Dubai opens vendor registration for fifth Souk Al Freej winter market
Entrepreneurs and families can now register for Dubai's annual Souk Al Freej market, which will bring 50 stalls to three public parks this winter. The fifth season begins December 11, with free stalls for participants and new attractions for visitors.
Mariam Al Mansoori
Market schedule and attractions
The first stop is Nad Al Sheba Rose Garden, where the market will run December 11-20, 2026. It moves to Al Barsha Pond Park from December 25 through January 3, 2027, followed by Al Warqa Park on January 8-17. Daily visiting hours are 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Of the 50 stalls, 10 will be allocated to activities and food and beverage services. Participants can offer homemade food, handicrafts, fashion and sustainable goods.
This season introduces an Asian Village Experience featuring themed designs, food and cultural activities. The program also includes a Gen Z zone, children's free-play areas, creative workshops, a zipline and an interactive treasure hunt. The additions are intended to attract more families and younger visitors by pairing the market's shopping with entertainment and cultural experiences.
Free stalls for local businesses
Dubai Municipality is providing stalls at no charge to help local entrepreneurs find customers, raise their profile and pursue business opportunities.
Mohammed Abdulrahman Ahli, director of the municipality's Public Parks and Recreational Facilities Department, described Souk Al Freej as an established community platform for entrepreneurs and families with home-based businesses. He said its organized retail setting allows small businesses to sell directly to consumers and introduces shoppers to locally made products.
Ahli said the municipality also wants parks to serve people of different ages through recreation, cultural activities and opportunities for local businesses. The municipality places the market within its broader effort to encourage neighborhood interaction in parks during winter while supporting Dubai's small-business sector.
Attendance and earlier editions
The previous edition recorded 308,842 visitors. Earlier municipality figures also document attendance growth: the first season drew 95,000 visitors, while the second attracted more than 157,000, a reported increase of 50%, and involved 30 participating projects.
The second season opened at Al Warqa Park 3 on December 15-31, 2023, drawing 43,564 visitors. Its second phase, at Al Barsha Pond Park on January 5-21, 2024, drew 113,733.
For the third season, the municipality reported more than 282,000 visitors, up 76% from the preceding edition. Held at Al Warqa 3 Park and Al Barsha Lake Park from December 13, 2024, through January 19, 2025, it brought together 63 participants from home-based businesses and productive families, who generated AED 2 million in sales. There were also 45 food and beverage projects and more than 185 entertainment events, workshops and exhibitions.
The fourth season, in 2025-26, was the first to use three parks. It began at Al Warqa Park 3 on December 5-14, 2025, continued at Al Barsha Pond Park on December 19-28, and finished at the newly added Blossoms Park in Nad Al Sheba on January 2-11, 2026. Hours were 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
That edition provided 40 commercial kiosks for vendors, along with two kiosks for residents' home-based projects and 10 for food and beverage concepts, according to Dubai Municipality.
