The Ajman Food Festival 2025: Your Must‑Visit Waterfront Street Food & Live Music Experience This December

If you think you know the UAE’s food festival scene, Ajman in December might just surprise you. Compact, coastal and quietly confident, the emirate is setting up one of the country’s most atmospheric winter experiences: the Ajman Food Festival 2025, a waterfront street food and live music celebration that turns cool evenings into a gourmet night-out by the sea.

Running from 25 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, the festival unfolds across Ajman’s Heritage District and its scenic Corniche, bringing together food entrepreneurs, homegrown brands and established cafés in a setting that feels equal parts souk, street party and seaside promenade.

When and where it’s happening

The Ajman Food Festival 2025 is scheduled from 25 December to 4 January, perfectly timed for the UAE’s peak outdoor season. Evenings are when the city comes alive, and the festival follows suit, typically opening from late afternoon into the night, making it an ideal post‑beach or post‑work hangout.

The action centers on two of Ajman’s most characterful pockets:

• The Heritage District, where traditional architecture, narrow walkways and historic buildings provide an atmospheric backdrop for food stalls, cultural performances and artisan kiosks.

• The Ajman Corniche, the city’s signature waterfront strip, lined with palm trees, sandy beachfront and a growing roster of cafés and casual dining spots. Expect pop‑up kiosks, food trucks and dessert counters overlooking the Arabian Gulf.

Both locations are firmly within Ajman city limits, and easily reachable by car from nearby neighbourhoods like Al Nuaimiya, Al Rashidiya and Al Jurf.

What to eat: from Emirati street bites to global comfort food

This is very much a crowd‑pleasing festival, so the culinary line‑up spans everything from Emirati classics to international comfort food.

Look out for Emirati concepts serving luqaimat drizzled with date syrup, freshly grilled kebabs, regag bread cooked to order on hot plates, and fragrant chicken or meat machboos in compact tasting portions. These heritage flavours make the Heritage District a particularly rewarding place to start your evening.

Interspersed with the local stalls, you will find regional street‑food favourites: shawarma carved from sizzling spits, manakish fresh from the oven, falafel wraps, Middle Eastern mixed grills and Turkish‑inspired sweets. Along the Corniche side, expect burgers, sliders and loaded fries, alongside Asian‑influenced stalls with noodles, dumplings, bao and spicy skewers that feel tailored for casual, stand‑up grazing.

Dessert is a festival in itself. Ajman’s love of all things sweet shows up in specialty coffee carts, karak stands, kunafa counters, cookie and brownie kiosks and ice‑cream bars doing brisk trade late into the night. Portion sizes tend to be on the smaller side and prices accessible, encouraging you to snack your way from one end of the festival to the other instead of committing to a single heavy meal.

Prices, access and what to budget

Entry to Ajman’s seasonal food festivals has typically been either free or very low‑cost, with spending focused on what you eat and drink. You can expect individual dishes and street‑food portions to be priced in the pocket‑friendly range, with snacks and small plates often starting from the single‑digit dirhams upwards, and more substantial mains priced competitively with mall food‑court options.

Parking is widely available around the Corniche and the Heritage District, though evenings from Thursday to Saturday are predictably busy. Factor in extra time to find a spot or consider using a ride‑hailing app if you are visiting during peak nights.

Families will appreciate that the festival is designed as a community event rather than a high‑ticket spectacle. You can walk in, let the kids run between stalls, share plates and sample sweets without committing to a formal sit‑down booking. A reasonable budget for a family of four, including drinks and dessert, can remain comfortably below what you might spend in a typical mall restaurant, especially if you lean into street‑food sharing.

Live music, performances and family‑friendly vibes

The Ajman Food Festival is not just about what is on the plate. It also serves as a cultural and community showcase, with live music, roaming performers and occasional traditional dance or heritage‑themed shows, particularly in and around the Heritage District.

Expect a mix of Arabic and international music, from acoustic sets and laid‑back covers to more upbeat performances on busier nights. The intimate scale of Ajman means stages and performers feel close, with no need to jostle through huge crowds just to catch the atmosphere.

Families will find children’s play areas, simple games and kid‑friendly snacks, while couples and groups of friends can linger along the Corniche, coffee in hand, listening to live music with the sea breeze in the background. The overall tone is relaxed and inclusive rather than overwhelming, making it a comfortable option for multi‑generational outings.

How to plan the perfect festival night

To make the most of the Ajman Food Festival 2025, timing and pacing are key. Aim to arrive in the late afternoon to enjoy the golden hour along the Corniche, then wander into the Heritage District as lights and music come on. Start with savoury bites first, working through a few stalls in each area, then circle back for dessert once you have scoped out the options.

Wear comfortable shoes; you will likely clock serious steps as you weave between stalls, stages and viewpoints. The sea breeze in Ajman can feel cooler after dark in December, so a light layer is wise, especially for children.

If you are driving from other parts of Ajman, consider using the Corniche as your anchor point: park, enjoy a quick stroll along the waterfront, then move inland toward the Heritage District stalls. Public transport within Ajman is improving, but taxis and ride‑hailing apps remain the most convenient for late‑night returns.

Ajman Food Festival 2025 is shaping up to be one of the emirate’s most inviting reasons to head outdoors this winter. Waterfront views, heritage alleys, accessible prices and a high‑energy but unpretentious food scene combine to create a December festival that feels both distinctly Ajmani and refreshingly laid‑back.

If you are planning your end‑of‑year calendar around where to eat, wander and listen to live music under open skies, Ajman’s Corniche and Heritage District deserve a prime spot on your list this season.