All of us love holidays! If one gets to take a little break from work, then who wouldn’t! Dubai’s residents from school going kids to working adults patiently look forward to the next holiday so that they can get a little break from their routine life and plan a hangout with their friends and family or travel abroad for a short trip to nearby countries. Since 2023 is just few months away, here are the public and private holidays you can expect in Dubai during 2023.
Dubai’s public holidays are spread out throughout the year to commemorate religious, historic, and special occasions. These are divided into two categories: annual fixed holidays such as the UAE National Day or the New Year holiday, and dates based on the Islamic (Hijri) calendar that vary based on moon sightings. Holidays like Eid and UAE National Day are great times to visit Dubai as the entire city gets into a celebratory festive spirit and hosts special events and celebrations. Tourists who wish to travel to Dubai during this time need to note that all public offices, federal organizations, and government offices remain closed during the public holidays in UAE.
The most recent public holiday that was celebrated in Dubai was the Prophet’s Birthday on October 8th, 2022. The next two big celebrations left for this year are Commemoration Day and UAE National Day. Commemoration Day is observed on November 30, with the public holiday falling on December 1 and the UAE National Day falls on December 2nd which usually has 2ndand 3rd as a holiday. This year, the 1st of December falls on a Thursday and Friday being the 2nd, which means that the residents of Dubai will most probably get a four-day weekend from Thursday to Sunday. This might be a great time for residents of Dubai to go on a vacation some place foreign and make the most out of this exciting long weekend.
Important dates in Dubai during 2023:
• 18 February (Saturday): Leilat al- Meiraj
• 23 March (Wednesday): start of Ramadan
• 20 June (Tuesday): Hajj season begins
• 28 June (Wednesday): Arafat Day
Public Holidays in Dubai during 2023:
There are 13 official public holidays in the UAE. Here is a list of all the public holidays that await you in the upcoming year of 2023:
• New Year’s Day, January 1
• Eid al-Fitr: April 22, 23 and 24
• Arafat Day: June 27
• Eid al-Adha: June 28, 29, 30
• Islamic New Year: July 19
• The Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday: September 27
• Commemoration Day: December 1
• National Day: December 2, 3
The first public holiday of 2023 is the New Year’s Day, which is on a Sunday meaning the holiday will come under the weekend itself. Next is the Eid al-Fitr holiday, which is expected to fall on April 20, 21, 22 and 23. It marks the beginning of the Islamic month of Shawwal and starts on the first day after the month-long fasting and prayer during the month of Ramadan. Then comes Arafat Day, the second day of the week-long Hajj pilgrimage, which is set to take place on June 27. Arafat Day is directly followed by Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice. It is one of the most important days in the Muslim calendar, and is expected to be celebrated on June 28, 29 and 30. Which could mean that residents of Dubai might get a total five-day break if you include the weekend of July 1 and 2. The confirmed dates for both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha might vary and will be announced according to relevant moon sightings.
July 19 will be a public holiday to mark the Islamic New Year that falls on the first day of the month Muharram – the first month on the Islamic lunar calendar. The Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday follows that, with a public holiday falling on September 27. After that comes the commemoration Day which falls on November 30th, but the public holiday will be on December 1 along with the National Day holidays on December 2 and December 3. With that, 2023’s public holidays in Dubai come to an end.
Eid Al- Fitr is one of the biggest public holidays in UAE, which marks the end of the month of Ramadan. The month of Ramadan is the most sacred month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims worldwide fast from dawn till dusk to get closer to Allah and practice self-discipline, self-control, and generosity. It allows Muslims to reflect on their relationship with Allah and strive to improve it. The Eid comes as a gift for Muslims for fasting for the entire month. It begins the day after the sighting of the crescent moon so the dates can only be estimated at the moment and may vary by a day or two. The private sector, public sector, and government departments will remain closed from the 29th of Ramadan until Shawwal 3 according to the Islamic calendar, except emergency services or some other offices which have some essential services to do will remain open. Workers are entitled to leave during Eid-al-Fitr, and transport services and shopping malls tend to have extended hours. There also tend to be celebratory firework displays, and families and friends meet to exchange gifts.
Private Holidays in Dubai:
Holidays for the private sector is the same as the public holidays though some private companies may prefer to give a less number of days than public holidays. The private holidays also include the holidays and vacations of schools in Dubai. These are the tentative dates for school holidays in 2023. (Dates may vary once school calendar is released)
School Holidays for schools starting from (Apr- Mar)
• 20 March- 3 April: Spring Break
• 27 June- 31 August: Summer break
• 15 Dec – 1 Jan: Winter Break
School Holidays for schools starting from (September- July)
• 27 March- 14 April: Spring Break
• 27 June- 1st July: Summer Break
• 13 Dec- 2nd Jan: Winter Break
* Dates may vary once the school calendar for 2023-2024 is released.
Keep an eye on Dubai Calendar to be aware of all the happenings in Dubai during 2023. If you’re planning a vacay early in advance refer to the public holiday dates above to help you plan better.