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Dubai Announces 12 Official Public Holidays for 2026

The official list of 12 holidays balances national observances with religious dates across public and private sectors.

By Dubai Culture Desk · Published 25 July 2026

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This article was written by AI from the linked sources and was not reviewed by a journalist before publishing. The Daily Dubai is part of The Daily Network and follows our reasonable editorial care.

Dubai Announces 12 Official Public Holidays for 2026 — AI-generated illustration

Dubai has 12 official public holidays scheduled for 2026. The calendar begins with New Year's Day on Thursday, January 1, and ends with UAE National Day on Wednesday, December 2 and Thursday, December 3.

Religious Observances in Early and Mid Year

Eid al-Fitr is listed for Friday, March 20 to Sunday, March 22, marking the end of Ramadan. Some references extend the period to include March 19. Arafat Day falls on Tuesday, May 26, with Eid al-Adha running from Wednesday, May 27 to Friday, May 29. These dates can combine with weekends to form longer breaks for residents.

Later Religious and Commemorative Dates

The Islamic New Year is set for Tuesday, June 16, though observance may shift to Monday, June 15 in some cases. Prophet Muhammad's Birthday is noted for Tuesday, August 25, with a possible move to Monday, August 24. Commemoration Day appears on Monday, November 30.

All listed holidays apply equally to public and private sector employees in Dubai. The dates come from compiled government-aligned sources that track both fixed national days and lunar calendar events subject to sighting adjustments.

These holidays allow workers across the city to plan time off in advance. The structure mixes one fixed international date, one national commemoration, and multiple religious observances that follow the Hijri calendar. Residents and businesses often align leave requests around clusters that create extended weekends.

Verification of exact observance days closer to each event remains standard practice because lunar dates can shift by one day. The full list supports annual scheduling for families, schools and workplaces throughout the emirate.

References Sourced but Not Limited to:

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