Emirati superstar Balqees will headline Dubai Festival City Mall’s main National Day celebration at Festival Bay on Tuesday 2 December 2025, as part of the 54th Eid Al Etihad programme. The evening officially starts at 8:00 pm with a waterfront fireworks show, before Balqees steps on stage around 9:00 pm for her concert. This timing lets families enjoy both the pyrotechnics and the music without staying out too late on a work night. Because Festival Bay is an open air venue, the atmosphere usually builds steadily from sunset onwards as crowds arrive and stake out good viewing spots. This is a one night National Day concert, so planning around the 8:00 pm start is essential (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Tickets, pricing and entry options
Current listings for the Eid Al Etihad concert at Festival Bay show tickets from about 75 AED, rising to approximately 200 AED depending on viewing area and category. Lower priced tickets usually give access to general standing or standard viewing sections, while higher brackets place you closer to the main stage or in reserved areas with stronger sightlines. Organisers describe the event as suitable for all ages, so families can expect a mixed crowd of adults, teenagers and younger children enjoying the National Day celebrations together. However, it is always wise to check age guidance on the booking page if you are bringing very young children or strollers. Because demand for National Day waterfront concerts runs high, treat all ticket prices as approximately priced in AED and secure seats as early as possible (children/family-friendly).
Concert experience and who will enjoy it
Balqees has built a reputation across the Arab world for powerful vocals and emotionally charged pop tracks, so her National Day set at Festival Bay will likely mix patriotic songs, ballads and high energy hits. Recent coverage suggests she will perform chart favourites such as “Enta” and “Alf Rooh”, alongside material that highlights Emirati pride and regional heritage. The open air setting lets the sound carry across the waterfront, while staging and screens help fans further back stay involved. For many spectators, part of the appeal comes from sharing the music in a crowd decorated with flags, lights and themed National Day colours. The night suits listeners who enjoy modern Khaleeji and Arabic pop delivered with a strong live band, making it ideal for couples, groups of friends and solo fans who want to feel part of a big citywide celebration (suitable for couples, groups, solo).
Festival Bay waterfront setting and fireworks backdrop
Festival Bay sits directly on the Dubai Creek waterfront at Dubai Festival City Mall, which means the fireworks at 8:00 pm will reflect across the water before Balqees begins her concert. This setting creates a natural amphitheatre, with terraces, promenades and dedicated viewing areas facing the main stage and pyrotechnic launch points. Because the evening forms part of a larger Eid Al Etihad weekend programme, you can expect extra National Day décor, flag displays and possibly roaming traditional performances earlier in the day. Families often choose to arrive in the late afternoon, explore the mall, have an early dinner, then move outside to secure a good spot for the 8:00 pm fireworks. If you want an unobstructed view of both the fireworks and the stage, arriving well before 8:00 pm makes a noticeable difference (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples).
Arriving by car and parking guidance
Drivers heading to Dubai Festival City Mall will usually approach via major routes such as Sheikh Rashid Road or Business Bay Crossing, then follow signs toward Festival City. The mall offers extensive free covered parking with space for thousands of vehicles, but on National Day the zones close to Festival Bay fill first. Traffic around the access roads and internal ramps often becomes heavy from about 6:30 pm as visitors target the waterfront for the 8:00 pm fireworks. Valet parking operates at several main entrances during mall hours, yet queues can build quickly on public holidays. Parking capacity near Festival Bay is limited in practice on such busy nights, so plan to park a little farther inside the complex and walk, rather than circling for a front row space (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Public transport options and visitors from other Emirates
If you prefer not to drive, several public transport combinations work well. One straightforward option is to ride the metro to Creek Metro Station, then use the shuttle bus, an RTA bus such as route 44, 53 or F08, or a short taxi ride to reach Dubai Festival City Mall. From stations like Emirates or BurJuman, you can also switch to bus route 24, which runs towards Dubai Festival City and costs only a few dirhams. Guests travelling from Sharjah or Ajman may find it easier to enter Dubai via E11, then park once at Festival City rather than moving between multiple venues, while visitors from Abu Dhabi often plan an early afternoon arrival to avoid evening congestion. Whichever route you choose, keep in mind that public transport and taxis experience peak demand around 7:00 pm and again after the concert ends, so allowing extra time for transfers is important (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Planning your National Day evening around the show
Because the concert falls on Tuesday 2 December 2025, many residents will already treat the Eid Al Etihad period from Monday 1 December to Wednesday 3 December as a long holiday. Families can build a full evening by arriving from 5:00 pm onwards, enjoying a meal or coffee inside the mall, then stepping out for the fireworks and concert. Couples may prefer a later arrival, timing their dinner for 7:00 pm, then joining the crowd at Festival Bay for the 9:00 pm performance. Solo visitors often choose to reach the waterfront a little earlier, explore different viewing angles and move closer once the stage lights come up. A simple written plan that covers when you will eat, where you will meet and how you will leave makes the whole experience feel more relaxed, especially on a packed public holiday (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo).
Weather, clothing, traffic advice and closing warnings
For the Eid Al Etihad period from Friday 28 November through Thursday 4 December 2025, forecasts for Dubai show mostly hazy sunshine with daytime highs around 28 to 29 degrees Celsius and evening lows between 19 and 24 degrees, including on Tuesday 2 December itself. There are currently no significant rain or sandstorm warnings, but the Festival Bay waterfront can feel breezy after dark, especially when you stand still for the fireworks and concert. Light, breathable clothing with comfortable closed shoes works best, and adding a thin jacket or shawl is sensible if you tend to feel cold in the evening air. Traffic near major waterfront viewing spots is expected to be heavy from late afternoon, and parking queues at Dubai Festival City Mall can start earlier than usual as people arrive to secure vantage points. Ticket prices, timings and programme details may still change as National Day approaches, so treat all figures as approximately and check for updates closer to 2 December. Make your reservation before it is too late, plan generous travel time, and try to arrive well before the 8:00 pm fireworks to enjoy Balqees’s National Day concert with more celebration and less last minute stress (children/family-friendly, suitable for couples, solo). According to insights often highlighted by the editorial team at www.few.ae, Festival Bay’s combination of live music, fireworks and waterfront views makes this Balqees show one of the standout Eid Al Etihad experiences in Dubai for 2025.
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