Dubai’s 2026-27 winter season is now under way, and with it the best of the year’s outdoor activities. As of 12 October 2026, Dubai Miracle Garden (from 8 October), Dubai Parks and Resorts (from 7 October, after more than six months closed) and Dubai Safari Park (from 12 October) are open, and Global Village opens on Wednesday 14 October. Next up are the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Abu Dhabi on 30 October and the Dubai Fitness Challenge on 31 October. Two big names stay shut all winter: the Museum of the Future, until early 2027, and the Burj Al Arab, until around October 2027.
At a glance
- Open now
- Miracle Garden, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai Safari Park, Sharjah Safari, Hatta, Ain Dubai, Ripe Market
- Opens this month
- Global Village 14 October; Sheikh Zayed Festival 30 October; Dubai Fitness Challenge 31 October
- Big dates
- National Day 2 December; Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 3 to 6 December; Liwa Festival from 11 December
- Closed all winter
- Museum of the Future (until Q1 2027), Burj Al Arab (until about October 2027)
- Season length
- Most outdoor attractions run until late April or May 2027
Last checked: 12 October 2026. We recheck every status weekly until May and log each change at the bottom of the page.
On this page
How to read the status tables
- Open: open to visitors now, with the date it reopened.
- Opens: an opening date confirmed by the operator or organiser.
- Expected: it usually returns at this time, but this season’s dates have not been announced yet.
- Closed: not open this season, with the expected return.
Dubai: what is open this winter
| Attraction or event | Status | Season dates | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai Miracle Garden | Open | 8 October 2026 to 31 May 2027 | Season 15; resident and visitor prices differ |
| Dubai Parks and Resorts (Motiongate, Legoland, Real Madrid World, Riverland) | Open | From 7 October 2026 | Back after more than six months closed; Halloween events run into early November |
| Dubai Safari Park | Open | 12 October 2026 to the end of May 2027 | Season 8; tickets from AED 50 |
| Global Village | Opens 14 October | 14 October 2026 to May 2027 | Season 31; AED 25 weekdays, AED 30 weekends |
| Dubai Garden Glow | Open | Evenings, closed Tuesdays | Now beside Dubai Frame at Zabeel Park Gate 3 |
| Ain Dubai | Open | Year-round, 10am to 9pm | Reopened in spring 2026 after a precautionary closure |
| Dubai Fountain | Open | Daily shows | Free; boardwalk and lake ride are paid |
| Ripe Market, Academy Park | Open | Weekends, 10 October 2026 to 2 May 2027 | 15th season; 9am to 9pm Saturday and Sunday |
| Hatta Resorts and Hatta Wadi Hub | Open | From 28 September 2026 | Ninth season; new heritage trailers and lodges |
| Dubai Comedy Festival | On now | 9 to 18 October 2026 | Ticketed shows across the city |
| Dubai Fitness Challenge | Opens 31 October | 31 October to 29 November 2026 | Dubai Ride 1 November, Dubai Run 22 November |
| Expo City Dubai winter season | Expected | Late October or November | Last season ran 31 October 2025 to 2 May 2026 |
| Hatta Festival and #HattaWinter | Expected | December | The 2025 festival ran 5 to 28 December at Leem Lake |
| Christmas markets | Expected | December | Hotel and mall markets announce dates in November |
| Dubai Shopping Festival | Confirmed | 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027 | 45 days; full programme due in the coming weeks |
| New Year’s Eve fireworks | Confirmed date | 31 December 2026 | Burj Khalifa, Atlantis, Global Village and more |
Abu Dhabi: festivals and big events
| Event | Status | Dates | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abu Dhabi Festival | On now | 10 October to 19 December 2026 | Venues across Abu Dhabi |
| Al Dhafra Festival | Opens 27 October | 27 October 2026 to 13 January 2027 | Starts in Sweihan, then Madinat Zayed |
| Sheikh Zayed Festival | Opens 30 October | 30 October 2026 to 14 March 2027 | Al Wathba; 136 days of shows, food and fireworks |
| Mother of the Nation Festival | Announced | 28 November to 2 December in Al Dhafra and Al Ain, then the Corniche in December | Abu Dhabi Corniche dates to be confirmed |
| Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | Confirmed | 3 to 6 December 2026, race on Sunday 6 December | Yas Marina Circuit |
| Liwa International Festival | Confirmed | 11 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 | Tal Moreeb, Al Dhafra |
Sharjah and the northern emirates
| Attraction or event | Status | Dates | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharjah Safari | Open | From 21 September 2026 | Season 5; last safari tickets 1:30pm |
| Sharjah International Book Fair | Confirmed | 4 to 15 November 2026 | Expo Centre Sharjah, free entry; Oman is guest of honour |
| Sharjah Light Festival | Expected | February 2027 | The 2026 edition ran 3 to 15 February, free |
| RAK Art | Announced | 22 January to 14 February 2027 | Ras Al Khaimah’s art festival, held at Al Jazeera Al Hamra in 2026 |
| Umm Al Quwain Zoo | Open | Winter hours from October | Opens 8am; giraffe feeding |
| Ajman Festival Land | Check before you go | Season hours not yet published | Rides and games by Ajman Corniche |
Closed this winter
| Attraction | Closed since | Expected back | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Museum of the Future | September 2026 | First quarter of 2027 | All its main exhibitions are being replaced |
| Burj Al Arab | 15 April 2026 | Around October 2027 | An 18-month restoration, its first since opening in 1999 |
The outside of both buildings can still be seen and photographed. For the Burj Al Arab, the beach at Umm Suqeim and the Madinat Jumeirah waterways are the best free viewpoints.
Winter 2026-27 month by month
| Month | What happens |
|---|---|
| October | Miracle Garden, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Safari Park and Global Village open; school mid-term 12 to 16 October; Sheikh Zayed Festival from 30 October |
| November | Dubai Fitness Challenge; Dubai Ride 1 November; Sharjah Book Fair 4 to 15 November; DP World Tour Championship 12 to 15 November; Dubai Run 22 November; Emirates Dubai 7s 27 to 29 November |
| December | National Day 2 and 3 December; Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 3 to 6 December; Liwa Festival from 11 December; school winter break from 14 December; Christmas markets; New Year’s Eve fireworks |
| January | Liwa Festival ends 2 January; Dubai Shopping Festival until 17 January; RAK Art from 22 January; camping and desert season at its peak |
| February | Sharjah Light Festival (expected); Ramadan expected to begin around 8 February, when evening hours change |
| March | Eid Al Fitr expected 9 or 10 March; Sheikh Zayed Festival ends 14 March |
| April and May | Spring break 5 to 9 April; most outdoor attractions close for summer between late April and the end of May |
What is new this season
- Dubai Parks and Resorts is back after a closure of more than six months, with bowling and Lamborghini racing simulators added at Riverland.
- Dubai Safari Park launches a Royal Safari Experience for groups of up to 10 and counts 144 animal births from last season.
- Sharjah Safari adds behind-the-scenes tours and new arrivals, including six radiated tortoise hatchlings.
- Hatta adds two restored heritage trailers, the 1958 Coach and Route 1948, plunge pools at two Premier Lodges and, later in the season, Caravan Hatta by Our Habitas.
- Dubai Garden Glow has moved to Zabeel Park Gate 3, beside Dubai Frame, with a combined Dinosaur Park and Fantasy Park ticket.
- Ripe Market starts its 15th season at Academy Park with longer Sunday hours.
- Dubai Fitness Challenge reaches its 10th edition, with fitness villages at Zabeel Park, Al Warqa’a Park and Kite Beach.
Why this season’s status is worth checking
2026 has not been a normal year. In March 2026, several major attractions closed as a precaution during regional tensions. Global Village reopened on 20 April after about six weeks, Ain Dubai was back on sale by May, and Dubai Parks and Resorts stayed closed until October. Flight schedules across the Gulf have also changed at short notice this year. That is why every row on this page carries a status and a date, and why we recheck them weekly. If you are travelling to the UAE for a specific event, check your flight status and the organiser’s own channels in the days before you go.
Weather cue: October days are still around the mid-30s Celsius, so plan outdoor attractions for the evening. From November to March the weather is ideal all day, and from April the season winds down as the heat returns.
Every What’s On guide
| Guide | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Global Village Season 31 | Dates, tickets, timings, fireworks and tips |
| Global Village pavilions | Every pavilion and what to buy in each |
| Dubai Miracle Garden Season 15 | Tickets, timings and the displays |
| Dubai Garden Glow | The new location, Dinosaur Park and Fantasy Park |
| Dubai Fitness Challenge 2026 | Dubai Run, Dubai Ride, villages and sign-up |
| Sheikh Zayed Festival 2026-27 | Dates, timings, tickets and fireworks at Al Wathba |
| Expo City Dubai this winter | Winter City and what is open at Expo City |
| Marsa Boulevard | Season dates, timings and what is there |
| Liwa Festival 2026-27 | Moreeb Dune events and camping tips |
| Sharjah Light Festival 2027 | Dates, venues and show times |
| Weekend markets in Dubai and Abu Dhabi | Where, when and what to buy |
- UAE public holidays 2027: every long weekend for the year ahead.
- UAE school holidays 2026-27: mid-term, winter and spring breaks.
- Things to do in the UAE: the best of all seven emirates.
- UAE weather by month: when each kind of outing is at its best.
- Eid Al Adha 2027: expected holiday dates.
- Eid Al Fitr 2027: expected holiday dates.
Change log
- 17 October 2026: Dubai Shopping Festival dates confirmed, 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027.
- 12 October 2026: page created. Dubai Safari Park opens today; Global Village opens on 14 October. Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo City winter season, Hatta Festival and Sharjah Light Festival dates still to be announced.
What’s on FAQs
What is open in Dubai in October 2026?
Dubai Miracle Garden, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Dubai Safari Park, Ain Dubai, the Dubai Fountain, Hatta and the Ripe Market are open, and Global Village opens on Wednesday 14 October 2026.
When does the winter season start in Dubai?
The outdoor season starts in late September and October, when seasonal attractions reopen after the summer. Most run until late April or May.
Is the Museum of the Future open?
No. The Museum of the Future closed in September 2026 for a complete exhibition overhaul and is expected to reopen in the first quarter of 2027.
Is the Burj Al Arab closed?
Yes. The Burj Al Arab closed on 15 April 2026 for an 18-month restoration and is expected to reopen around October 2027.
When is the Dubai Shopping Festival 2026-27?
From 4 December 2026 to 17 January 2027, 45 days, as announced on 14 October 2026. The last edition ran from 5 December 2025 to 11 January 2026.
When does the Sheikh Zayed Festival 2026 open?
The Sheikh Zayed Festival opens on 30 October 2026 at Al Wathba in Abu Dhabi and runs for 136 days until 14 March 2027.
Is Dubai Parks and Resorts open again?
Yes. Dubai Parks and Resorts reopened on 7 October 2026 after more than six months closed, with Motiongate, Legoland, Real Madrid World and Riverland all back.