Eid-ul-Fitr Celebrations in Dubai – 2022

Eid Mubarak!

The celebration of Eid-ul-Fitr (Eid al Fitr) occurs at the conclusion to 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 dates for 2023 will move forward approximately 10 days with Eid ul Fitr expected to fall from 21 to 23 April 2023.

Ramadan in 2023 is expected to occur from 22 March to 21 April- confirmed by the moon sighting committee

Stay tuned for the exact dates to be announced – last year a full week of holidays was declared for Eid, but likely falling over a Saturday/Sunday in 2023 we’ll probably only see an extended weekend celebration.

What do I need to know as a visitor to Dubai during Eid?

Eid Al Fitr celebrates the Festival of the Breaking of 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 – which is 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 the month of Ramadan to help them practice self-control. Muslims will 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 important element of the Eid celebrations is giving money to the poor (known as ‘Zakat al-Fitr‘).

Gift-giving among family members is also commonplace. 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 really 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) as a result of a lot of local families choosing to staycation at this time of year.

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

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 8 to 11 July 2022.

Events during Eid Al Fitr in Dubai

We’re getting final confirmation still on expected fireworks to mark the occasion of Eid.

The usual places should all be back in business after a low key couple of years due to COVID safety measures and the need for social distancing.

You can expect regulars such as Dubai Mall – Burj Khalifa, Dubai Festival City, Palm Jumeirah the Pointe and JBR – Jumeirah Beach to be putting on special fireworks displays nightly over the Eid break, along with many other venues across town.

“Dry Night” in Dubai

During the religious occasion of Eid-al-Fitr, by order of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), bars and restaurants will cease selling alcohol from 6:30 pm on the last night of Ramadan. Service will resume on the second day of Shawwal.

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 in Dubai and the UAE with local shopping deals. Expect to bag a bargain at the shopping malls and get in early as crowds can become exceptionally busy later in the evenings.

Learn more about what’s happening in Dubai over Eid and May 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 deal” – you simply won’t!

Special offers that run at other times of the year are normally null and void over occasions such as Eid, and some venues even run differential pricing where the normal 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 this year, 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

Dates for the remainder of 2022:

• Arafat Day and Eid al Adha: 8 to 11 July 2022 TBC (4 days)
• Islamic New Year: 30 July 2022, observed Monday 1 August 2022
• Prophet Muhammed’s (PBUH) Birthday: 8 August, observed Monday 10 August 2022
• Commemoration Day: Tuesday, 1 December 2022
• UAE National Day: Wednesday, 2 December and Thursday, 3 December 2022

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

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