Dubai: Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), in its 28th edition, which has just drawn to a close, continues to create a positive impact on the city of Dubai and its retail sector. With a packed 46-day calendar which ran from 15 December 2022 through to 29 January 2023, the festival showcased the best that the city has to offer with exceptional experiences at malls and destinations across Dubai, including live music performances, art installations, shopping deals and many chances to win.  

Commenting on the 28th edition of DSF, Ahmed Al Khaja, CEO of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), said: “When Dubai Shopping Festival was first launched back in 1996, it was designed to provide opportunities for the retail sector, boost visitation, and enhance the quality of life for local citizens and residents. Today, 28 editions later, the festival is still achieving those goals - both in tangible ways, like the increase in footfall to malls citywide, and in intangible ways, like the enjoyment provided to the hundreds of thousands of visitors to DSF concerts, the daily fireworks and drone shows.  

“Staging the festival every year involves months of planning, and could not be achieved without the teams who work so hard to produce the event, and the unwavering support of our strategic partners from the private and public sectors. We are grateful to them for helping to ensure the ongoing success of the longest running festival of its kind anywhere in the world.”   

The festival also provided many exciting opportunities for small businesses, entrepreneurs and those working in the arts and culture industries. More than 690 performing artists, entertainers and musicians performed as part of DSF events and activations, and more than 174,000 people attended its concerts and events. A total of 122 local UAE SMEs had the chance to showcase their wares and reach new customers thanks to vendor opportunities at DSF pop-up markets including Etisalat MOTB at Dubai Design District (d3), Al Quoz Arts Festival, DSF Market at Al Seef and more, and more than 1,000 retail brands participated in the festival. 

DSF has long been known for its mega raffles and prizes, and this edition, 6,534 lucky winners took home prizes valued at a total of AED 53,348,641 - including everything from kilos of gold, to a brand new Nissan Patrol XE and an apartment in Downtown Dubai. 

DSF also changed things up this year, with the addition of a new location. Dubai Design District (d3), a global hub of art, design, and creativity, hosted the art installation Sky Castle as part of the second edition of Dubai Lights, and became the new home for the much-loved Etisalat MOTB in its landmark 10th edition, which attracted its highest ever daily attendance levels with 136,000 visitors across 11 days.  

Dates for the 29th edition of Dubai Shopping Festival have also been announced. The festival will run from 15 December 2023 to 28 January 2024, offering incredible deals, innovative events, world-class entertainment and life-changing prizes.