The Flame Tree Season Photography Competition has been launched in Dubai, giving residents and visitors the chance to win cash prizes while capturing one of the city’s most colourful summer sights.
Organised by Dubai Culture and Arts Authority in collaboration with the Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), the competition celebrates the annual blooming of Dubai’s iconic Flame Trees. Participants can compete for a share of AED 30,000 in prize money, with the first-place winner receiving AED 15,000.
The initiative forms part of Dubai’s wider Flame Tree Season celebrations, which highlight the bright red blossoms that appear across parks, streets, and residential neighbourhoods during the summer months.
How to Enter the Competition
Taking part is simple. Participants need to capture a photograph related to Flame Tree Season and post it on a public Instagram account.
To qualify, entrants must use the hashtag #FlameTreeSeason, follow the Instagram accounts of Dubai Culture, HIPA, and Flame Tree Season, and tag all three accounts in their post. Each participant may submit only one entry, although previously shared photos can be reposted, provided they meet the competition requirements.
The competition is open until 11:59 pm UAE time on July 31, 2026.
The winners will receive the following cash prizes:
- First place: AED 15,000
- Second place: AED 10,000
- Third place: AED 5,000
Celebrating One of Dubai’s Most Recognisable Trees
The competition coincides with the annual Flame Tree Season, which was officially introduced earlier this year as a citywide celebration of the tree’s vibrant summer bloom.
Originally native to Madagascar, the Flame Tree, known scientifically as Delonix regia, has adapted well to Dubai’s climate and become a familiar part of the city’s landscape. Over the years, thousands of Flame Trees have been planted across Dubai, creating striking displays of red flowers throughout the summer.
Today, the trees can be found in several neighbourhoods, including Jumeirah, Al Safa, Rashidiya, Deira, and Bur Dubai. Their seasonal bloom has become a distinctive feature of the city, transforming streets and parks with bright colour during the warmer months.
For photography enthusiasts and casual smartphone photographers alike, the competition offers an opportunity to showcase Dubai’s natural beauty while competing for substantial cash prizes.
