Dubai Shopping Festival offers VAT-free promotion to ring in new year

Participating outlets include Birkenstock, Call It Spring, Athlete's Co and more

Now in its 27th year, Dubai Shopping Festival will run until the end of January. Photo: DSF

Shoppers looking for a good bargain this season can take advantage of the Dubai Shopping Festival’s VAT-free promotion, which started on Monday and runs until next Sunday.

This means anyone who purchases any items online or in-store from Club Apparel brands and 6thStreet.com will get the VAT covered by the store.

Brands taking part include ACO Price, Aeropostale, Aldo, Aldo Accessories, Anne Klein, Ardene, Athlete's Co, BBZ, Beverly Hills Polo Club, Birkenstock, Call It Spring, Calvin Klein, CCC, Charles & Keith, Crocs, Dune London, HEMA Amsterdam, Herschel, Hush Puppies, Inglot, La Vie En Rose, Lakeland, LC Waikiki, Levi's, Moreschi, Naturalizer, Nautica, Nine West, R&B, Rituals, Skechers, Skyzone, The Children's Place, Tommy Hilfiger and Toms.

Now in its 27th year, DSF will run until the end of January. Expect shopping deals, concerts, nightly shows, family entertainment, outdoor markets and pop-up dining. There will also be a programme of events at Expo 2020 Dubai to coincide with the event.

On December 15, the festival opened with a concert performance by Emirati-Yemeni pop star Balqees Fathi and Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki at Burj Park, with more than 5,000 people in attendance.

• 

  Balqees Fathi performs at the Dubai Shopping Festival opening at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai. All photos: Ruel Pableo for The National

• 

  The Emirati-Yemeni singer is known for her melodious but powerful vocals.

• 

  Fans enjoying the DSF opening concert.

• 

  Balqees is a regular and popular performer at UAE events.

• 

  Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki was the other act at the concert.

• 

  More than 5,000 people were at the event.

• 

  The performances were accompanied by vibrant lights and special effects.

• 

  A view of Burj Park on the opening day of DSF.

• 

  Food trucks and stands at Burj Park.

• 

  A food truck by celebrity chef CznBurak.

• 

  Dubai Shopping Festival runs until January 30.

Also setting the tone for the event were a plethora of performance artists, augmented reality stage shows, dancing fountains and a vibrant light show at Burj Khalifa, proving that DSF has evolved to become so much more than a retail event.

This year, for instance, shoppers and visitors to the various participating malls and outlets across Dubai can also enjoy daily fireworks displays, outdoor markets, pop-up dining venues and a number of other live concerts for the 47-day duration of DSF.

"Over the years, DSF has played a significant role in growing Dubai’s reputation as one of the best cities to live in, work and visit by showcasing its breadth of offers from shopping and cultural experiences to world-class dining and entertainment," said Ahmed AlKhaja, chief executive of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment.

"This year, the packed calendar of DSF events not only demonstrates our ability to safely welcome visitors from across the world, but supports domestic tourism and further strengthens our position as a global retail destination."

– This article was first published on December 24, 2021