Fifty-four years ago, six emirates came together to form a country. Each December 2nd, the UAE marks that moment with fireworks across multiple locations, parades through key districts, and cultural programmes throughout the long weekend.
The day is officially called Eid Al Etihad, or Union Day, though most still refer to it as National Day. In 2025, the private and public sector takes December 1st and 2nd as holidays. With the standard weekend falling on Saturday and Sunday, this creates a four-day break that gets busy across the country. Hotels book out early and restaurants get flooded with bookings. Popular spots get crowded hours before the fireworks begin.
Here are the locations worth considering.
Burj Khalifa and Downtown Dubai
The most photographed location gets the largest numbers. Fireworks launch around the tower whilst the façade plays a synchronised LED light show featuring the UAE flag and portraits of the founding fathers, with the Dubai Fountain timed to match. The mix makes this the most elaborate of the city's celebrations.
The tradeoff is density. Downtown Dubai can feel overwhelming during big events, with Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard and the areas around the Dubai Mall reaching capacity well before the display begins. If you're set on this location, arrive in the early afternoon and accept that leaving afterwards takes time. Dubai Mall becomes a central gathering point throughout the day. The fireworks usually start around 9pm, though this is yet to be confirmed.
Rooftop bars and restaurants in Business Bay offer the Burj Khalifa view without the Downtown rush, though bookings fill weeks in advance and some venues apply minimum spends during events.
Bluewaters Island and The Beach, JBR
The waterfront display at Bluewaters starts at 9pm and gets numbers that, whilst substantial, stay more manageable than Downtown. JBR’s The Walk and The Beach both offer clear sightlines. The pedestrian bridge connecting Bluewaters to the mainland is particularly good for views.
The atmosphere here is more relaxed. Families spread out along the sand, and the walk back to parking or the tram afterwards moves reasonably.
Dubai Festival City Mall
The 8pm show here is convenient for families with younger children who can’t manage a 9pm show. Festival Bay combines fireworks with the IMAGINE show of lasers and water projections. The mall’s waterfront setting means spaces fill quickly, but the surrounding area has enough dining options to make an evening of it.
Global Village
Three consecutive nights of fireworks take place here, December 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, at 9pm each evening. The December 1st and 2nd shows include drone displays alongside fireworks, and the park has theatrical performances and cultural shows throughout the evenings.
The multiday schedule works in your favour. Most people head to city locations on December 2nd itself, so going on December 1st or 3rd means smaller crowds.
Al Seef
Al Seef sits along Dubai Creek, a waterfront development built to recreate old Dubai. The architecture is modelled on the fishing villages and trading posts that lined the Creek before the city became what it is now. Fireworks launch over the water at 9pm, and watching here feels different from the modern locations.
Fewer people attend compared to JBR or Downtown, and the atmosphere ties the celebration to something older than the UAE itself.
Hatta
Altitude and quiet are what Hatta offers, something Dubai can’t match. The mountain location has fireworks at 8pm. The drive takes around 90 minutes from central Dubai, but arriving early allows time to explore the heritage village, Hatta Dam, and the surrounding landscape before the show begins.
Crowds here are minimal. Families willing to make a day trip of it get more than fireworks. They get a different environment entirely from Dubai’s urban waterfront.
If You’re in Abu Dhabi Instead
Abu Dhabi has its own fireworks. Yas Island waterfront and Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental both start at 9pm. Yas Marina works well if you’re already at the theme parks. Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental gets busy along the Corniche, but the show is worth seeing.
Beyond Fireworks
National Day (Eid Al Etihad, or Union Day) isn't only about fireworks.
The Eid Al Etihad Parade usually takes off on December 1st, often along Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard in Downtown or at City Walk. Police units, heritage performers, and community groups march through and families with children come for the brass bands, traditional dress, and flag-waving.
Cultural events, traditional craft workshops, and performances of dances like Al Ayallah and Al Harbiya happen throughout the weekend at Al Shindagha Museum and Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood. They tie the celebrations to Emirati culture in settings designed for it.
From late November through December 2nd, Expo City Dubai also has a lineup of Union Day events. The Al Wasl Dome hosts themed light shows, live concerts, and cultural performances. It feels more future-focused than the heritage sites, using the projection technology that made the venue famous during Expo 2020.
Near Umm Suqeim Beach, the UAE Flag Garden plants thousands of flags in patterns where children can run around.
Malls and hotels capitalise on the long weekend with sales, promotions, and themed brunches.
Honouring the Founding Vision
National Day in Dubai is more than fireworks lighting up the sky. The celebration shows how the UAE holds history and ambition in equal measure.
The fireworks that echo across the city belong to everyone watching them. Where you stand doesn't change what they mark: six emirates that chose to become one country, and fifty-four years of building towards what comes next. The day means watching a nation that refuses to choose between preserving what it was and pursuing what it wants to become.
That story continues, and every December 2nd, the entire country pauses to acknowledge it.
