Marketing in the Gulf runs on a calendar that mixes the Islamic lunar year, national days and big retail and entertainment seasons. Dates based on the lunar calendar move about 11 days earlier each year and are confirmed by moon sighting, so the dates below for Ramadan and the Eids are astronomical estimates.
Late 2026, still ahead
| Date | Moment | Market |
|---|---|---|
| Late November 2026 | White Friday sales | GCC, Egypt |
| 2 December | Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) | UAE |
| 4 Dec 2026 – 17 Jan 2027 | Dubai Shopping Festival (32nd edition) | UAE |
| From 21 October 2026 | Riyadh Season, about ten weeks | Saudi Arabia |
2027
| Date | Moment | Market |
|---|---|---|
| ~8 February | Ramadan begins (estimate) | Region-wide |
| 22 February | Saudi Founding Day | Saudi Arabia |
| ~9 or 10 March | Eid al-Fitr (estimate) | Region-wide |
| ~15 or 16 May | Arafat Day (estimate) | Region-wide |
| ~16 or 17 May | Eid al-Adha (estimate) | Region-wide |
| 23 September | Saudi National Day | Saudi Arabia |
| Late November | White Friday sales | GCC, Egypt |
| 2 December | Eid Al Etihad (UAE National Day) | UAE |
Islamic dates are estimates from the UAE's astronomy authorities as reported by Khaleej Times and The National. Official dates are announced after moon sighting. Dates for the 2027 Dubai Shopping Festival and Riyadh Season will be announced by their organisers.
When to start planning
- Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr: start in November or December. Creator calendars fill early, and iftar, suhoor and Eid content needs to be shot before the month begins.
- Saudi Founding Day: it falls inside Ramadan in 2027, so plan the two together and keep the tone right for both.
- Eid al-Adha: plan from March, after Eid al-Fitr wraps up.
- National days: six to eight weeks ahead. Brands compete hard for attention, so the idea matters more than the discount.
- White Friday and the Dubai Shopping Festival: plan offers and content from September.
Ramadan is not one moment
Audience behaviour changes through the month. Late-night viewing rises, the first days focus on family and routine, the last ten days carry more spiritual weight, and shopping builds towards Eid. Content that suits the third week can feel wrong in the first. We plan Ramadan campaigns week by week. See our creative and strategy service.
Sources
- Khaleej Times: Ramadan, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha 2027 likely dates
- The National: Ramadan 2027 UAE dates
- Saudipedia: Saudi Founding Day
- Saudipedia: Saudi National Day
- UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention: Eid Al Etihad
- TradeArabia: Dubai Shopping Festival returns for 32nd edition
- Gulf News: Riyadh Season 2026 to begin on October 21
- Amazon Ads: White Friday guide
