Hold on to your hats; we’ve got news for you! Are you ready? Get ready for the most fun-filled experience that you’ve ever had! The 27th edition of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2025 starts on June 27. Yes, summer is here, and friends and kids are at home for their summer holidays. Where do all the GCC residents head for a summer holiday? Dubai, where else? DSS turns the host city into the coolest ever haunt this summer thanks to its amazing theme parks, massive malls, extraordinary entertainment venues, stylish hotels, etc. The best thing is that most of the city’s attractions drop prices with promotions and deals. Attending DSS is one of the best things to do in Dubai during the summer. So are you ready yet?
What Is DSS?
Since you felt the need to ask, we’ll explain. DSS is the summer edition of the immensely popular Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). It is a mega-event organized by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism). Every commercial entity, like theme parks, malls, and hotels slash prices and roll out multiple deals, offering lots of groovy family fun, and tons of freebies! DSS 2025 is all lined up to transform Dubai into a summer oasis of endless delights. What does DSS 2025 have for the locals and visitors of Dubai this year?
Dubai Summer Surprise 2025 Details
Aren’t you curious now? Here are the details you want to know about the upcoming DSS:
1. When is it?
Dubai Summer Surprises begins on Friday, June 27 until Sunday, August 31, 2025
2. What is the venue?
DSS is a citywide event.
So what’s afoot during DSS 2025?
With over 500 brands and about 4,000 outlets participating in the event, DSS 2025 kicks off with anirresistible sale at various malls such as City Centre Al Shindagha, City Centre Deira, City Centre Me’Aisem, City Centre Mirdif, and Mall of the Emirates. Starting at 10:00 hrs and continuing till 22:00 hrs, it allows you to bag up to 90% off on your favorite merchandise. Theunbeatable offers are not limited to apparel, electronics, and food but also on gold and precious stones across jewellery shops in Dubai. There’s more! Shop at selected malls and you can end up with a chance to get access to big raffles and prize draws if you meet the required spending mark.
You can also be part of the special inaugural shows held at the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Festival City Mall (the Imagine Show), and the Palm Fountain (at the Pointe). Attractions and experiences are not just limited to this; there are plenty of things to do in Old Dubai as well. Moreover, you can make the most of raffle draws, and daily surprises throughout the event. Shoppers have the opportunity to win luxury cars, gold, and cash prizes, by spending at participating stores. DSS also features various pop-up markets and boutiques, home to innovative artisanal products. If this is not enough, there are several brand-new additions this year, mainly the Dubai Dates Festival and The Messi Experience.
In addition to shopping deals, DXB Beat the Heat, one of the hottest music fest, is back with its 4th season and will be held on the 4-12 of July. This is a live musical concert featuring the most popular music genres. Throughout the city, many festivals, events, and sports are organized during this period, engaging people of all ages. Moreover, Dubai will be graced by live shows of some of the top singers and performers from around the world. In July and August, get set to lose yourself to the tunes of Adnan Sami, Shreya Ghosal, and Natalie Imbruglia.
- Modhesh World
Modhesh World represents the mascot of DSS; this cuddly, cheerful yellow, jack-in-the-box kind of character is a kids’ favorite and symbolizes the onset of summer in the city. It is loaded with lots of family fun and entertainment highlights. The venue is in the form of a massive indoor park inside Dubai World Trade Centre, where you can enjoy access to its multitude of kid-exclusive rides, arcade games, adventure activities, leisure attractions, and exciting edutainment experiences. Apart from these, it lets you sample diverse local and international culinary specialities, thanks to its many dining options by way of F&B outlets, food trucks, etc. Retail enthusiasts can further check out the numerous shopping options.
Suggested Read: Interesting Facts and Information about Dubai Shopping Festival
- DSS Entertainment Scene across Dubai!
As always, this year there’ll be performances by international stars, plenty of stage shows, roaming acts, and events within malls packed with freebies and surprises. Life-size cartoon characters will walk around entertaining kids, while interactive workshops will keep young adults happy. There will be plenty of retail and dining promotions to keep all adults in the pink throughout the period. With compelling deals and discounts strewn across participating malls, hotels, and restaurants,  and of course, the lineup of live entertainment, you’ll find yourself rushing to be in line for the best of them. It’ll be a busy, fun-filled time; we can guarantee it!
- Dubai Sports World
Visiting Dubai during DSS allows sports enthusiasts to be part of Dubai Sports World. From cricket, football, and basketball to cycling, tennis, and basketball, you can enjoy free entry to indulge in your favorite sport. And don’t worry about Dubai’s blazing summer heat; this is conducted in a vast, air-conditioned space of over 25,000 square meters at Za’abeel Halls within the Dubai World Trade Centre.
This is only a partial list of the fabulous deals, promotions, events, and fun galore that awaits you during DSS 2025. Don’t forget to check out the promotions by Paris Gallery, Dubai Duty-Free, EPPCO & ENOC, Emirates Airlines, and numerous malls around the city. Apart from these, there are many new places to visit in Dubai, such as Museum of the Future, Sky Views Dubai, the View at the Palm, and AYA Universe, the House of Hype, Ain Dubai, Museum of Candy, and Loco Bear to name a few.
FAQs
1. When did DSS originally start?
Dubai Summer Surprises began in 1998 as an initiative to attract tourists during the off-season. This year marks its 27th edition of spreading happiness among those who love shopping and entertainment!
2. Does Dubai have a sale in August?
Yes, Dubai has several sales and promotional events in August, driven by the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) festival, which runs from June to August. As the event draws to a close, the DSS Final Sale brings shoppers their last opportunity for discounts of up to 90%. This is your final chance to buy at such an incredibly low, unmatched price – it’s a steal! Nab this chance as your next opportunity for guilt-free shopping won’t be until the Dubai Shopping Festival. The Back to School sale also happens around this time, from 4 to 28 August 2025. So, you can tag along your kids and get them excited to shop for their new bags and stationeries before the new academic year starts.
3. Which malls are participating in DSS?
The best malls to enjoy the sale in DSS are Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Mall, City Centre Deira and Mirdiff, and Dubai Outlet Mall.
4. Are there any special events for families and children?
Yes, Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) offers various entertainment activities. IMG Worlds of Adventure, Kidzania, Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Dubai Ice Rink, and Ski Dubai are the major indoor places to visit. There are also live concerts, workshops, and sports tournaments.
5. What is the sale discount in Dubai Summer Surprises?
DSS announces a massive discount of 25%-75% on clothes, electronics, and furniture. Some retail outlets also offer discounts as high as 90%!
6. Are there prizes in DSS?
Yes, you can win unbelievable prizes and raffle draws up to AED 25 million. There are also specific prizes at each location.
Conclusion
If you have missed Dubai Shopping Festival events and offers during the winter, you can make up for them by traveling to Dubai during DSS. So, are you ready for the whole 10 weeks of super fun and entertainment? Bring your guests along, and let them enjoy it as well. Tell everyone you know outside of Dubai so that they can make their travel arrangements on time. This is the best time to be in Dubai, hence don’t miss it, whatever you do. Can you imagine it? Your kids are happy, safe, and totally occupied in their own age-appropriate fun while you are free to shop, eat, watch shows, and enjoy your own summer. It sounds like heaven, doesn’t it?
