- Festival Bay Season 3 opens on 24 October at Dubai Festival City Mall’s waterfront.
- Bay by Social returns with popular home-grown food concepts.
- Live concerts span regional and international acts; DSF Nights adds fireworks and family shows.
- A winter waterfront set-up brings markets, light trails and workshops.
- “Beyond Dubai” multimedia dome is slated for 2026 with a 270-degree screen.
Festival Bay Season 3 is back at Dubai Festival City Mall with food, music and waterfront vibes. It opens on 24 October and runs through the cooler months. Expect Bay by Social’s food line-up, concerts under the stars, DSF Nights weekends with fireworks, and a winter market feel by the water. There’s also a peek at a new 270-degree “Beyond Dubai” dome planned for 2026.
Dates and place
Festival Bay returns to the mall’s waterfront, which stays busy through winter evenings.
- Opening: 24 October 2025
- Location: Festival Bay, Dubai Festival City Mall
- What to expect: food stalls, concerts, weekend fireworks, and family shows
The season launches on Thursday, 24 October, bringing a mix of culture, food and entertainment to the bay side setting. The mall frames the water, so you get skyline views with every show.
Food: Bay by Social’s returning line-up
The Bay by Social pop-up brings back some well-known local names.
- Shawarma Abu Al Abid and Salties for savoury staples
- House of Pops for all-natural frozen treats
- Churros Factory for fried dough and sugar fixes
- Choco Berry Boutique for handcrafted chocolates
Each concept is selected to fit the shared, open-air vibe. It’s simple street food energy with Dubai polish, the sort of stuff you can eat standing while the stage lights warm up.
Related reading: how to stack rewards while you’re there. See our piece on Dubai Festival City’s Blue Rewards launch.
Concerts under the stars
Live acts will take over the waterfront stage through the season.
- Regional and international artists
- Genres across pop, rock and Arabic soul
- Night shows with the bay and skyline as the backdrop
Programming promises a varied bill, with big crowd-friendly sounds that work in the open air. The pitch is straightforward: music, water, city views, and a reason to stay late.
DSF Nights weekends
When Dubai Shopping Festival rolls in, Festival Bay adds extra sparkle.
- DSF Nights weekends with live concerts
- Dazzling fireworks
- Global, family-friendly shows
- Tied to seasonal shopping promos
DSF Nights stacks weekend line-ups with fireworks and stage acts while shoppers hunt deals inside. It’s the city’s winter rhythm: buy things, watch a show, then stare at fireworks you can feel in your ribs.
More UAE event picks this season: What The Food at Alserkal Avenue and Icons of Porsche in d3.
Winter waterfront experience
The bay area flips into a winter market set-up.
- Festive markets and glowing light trails
- Creative workshops
- Activities for all ages
- Open-air photo spots
This is the family section of the plan. Stroll the market, let the kids burn energy at workshops, and walk through lights that make your phone camera look better than it deserves.
“Beyond Dubai” dome (2026)
A new multimedia addition is on the horizon.
- Opening planned for 2026
- Dome design with a 270-degree screen
- Immersive light, sound and storytelling
The “Beyond Dubai” experience aims for full-surround visuals in a dedicated dome, blending global culture with local creativity. It’s meant to extend the bay beyond food and fireworks into a more permanent, sensorial attraction.
What the mall says
Al-Futtaim frames this season as part of a larger push to build experiences, not just retail.
- Focus on connection and discovery
- Raise the bar for how lifestyle destinations engage communities
- Built to delight guests and set new benchmarks
That’s the official line from Hayssam Hajjar, Executive Director, Regional Malls, Al-Futtaim Real Estate, who says the team wants to go “beyond traditional retail or entertainment” and make each visit a story. We’ll know soon enough once the first weekends kick off.
Plan your visit
Arrive early for evening shows, and leave space for food runs between sets. Check parking and rideshare pinch points; waterfront events get busy after sunset. If you’re shopping around the mall, the Blue Rewards programme can help you stack points during the festival run.
When does Festival Bay Season 3 start?
It opens on 24 October 2025.
Where is Festival Bay?
On the waterfront at Dubai Festival City Mall.
What food options are at Bay by Social?
Shawarma Abu Al Abid, Salties, House of Pops, Churros Factory and Choco Berry Boutique.
What is DSF Nights at Festival Bay?
Weekend programmes with concerts, fireworks and global family-friendly shows, tied to DSF season.
What is “Beyond Dubai” and when does it open?
A multimedia dome with a 270-degree screen planned for 2026.
