Dubai will host a series of light, laser and drone shows during the 32nd edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival. The programme will run nightly from December 5, 2026, to January 17, 2027, along the waterfront between Jumeirah Beach Residence (JBR) and Bluewaters Island, featuring two drone shows set to music.

According to What’s On, the event, titled the DSF Light Show, will return in a new format combining animation, dynamic lighting, laser projections on buildings, and audiovisual effects.

According to the announced schedule, the shows will take place every night from Saturday, December 5, 2026, to Sunday, January 17, 2027, between 19:30 and 22:30 UAE time.

Laser Projections on Jumeirah Beach Residence Towers

One of the programme’s main features is the use of laser mapping technology on building façades, allowing images and visual effects to be synchronised with the architecture of the towers.

The façades of several towers at Jumeirah Beach Residence will be illuminated with laser projections. Lighting equipment will also be installed along the Jumeirah Beach Residence waterfront and the Bluewaters Island promenade.

Another key element will be a floating platform equipped with advanced spotlights and laser technology, positioned in the waters between the two areas.

The visual effects will be synchronised with music and lighting to create a series of multimedia displays along the waterfront.

Two Drone Shows Every Night

In addition to the laser displays, two drone shows set to music will take place in the skies above the area each night.

According to an official announcement by the organisers, the nightly programme will also feature a laser show synchronised to music and projections on selected buildings.

Visitors will be able to watch the shows from both sides of the waterfront, at The Beach in Jumeirah Beach Residence and along the Bluewaters Island promenade.

The programme has been designed to offer spectators different views of the illuminated buildings, floating platform and aerial displays, depending on where they are positioned along the two sides of the waterfront.

The nightly programme will run from 19:30 to 22:30, although the initial announcement did not specify separate timings for the two drone shows.

Shows to Feature in the 45-Day Dubai Shopping Festival

The programme is part of the 32nd edition of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF), which will begin on December 4, 2026, and continue until January 17, 2027.

This year’s festival will run for 45 days and, in addition to the light and drone shows, will feature live concerts, shopping discounts, family activities and entertainment events across the city.

Opening events will include a concert by Rashed Al Majed on December 4 and a performance by Steve Aoki on December 5 at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena.

The festival is organised by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.