Dubai Events and Promotions Establishment (DEPE) will once again organize the Dubai Shopping Festival. The Festival will include various promotions, events and activities and it will last over a month (January 3 – February 3). The motto of this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival will be ‘Dubai at its Best’.
The event will open with a beautiful ceremony at the Dubai Creek. In addition, the events that will be held during the Festival will try to grab the attention of both residents and visitors.
The DSF is famous with the big prizes it gives away. However, in 2013, the organizers of the Festival will be even more generous. People who go to this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival will have the chance to enjoy exhibitions, concerts, fun fairs, theatrical performances, fashion shows and many more. Also, they will be able to try some of Dubai’s cuisine and experience its hospitality.
The Dubai Shopping Festival will completely change the city for a month. It will add more adventure and excitement to the live in Dubai. In other words, the Festival will make shopping even more enjoyable activity.
Dubai Shopping Festival 2013 (January 3 – February 3, 2013)
Calendar of Events
January 3, Dubai Creek – DSF 2013 Opening Ceremony
The opening ceremony will be held at the place where the history of Dubai started to develop – the Dubai Creek. The ceremony will include a light and sound show on the Creek’s waters. Images that illustrate the history of the city will also be shown. The event will close with firework shows at the Festival Promenade at Dubai Festival City and Al Seef Street. After the ceremony there will be a number of events that will be held at the sites and districts situated along Dubai Creek. During the first day of the Festival, there will be also many activities in places like the Heritage and Diving Village, the Festival Promenade at Dubai Festival City , the Creek part, as well as Al Seef Street.
January 3 – February 3 – Infiniti Mega Raffle
Like every year, the 2013 DSF will offer mega raffles. However, now they will give away bigger prizes. The Infiniti Mega Raffle will reward DSF visitors with a new Infinity JX 35 or an Infinity G25 car every day. In addition to that there will be a cash prize of AED 100,000. Raffle tickets will cost only AED 200 and they will be available for purchase at shopping malls, ENOC and EPPCO petrol stations, the Global Village and kiosks at some main streets.
Nissan Grand Raffle
In its riffle Nissan will give away 12 models of Nissan cars. Nissan’s riffle will start at January 4 and coupons for it will be offered at EPPCO and ENOC petrol stations and some retail outlets.
Gold Mega Raffle
The Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group will give away huge prizes during the entire DSF. Shopper can get a raffle coupon is they spend over AED 1,500 in the outlets that participate in the event. A quarter of kg of gold will go to one lucky shopper every day and 1kg of gold will be awarded weekly. In addition, coupon holders can also take part in an SMS promo. The prizes here are gold coins. Also, DSF visitors will have the chance to get an AED 2 million prize.
January 3 – February 3 (5pm – 10pm), Al Riqqa Street
The street will shine will light decorations. Also, shoppers will be able to enjoy many performances during every evening of the Festival. There will be some sporty activities, lots of merchandise, as well as food and drinks.
January 3 – February, Al Seef Street – Tea Oasis
Visitors will have the opportunity to try out teas from every part of the globe and learn more about this drink. Also, there will be a tea market offering teas from countries like Japan, Marocco, Sri Lanka, Egypt and the United Kingdom.
January 3 – February 3, Al Seef Street – World of Souvenirs
Shoppers will be able to buy souvenirs from various places like France, Turkey, the USA, the UK, India, Brazil, the UAE and etc.
January 3 – February 3, Al Seef Street – DSF Carnival
The carnivals at the Dubai Shopping Festival include hundreds of performers like musicians, jugglers, unicyclists and stilt walkers. The will try to create an atmosphere following the slogan of the Festival ‘ONE WORLD – ONE FAMILY – ONE FESTIVAL’.
January 3 – February 3 – Fireworks
Behind the fireworks shows will be some of the best experts in pyrotechnics. Dubai’s sky will shine with sparkle during every evening of the festival at the Festival Promenade and at the Al Seef Street.
January 3 – February 3, Festival Promenade (10am – 10pm) – DSF Fun Fair
This carnival will follow the motto ‘Dubai and Its Best’. At it, visitors will have the chance to see interesting rides and various other activities. There will also be kiosks from which shoppers can buy lots of tasty snacks and souvenirs. In addition to that, games, street performers and contests will entertain visitors.
December 27, 2012 – January 14, 2013, Dubai World Trade Center, Zebell Hall No. 3 – Carpet and Art Oasis
Shoppers will be able to see and buy some rare rugs and carpets from every part of the globe. There will also be products from regions known for their carpet-making traditions like Turkey, Afghanistan, India and Pakistan. Also, shopper will have the opportunity to enjoy various handicrafts and works of art. In addition, there will be an exhibition that will shine some light on the history of carpet making.
January 10-12, Burj Park, Downtown Dubai (8:30pm) – “A Ard El Ghajar” (On the Land of the Gypsies)
This is a musical play that includes names like Pierre Chamoun, Paul Sleiman, Ghassan Saliba and Aline Lahoud. The play is directed by Marwan Rahbani and it ponders on themes like human dignity, homecoming, corruption and identity.
January 3 – February 3, Festival Promenade, Dubai Festival City – Bedouin Lifestyle Camp
Some of the Festival Promenade will turn into a Bedouin encampment. It will show visitors that life of nomadic groups who lived in the desert. The aim of this event is to reveal some of the area’s past. Also, the Camp will be divided into parts dedicated to different Arab countries like Jordan, Morocco, Yemen, Egypt and more. The Bedouin Lifestyle Camp will be open for visits from 4pm to 10pm on work days and from 4pm to midnight during the weekends.
February 2, Creek Park (8am – 1pm) – Biggest Breakfast
The event will try to make the residents of the UAE to start a healthy diet. On February 2, there will be a breakfast for over 5,000 people. Also, there will be other activities like games and fitness sessions. The most famous chefs in Dubai will offer cookery sessions in both Arabic and English.
January 3-6, Centrepoint Theatre, DUCTAC, Mall of the Emirates (6:30 and 8:30) – Black Light Show
The show will impress the audience with lots of music, dancing, choreography, as well as a lights show. From January 3 to January 6, there will be two performances every day. Also, there will be many comedy and stand-up shows that will make DSF visitors laugh. The shows will be both free and paid and they include a number of famous comedians.
January 11, The Dubai Mall – Biggest Makeover
At this fashion show, make-up artists and stylist will have the task to change the appearance of the biggest number of ladies for the shortest amount of time.
January 26 – The Dubai Mall Promenade – Street Fashion Show
Another fashion event. However this one will include many models who will take over the sidewalks.
February 1, The Dubai Mall – Midnight Fashion Show
The show will start at midnight on February 1. It will offer shoppers some famous designer collections. The aim of the event is to make shopper stay longer in the Mall.
October 21, 2012 – March 30,2013 – Global Village
The Global Village in Dubai is a place where many cultures meet. There, the world’s diversity will be illustrated by food, artifacts, handicrafts and curios from all continents.
January 3 – February 3 – Heritage and Diving Village
In this part of the emirate, time has stopped. It shows the life in Dubai back in the old days. During the Dubai Shopping Festival, the Heritage and Diving Village will offer visitors many exhibitions, artifacts, presentations and traditional food.
January 31 – February 2 – Atlantis The Palm – Big Boys Toys
The event will showcase some interesting gadgets and products that can be used in spheres like drive, adventure, fashion, bikes, cars, marine and etc.
January 17-18, Madinat Theatre, Souk Madinat Jumeirah (8pm) – Shakespeare’s Richard II in Arabic
The story of the brave English ruler will be performed in Arabic. The play is retold and changed to fit the tastes of the modern international audience.
January 15-17– Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre – UAE International Fire Fighter Championships
Pro firefighters will show their skills to the audience. They will try to awake the motivations and the team spirit of the people. Apart from entertaining, the show will also illustrate the dangers that fire can have.
January 4, Dubai World Trade Centre (9pm) – Omar Khairat Concert
One of the most popular music artists in the Arab world, Omar Khairat, will perform specially for his Dubai fans.
January 31, Dubai Tennis Stadium – 10pm – Slash in Concert
Guns N’ Roses’ lead guitar player, Slash, will take the stage on January 31. He will be joined by singer Myles Kennedy. Slash is also known with his work for other rock bands like Velvet Revolver and Snakepit. In addition, he is considered to be one of the best guitarists of our time.
