Dubai plays host to some of the major global events as well as local festivals that are held annually and are huge crowd pullers.

January

Dubai Shopping Festival January 2013 Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) takes place every winter with its mammoth array of discounts, competitions, prizes, fireworks and entertainment. DSF offers amazing shopping discounts, attracting holiday makers from around the globe keen on grabbing a bargain. Visit website for more info

Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon January 2013 The Standard Chartered Dubai Marathon and Dubai Half Marathon have been held in the city since the year 2000 under the patronage of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. It is one of the first sporting events on the city’s calendar, occurring at the end of January, taking advantage of the cooler winter temperatures. Visit website for more info

February

Dubai International Jazz Festival 14 February - 22 February 2013 The Skywards Dubai International Jazz Festival celebrated its 10th year of spectacular live entertainment at its NEW HOME AT DUBAI FESTIVAL CITY. The Festival featured a chilled atmosphere with comfortable seating and seating-free zones and alongside a specially created Food & Beverage zone by InterContinental Hotel-Dubai Festival City hosting 27 international bands and attracting a large crowd topping 46,000 fans throughout 9 nights! Visit website for more info

Dubai Pet Show February 2012 Most established consumer event in the UAE – the Annual Pedigree & Whiskas Dubai Pet Show at 7HE SEVENS stadium! at 8:00 am onwards. Visit website for more info

Dubai Desert Classic February 2013 The Omega Dubai Desert Classic - a premier European Tour event which features a star-studded field led by Tom Watson, Lee Westwood and defending champion Rory McIlory among other big guns sponsored by Omega. Tickets can be purchased online. Visit website for more info

The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships February 2013 The 20th anniversary are in full flow as Dubai gets set to once again welcome 8 of the world’s top ten women’s players and 6 of the top ten men’s players to centre court where they will vie for the title and a share of the USD$4 million total prize purse. Visit website for more info

March

Dubai International Boat Show March 2013 Welcome to the world’s most anticipated marine event. World premieres, regional launches, leading superyacht builders, Supercar Promenade, family area, awards ceremonies, VIP packages, media opportunities, live entertainment… all set within a stunning backdrop of the Dubai skyline. Visit website for more info

Dubai World Cup March 2012 The Dubai World Cup has emerged as a leading Horse Racing Betting event on the World stage and each year the festival goes from strength to strength. The racing in Dubai attracts the very best horses from the UK, South Africa, Australia and the US and as such can be regarded as a real world class event. Visit website for more info

June

Dubai Summer Surprises 14 June - 14 July, 2012 The concept of DSS was largely based on launching promotional campaigns and organizing family entertainment activities to attract families of diverse nationalities to Dubai over the summer. This was done with the cooperation of the private and government sectors and eventually, DSS became the biggest and the only such event in the region providing the right combination of shopping, winning, and entertainment. Visit website for more info

July

Ramadan Dates TBC Ramadan is the Muslim festival of fasting and is the most important festival in the Islamic Calendar which is celebrated by Muslims all over the world. The arrival of the crescent moon in the night sky signals the start of 30 days of fasting during which Muslims don't eat, drink or smoke during the day, eating all their meals before sunrise and after sunset.

October

Cityscape Global 02 - 04 October 2012 For more than a decade, Cityscape Global has been the annual meeting point for key real estate investors, developers, regional and city investment promotion authorities, architects, designers and other real estate professionals to drive growth in real estate investment and development across emerging markets globally. Visit website for more info

GITEX Shopper October 2012 GITEX ShopperTM is the biggest and the best consumer electronics retail platform with power retailers and world class brands. This unique fast-paced consumer event attracts a huge buying audience that includes IT professionals, technology enthusiasts, students and consumers as well as regional traders searching for the latest tech-innovations and shopping deals Visit website for more info

GITEX Technology Week 14 - 18 October 2012 Technology buyers visit GITEX TECHNOLOGY WEEK to source the right products and solutions to deliver continual innovation and transformation for their businesses. At the forefront of the region’s ICT development, GITEX is a pivotal event for over 3,500 international and regional exhibitors each year. Your market is covered as the exhibition attracts senior executives and more than 136,000 ICT professionals from over 135 countries covering a targeted framework of vertical sectors each year. Visit website for more info

Eid Al-Adha Dates TBC (Festival of Sacrifice) One of the two main Islamic festivals (the other is 'Id al-Fitr), this festival falls on the 10th day of the lunar month of Zul-Hijja and is the concluding act of pilgrimage to Makkah. In commemoration of Abraham's faith, sheep, goats and camels are offered to God, and the meat is distributed to the poor and needy. 'Id al-Adha is observed whether or not one is on pilgrimage.

December

Dubai International Film Festival Dates TBA Dubai has joined the ranks of the world's premier film festivals with the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF). Showcasing a wide selection of features, shorts and documentaries from around the world, submissions come from more than 100 countries