Dubai:As 2020 nears its close and an exciting new year is about to begin, and school holidays almost over, the third weekend of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) couldn’t be more significant. From star-studded concerts performed by global artists to thrilling fireworks, the 26th Dubai Shopping Festival, organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), has a lot in store for families and friends to start the year as they mean to go on.

 

Here are some of the highlights of the coming weekend’s festivities that residents and visitors won’t want to miss out on. As with all of the events and activities organised as part of DSF, all of the following events will run in line with local health and safety regulations including social distancing and wearing masks at all time.

Fans of New Year’s Eve Fireworks can catch spectacular shows at 23 locations around Dubai with various venues offering special restaurant seating arrangements with views of the fireworks.

 

RTA will host special ferry and abra rides for the best views of the shimmering Dubai skyline on New Year’s eve from various destinations for those looking to enjoy front row seats to the Burj Al Arab and Palm Jumeirah spectacular firework shows. For departure information, prices, trips and bookings, please visit rta.ae.

 

Taking place above The Beach opposite JBR and Bluewaters, the twice nightly DSF Drone Light Show will wow onlookers as 300 drones take to the air at 7pm and at 9.30pm daily until 30 January 2021. Free to watch, the event will feature two performances, each lasting four minutes. The first performance, titled ‘Dubai, A City of Adventure’, will show how there’s so much to see and do in Dubai, with everyone’s favourite characters Modesh and Dana going on a journey to explore what the city has to offer. Performance two, titled ‘Dubai, From the Past to the Present’ will show the city’s journey from old Dubai to new Dubai, where it started and where it is headed into the future, with the official DSF song by Rashed Al Majed, ‘Dubai Kawkab Aakhar’ which translates to ‘Dubai is another planet’. Visitors to the destination will also be able to enjoy spectacular views of fireworks shows on New Year’s Eve.

 

Pop sensation Nassif Zeytoun will sing his best songs on New Year’s Eve at the Dubai World Trade Centre while Arabic music singers Wael Kfoury and Mouhamad Khairy will celebrate New Year's Eve on 31 December with a show at the Festival Arena by Intercontinental - Dubai Festival City. Tickets for both shows are available from www.dubaicalendar.com and www.dubai.platinumlist.net 

  

KISS, the legendary rock band, will play a mega concert at Atlantis, The Palm for New Year’s Eve. Set to be the biggest and loudest concert ever held in Dubai, it will feature a live performance by KISS plus an epic pyrotechnic show.  The live performance and pyrotechnics show will be filmed by more than 50 cameras providing 360-degree views and the event will be streamed live online from 9pm. Those looking to indulge in a hotel stay can enjoy one of the various packages on offer.

From 31 December to 2 January, the DSF Rivoli Beat the Clock Deals Weekend will offer shoppers big savings on a wide range of watches, sunglasses and optical frames. The deals are available at Rivoli, Rivoli EyeZone and Hour Choice stores in The Dubai Mall, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira and Mall of the Emirates, while stocks last. A total of AED60,000 in prizes in the form of gift vouchers will also be up for grabs, with 30 customers winning vouchers valued from AED1,000 to AED5,000 over the three days. 

 

This weekend shoppers can enjoy a mega selection of deals and offers at malls and stores across the city as part of the DSF Sale Season, which runs until 30 January, and features 800 brands across 3,500 outlets offering savings of between 25 per cent to 75 per cent.

 

Visitors to Mercato can enjoy a host of live entertainment shows taking place at the center stage every day this weekend. Shows include ‘Travelers from the Past’ taking place at 4pm and 7.30pm, ‘Charieston Bella Vita’ taking place at 6pm and ‘Twin Comedy Trip’ taking place at 4.30pm, 6.20pm and 8pm. This is in addition to roaming shows to entertain shoppers at 5pm and 6.20pm and a variety of workshops available for kids.

Etisalat Market Outside The Box (Etisalat Market OTB) at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai will welcome families to its  super Celebration theme this weekend only on 1 and 2 January and will be closed on 31 December. Extended to run until 9 January, guests will be able to enjoy performances by the Roh Drummers, check out super bike tricks from Trikz BMX Flatlander, watch a fashion show by the Etisalat Market OTB’s vendors, catch live performances by the amazing Gatsby Gold Dancers, Beatbox Ray, CYR Wheel, and musicians Greg Pearson, Fae Miranda, Kai Pavitt, plus the Disco Funk Dancers and much more.  Etisalat Market OTB also invites foodies to explore Food Alley, a super new F&B concept that serves Korean and Asian-inspired street food treats as well as dishes by some of Dubai’s best loved eateries and restaurants including Soul Sante cafe, Grapes & Dates, Fluff Bites, Moshi, Semi Sweet and Bunz. This year’s theme for the Etisalat Market OTB kids’ area is ‘Candy and Slime Park’ and features activities from inflatable play, a dedicated ‘Glitterati – Crafts Station’ for decorating, colouring and slime-making workshops. For the first time at the market, the kids area will also include a kids’ bungee trampoline. Etisalat Market OTB will also host regular basketball workshops and competitions at the Slam Dunk Court. Led by players from the  Phases Basketball Academy the workshops are open to kids aged 14-16 and are free to attend. Etisalat Market OTB timings are Sunday to Wednesday from 4pm to 10pm, Thursday from 4pm to 12am, Friday and Saturday from 12pm to 12am. 

 

Other DSF Markets will also have a host of activities for visitors to enjoy. Dubai Shopping Festival Market at Al Khawaneej which has been created with an Enchanted Garden theme inspired by ‘Alice in Wonderland’, will feature an exciting three-minute show highlighting the trees in the middle of the lake at Al Khawaneej using spectacular multimedia technology such as laser, lights, sound and video projection. 8pm, 9pm, 10pm, 11pm & 12am to mark the new year. Dubai Shopping Festival Market at Al Seef Presented by Al Foah will host International Kite flyers who will wow visitors to the market during the weekend.

 

In celebration of the Dubai Shopping Festival, the Mercure Dubai Hotel is offering residents and visitors a choice of special hotel packages. Choose from the Celebration Stay with Gala NYE Dinner package, the Family Fun Staycation + Dubai Parks and Resorts Ticket package, the DSF Weekend Getaway, which features an all-inclusive stay and dining, or the Stay & Drive In Style package inclusive of a drive in a Lamborghini and hotel suite stay.

 

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with the Dubai Shopping Festival and enjoy 20 per cent off a stay at Vida Hotels and Resorts in Dubai. Guests will also receive a AED200 Emaar shopping voucher each night of their stay and free access to the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo and VR Park. Participating hotels include the Vida Downtown Dubai, Manzil Downtown Dubai and Vida Emirates Hills and the offer is only available on 31 December.

 

On 31 December, residents and visitors can dance into 2021 at Dubai’s world-famous beachside venue, Barasti. The Barasti Lockdown Breakout NYE Party will begin after sunset on 31 December and continue into the early hours of 1 January 2021. Guests can enjoy live entertainment from Sweet Chilli Jam as well as Barasti’s resident DJs who will provide the perfect soundtrack to a memorable evening. Tickets starting from AED250 per person are available from www.dubai.platinumlist.net and www.dubaicalendar.com