The UAE will have a 6-day-long Eid al-Adha weekend

The UAE has confirmed Eid al-Adha dates — June 27th to June 30th will be a paid holiday both for the private and public sectors. This will be followed by Saturday and Sunday, so most residents will have 6 days off.

Eid al-Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice, is the second and larger of the two major holidays celebrated in Islam (the other being Eid al-Fitr). The celebration of Eid al-Adha marks Prophet Ibrahim’s devotion to Allah and his readiness to sacrifice his son Ismail. Although Eid-al-Adha is not directly related to the Hajj Pilgrimage, it falls on the day after the completion of the Hajj and is therefore significant in time.

As part of the celebrations, fireworks will take place across the entire emirate. For instance, on June 29th, Dubai Festival City Mall will hold fireworks and the IMAGINE show with water, lights and lasers. The extravaganza will start at 8pm and the entry will be free-of-charge. Dubai Parks and Resorts will host a series of firework shows over 5 days from June 27th to July 1st. Please note that you have to buy a ticket to enter the theme park.

One of the emirate’s major community malls, called Arabian Center, has partnered with the Dubai Shopping Malls Group for a special Eid al-Adha promotion. It will allow the participants to win up to AED 200K (USD 54K). Shoppers can take part in a raffle by making a minimum purchase of AED 200 (USD 54) in any of 18 malls, including Al Barsha Malls, Century Mall, Dubai Outlet Mall, and others. The full list can be found on the Dubai Shopping Malls Group website. The campaign is going on from June 15th up to the 2nd day of Eid.