dubai Run 2026Free 5km and 10km runs on Sheikh Zayed Road
- Nov23Big 5 GlobalThe region's biggest construction trade show, at DWTC.
- Nov25Dubai International Boat ShowSuperyachts and new launches at the 32nd edition.
- Nov27HYROX DubaiIndoor fitness race, two days
- Nov27Emirates Dubai 7s 2026Three days of international rugby and music
- Nov29Dubai Yoga 2026The free closing event of the Fitness Challenge; venue not announced
Dec 2026
- Dec2Eid Al EtihadNational Day, three days off
- Dec4Dubai Shopping FestivalCitywide sales, fireworks, raffles and concerts, 32nd edition.
- Dec7GITEX Global 2026The world's largest technology show
- Dec14School winter breakTwenty-one days at home
- Dec18Festive Friday at MeydanChristmas-themed race night at Meydan.
- Dec31Corporate tax deadlineFor years ending 31 March 2026
Jan 2027
- Jan1New Year's DayPublic holiday
- Jan17Dubai MarathonMarathon, 10km and a 4km fun run
- Jan21Hero Dubai Desert ClassicRolex Series golf, first two days free to watch.
- Jan22Fashion Friday at MeydanHats, outfits and racing on the Carnival's most stylish night.
Feb 2027
- Feb8Ramadan beginsSchools move to shortened hours · may moveExpected around Monday 8 February 2027 and subject to the moon sighting, so it can fall a day either side.
- Feb14Dubai Duty Free Tennis ChampionshipsWTA then ATP fortnight at the Aviation Club.
- Feb27Emirates Super SaturdayThe Dubai World Cup dress rehearsal at Meydan.
Mar 2027
- Mar8Eid Al FitrFive school days · may moveScheduled by the Ministry, but Eid depends on the moon sighting and can move by a day.
- Mar15GulfoodWorld Trade Centre and Expo City
- Mar27Dubai World CupMeydan, the 30th running
- Mar31Corporate tax deadlineFor years ending 30 June 2026
Apr 2027
- Apr5School spring breakNine days at home
- Apr9Art DubaiMadinat Jumeirah, previews from 7 April
- Apr9Dubai Esports and Games Festival17 days of gaming, esports and cosplay across Dubai. · may move
May 2027
- May3Arabian Travel MarketDWTC, next edition
- May15Eid Al AdhaFour days · may moveScheduled by the Ministry, but Eid depends on the moon sighting and can move by a day.
Jun 2027
- Jun6Hijri New YearPublic holiday · may moveDepends on the moon sighting and can move by a day.
Jul 2027
Oct 2027
Already happened
Sep 2026
Oct 2026
- Oct12School October breakNine days at home
- Oct22Dubai Fashion WeekDubai Design District, SS27/28
- Oct25British Airways restarts DubaiOne daily flight, down from three · may moveBritish Airways has targeted this date, not committed to it. It dropped an earlier 1 July restart on 2 June, so this one has already moved once — confirm directly with the airline before booking.
Nov 2026
How to read this calendar
Why some dates are marked as not confirmed
Islamic dates — Ramadan, both Eids and the Hijri New Year — follow the lunar calendar and are confirmed by moon sighting, not by a published schedule. The dates shown here are the astronomically expected ones, which is what every planner uses, but the official announcement comes a day or two before and can move the date by a day in either direction.
That matters most for Eid Al Fitr, where the difference decides whether a long weekend is four days or three. Treat an unconfirmed date as reliable for booking leave and unreliable for booking a flight home.
Which of these are actually days off
Only the public holidays. School breaks are days off for pupils and for the staff, not for everyone; an event is simply something happening in the city; and a tax filing deadline is a date you need rather than a day you get.
Private-sector holiday entitlement follows the Cabinet's annual announcement, and the private and public sectors do not always get identical days.
How UAE school terms work
UAE schools run a three-term year, with a long summer break, a shorter winter break around the turn of the year and a spring break. The Ministry of Education publishes the framework, and individual schools — particularly those on British, American and IB curricula — shift their own dates within it.
The breaks listed here follow the ministry calendar. Check your own school's published dates before booking anything, because a few days either side is common and entirely legitimate.
What the colours mean
Each entry takes the colour of the section it belongs to, so business dates, cultural dates, school dates and what's-on all read differently at a glance. Anything with a link goes to a full piece on that date.