Eid-ul-Fitr Fireworks and Celebrations in Dubai in March/April 2025

Eid Mubarak!

The celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr in Dubai (also called Eid al-Fitr) occurs at the conclusion of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The dates this special occasion will fall on will be determined by moon sighting; however, the exact days the public and private sectors will take as holidays in Dubai will be confirmed by the UAE Government.

The Dubai Eid ul Fitr public holiday in 2025 is expected to occur from approximately 29 March to 2 April 2025 – to be confirmed by the moon sighting committee and Government accouncements

Stay tuned for the exact dates to be announced (could we get the whole week as a public holiday this year?) and special attractions for 2025; NB some events listed below may still refer to 2024.

What Do I Need to Know as a Visitor to Dubai During Eid?

Eid Al Fitr celebrates the Festival of Breaking the Fast. From Ramadan 29 (or 30) to Shawwal 3 (the 10th month on the Hijri calendar), Muslims around the world mark the end of “saum”—daytime fasting—one of the five pillars of Islam.

Eid al-Fitr is a festival for Muslims to show gratitude to Allah (God) for the help and strength he gave them throughout Ramadan to help them practice self-control. Muslims gather in mosques or open spaces and offer two units of prayer called “Rakat.” The prayers are followed by a sermon in which the Imam asks for forgiveness, mercy, and peace for every being across the world.

You can learn more about Muslim Prayer times and religious observances in Dubai here.

Along with exchanging Eid greetings and feasting with family, another essential element of the Eid celebrations is giving money to the poor (known as ‘Zakat al-Fitr‘).

Gift-giving among family members is also commonplace. It’s not quite like Christmas for Christians, but along the same lines of giving and receiving. Commonly referred to as Eidi, elders give children money or gifts to mark the occasion.

There is nothing specific visitors to Dubai need to observe during Eid. However, it’s important to note it can be a very busy time of year, and hotel prices can rise (immensely) due to many local families choosing to stay at this time of year.

The polite greeting to use at this time with any Muslim friends and acquaintances is “Eid Mubarak”.

Eid-Ul-Fitr Dubai Dates

As mentioned, religious dates are subject to moon sightings, and the Hijri calendar moves against the Gregorian calendar you are probably familiar with by about ten days every year.

To help you plan a little, here are the expected Eid Ul-Fitr public holiday dates for the next few years. They are marked by public holidays in Dubai and the UAE from the last day of Ramadan and three days thereafter.

The number of days taken as public holidays is at the discretion of the UAE government (and dates don’t always align for the private and public sectors). You can usually expect a minimum of 4 days, including the weekend.

The whole week has been declared a few times in the past, allowing some government sector employees and schools as many as nine days off! Because many schools in Dubai will already be on Spring break during Eid ul Fitr, and in 2024 a whole week was previously granted, we suspect that we’ll just get a 5-day long weekend in 2025 (from Saturday, 29th March to Wednesday, 2 April) – but you never know until the last minute!

Confused over which Eid?

There are, in fact, two Islamic celebrations called “Eid”. The second Eid, which is actually the holier of the two Eid’s celebrated by Muslims around the world, is Eid-al-Adha – Festival of the Sacrifice. 

Eid Al Adha occurs on the 10th day of Dhu Al Hijjah, which is the 12th and final month in the Hijri (Islamic) calendar. A minimum of 4 days is observed as a public holiday in the UAE.

Arafat Day and Eid Al Adha are expected to fall from 5 to 8 June 2025.

Events During Eid Al Fitr in Dubai

Eid Fireworks in Dubai

This listing is still for 2024; please come back in early March when we will have details for 2025!

One of the most anticipated events of Eid for families is catching some festive fireworks. There are plenty of locations across the city where you can join the action.

• Bluewaters Island will be celebrating on Saturday, April 22 at 9:00 PM
• Dubai Festival City gives a fabulous festive backdrop over Dubai Creek for fireworks
• Dubai Parks and Resorts Riverland in Jebel Ali will be lighting up the sky for theme park fans at a respectable 7:00 PM for your littles, and a further show at 9:00 PM on Saturday, 22 April
• Etisalat Beach Canteen (on Jumeirah Beach, behind Sunset Mall) – events on all afternoon from 4:00 PM with fireworks on 21 April at 9:00 PM
• Expo City Dubai continues to impress with its entertainment offering post-Expo and will be a great spot to enjoy Eid Fireworks for free
• Global Village – open throughout Eid with extended hours 6:00 PM to 2:00 AM, enjoy the last of this seasonal spectacular with a fireworks celebration at 9:00 PM on Friday and Saturday, 21/22 April 2023.
• Palm Jumeirah and the Pointe – with Atlantis as your backdrop (TBC 2023)

Nb, as is traditional, public parking is free on special public holidays like Eid. Be aware of just how busy some areas will be during Eid events in Dubai, and aim to take public transport where possible to avoid congestion on the roads.

Is Eid a “Dry Night” in Dubai?

During the religious occasion of Eid-al-Fitr, the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) previously requested that bars and restaurants cease selling alcohol from 6:30 p.m. on the last night of Ramadan, with service resuming on the second day of Shawwal.

No such announcement was made in the past three years; we suspect this rule to be abolished, although not formally communicated, so there will be no more “dry nights” for religious occasions in the emirate of Dubai.

You can learn more about Dubai’s alcohol rules here.

Offers and Shopping Deals for Eid Al Fitr in Dubai

Aside from the religious aspects of Eid, this holiday is also synonymous with local shopping deals in Dubai and the UAE. Expect to bag a bargain at the shopping malls and get in early, as crowds can become exceptionally busy later in the evenings. Some malls even remain open for 24 hours over the peak of Eid celebrations!

Learn more about what’s happening in Dubai over Eid and April here.

Eid Holidays in Dubai

Due to the extended break, this is a precious time of year for many families to come together, and locally, staycations are hot business! This means resorts and hotels in Dubai and the UAE see their highest demand levels of the year, and prices are set at absolute top dollar.

Do not come to Dubai at Eid asking, “where can I get a great Eid deal?” – you simply won’t! This is when hoteliers cash in.

Special offers that run at other times of the year are normally null and void over occasions such as Eid. Some venues even run differential pricing, where the average online and counter prices are temporarily raised to keep up with demand.

We’ve tried to shop around for you to help spot these deals, but they’re few and far between, sorry! Here’s what we’ve found so far in Dubai Eid Holiday deals – we’ll update this if anything last-minute pops up.

Further Public Holidays Still to Come in Dubai and the UAE

If you’re a forward planner, you may also be interested in the following public holiday dates in the UAE for the remainder of 2025:

• Arafat Day and Eid al Adha: 5 June to 8 June 2024 TBC (4 days)
• Islamic New Year: 27 June 2025 (not always a public holiday)
• Prophet Muhammed’s (PBUH) Birthday: 5 September 2024 (not always a public holiday)
• Commemoration Day: 30 November (not always a public holiday)
• UAE Union (National) Day: 2 December 3 December 2025 (likely 30 November to 3 December long weekend)

You can find a full listing of Dubai’s public holidays and school holidays here