Walking Groups in Dubai: Community Walks, Dubai Run and Mallathon Dates

The Dubai Fitness Challenge runs from 31 October to 29 November 2026 and includes Dubai Run on 22 November, a free, untimed event on Sheikh Zayed Road where walkers are welcome. From 15 June to 15 September each year, Dubai Mallathon opens six malls to walkers and runners from 6am, before the shops open. Here is when and where people walk together in Dubai, and how to join.

The calendar at a glance

WhatWhenWhereCost Dubai Fitness Challenge31 Oct–29 Nov 2026CitywideFree Dubai Run (5km or 10km)22 Nov 2026, from 6:30amSheikh Zayed RoadFree; registration required Dubai Mallathon15 Jun–15 Sep, yearlySix malls, 6am–10amFree; no registration

Dubai Run: walking on Sheikh Zayed Road

Dubai Run closes Sheikh Zayed Road to traffic for a 5km and a 10km course. Start time is 6:30am and the road reopens at 9am, so you need to finish by then (The National, August 2026). Emaar's October 2026 guide describes the 5km as a family-friendly route from near the Museum of the Future to Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard by Dubai Mall. It notes that walkers are welcome because the event is not timed. The 2025 edition drew a record 307,000 participants.

Registration details for 2026 were still to be announced in August; check dubaifitnesschallenge.com. Our Dubai Fitness Challenge explainer and our list of free DFC events have more.

Dubai Mallathon: summer walking indoors

Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed directed in September 2025 that Mallathon be held every summer from 15 June to 15 September. It is free and open to all. In 2026 it ran at:

• Dubai Mall
• Mall of the Emirates
• Dubai Hills Mall
• Dubai Festival City Mall
• City Centre Deira
• City Centre Mirdif

Walkers and runners could arrive any time between 6am and 10am, with no registration. A wristband collected on arrival gave access to offers from participating shops and cafes (Khaleej Times, June 2026). Only the Saturday pro-racing days needed free registration on the website.

Mallathon has its own regulars. In July 2026 Khaleej Times spoke to a father who walks the course daily with his sons and to friends who aim for two sessions a week, and a coach reported many people arriving "on the dot at 6am". The 2025 edition, across nine malls, recorded more than 40,000 participants and 120 million steps.

Malls have also run their own walking clubs. In summer 2025 Silicon Central ran a free Mall Walk Club daily from 7am to 9am until 30 August, linked to the FITZE step-rewards app (Gulf News, August 2025). Check with individual malls each summer.

Inclusive community walks

Some community events include a walk alongside other sport. The Al Noor Community Race, organised by Al Noor Training Centre with the Dubai Sports Council in January 2026, included a 2km community walk and drew more than 3,500 people, including People of Determination (Gulf News).

Walking with a run club

Several of Dubai's free run clubs meet weekly at Kite Beach, according to Platinumlist's April 2026 round-up. See when and where Dubai's run clubs meet, and ask the organiser whether walkers join. For routes of your own, our guide to where to run in Dubai lists park tracks with distances and entry fees.

Before you go

• Dubai Run: register in advance and plan to finish by 9am.
• Mallathon: arrive between 6am and 10am and collect a wristband at the mall.
• Mall walking clubs change each summer; check the mall's own channels.
• For community groups by area, see the Directory.

For general information. Dates and timings can change; check with Dubai Fitness Challenge, the mall or the organiser before relying on them.