Dubai Municipality has opened registration for the fifth season of Souk Al Freej, and this time there are 50 free stalls up for grabs. The winter market gives entrepreneurs, small business owners and productive families a place to sell what they make, without paying for the space.
Registration is now open through the municipality’s website, and the market will move across three public parks between 11 December and 17 January. It is a small opening with a big audience: the last season drew more than 300,000 visitors.
Three parks over five winter weeks
The market starts at Nad Al Sheba Rose Garden, where it runs from 11 to 20 December. It then moves to Al Barsha Pond Park from 25 December to 3 January, before finishing at Al Warqa Park from 8 to 17 January.
Each stop opens daily from 4.30pm to 10pm, so sellers get the busy evening hours when families are out. Spreading the market across three parks also puts it within easy reach of different neighbourhoods, instead of asking everyone to travel to one spot.
What sellers can bring to their stalls
The 50 stalls are free, and 10 of them are set aside for supporting activities, including food and drink kiosks. The rest go to entrepreneurs and productive families selling homemade food, handicrafts, fashion and sustainable products.
That mix is the point of the market. It is built for people who make things at home or in small workshops and need a shop window they can actually afford. A stall at Souk Al Freej costs nothing, which means a new seller can test a product in front of real customers without signing a lease or paying a market fee.
An Asian Village, a Gen Z zone and a zipline
This season adds a few new draws. The Asian Village Experience brings Asian inspired designs, food and cultural activities, while a dedicated Gen Z zone gives younger visitors their own corner of the market.
There are also free play areas for children, creative workshops for different age groups, a zipline and an interactive treasure hunt that sends visitors exploring the stalls through challenges and competitions. The extras are not just for fun: they keep visitors at the market longer, and longer visits mean more time at the stalls.
Last season drew more than 300,000 visitors
The fourth season of Souk Al Freej attracted 308,842 visitors, according to Dubai Municipality, up from more than 282,000 in the third season. That steady growth is why a free stall here is worth more than it looks.
For a small seller, a few thousand visitors in an evening can mean more sales in a week than months of posting online. The market also gives sellers something a social media page cannot: a conversation in person with the person buying their product.
A park that works as a shop window
Dubai Municipality says the market is part of a wider effort to turn public parks into community destinations, places for shopping, entertainment and culture as well as recreation. Mohammed Abdulrahman Ahli, director of the Public Parks and Recreational Facilities Department, said the market keeps growing as a platform where entrepreneurs can show their products, talk directly to the public and widen their customer base.
He added that the municipality keeps developing the market each season with programmes for families, children and young people, so the parks stay lively and useful through the winter months.
What free stalls mean for Dubai’s smallest businesses
A free stall sounds like a small thing, but for someone making things at home it can be the difference between a hobby and a business. Rent is usually the first wall a small seller hits, and Souk Al Freej removes it for five weeks at the busiest time of the year. That is a real leg up, not a token gesture.
The honest test will come after the market packs up. A stall can launch a brand, but it cannot run one. The sellers who do best will be the ones who leave with customer contacts, repeat orders and a plan for what comes next, not just a good week of sales. If the municipality pairs the stalls with even a little follow up help, like a simple guide to selling online or finding a permanent pitch, this market could do more than fill parks. It could quietly build Dubai’s next generation of small businesses.
Frequently asked questions
How many free stalls are there?
50 stalls are free. Ten are set aside for supporting activities, including food and drink kiosks.
Who can apply?
Entrepreneurs, small business owners and productive families selling homemade food, handicrafts, fashion and sustainable products.
Where and when is the market?
Nad Al Sheba Rose Garden, 11 to 20 December; Al Barsha Pond Park, 25 December to 3 January; Al Warqa Park, 8 to 17 January. It opens daily from 4.30pm to 10pm.
How do I apply?
Registration is open now. You can apply here on Dubai Municipality’s registration page.
Is the stall really free?
Yes. The 50 stalls cost nothing, so sellers can test a product in front of real customers without paying a market fee.
