At 5pm, the celebration organised by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, organisers of the current Knowledge Surprises week, will start at the DCCI building on the Deira creekside.

The Al-Liwa Traditional Group will perform from 5pm to 10pm, a Flying Aircraft display will be held from 5pm to 7.30pm prior to the main event.

On the first-floor DCCI auditorium, an operetta composed especially for the occasion of President, Shaikh Zayed's 38th Accession Day will begin at 7pm.

At Modhesh Fun City, the DSS Accession Day main celebrations will start at 5pm on Friday with a special musical show presented by a group of children from Modhesh Friends Club. Friends Club members will also present a traditional fashion show. The fun city will be decorated with portraits of President Shaikh Zayed and the UAE national flag.

At 6pm, the 'UAE's Play' will be performed at the main stage of Modhesh Fun City - the play recounts the forming of the federation of emirates and how the UAE has developed in the last few decades under the leadership of Shaikh Zayed. At 7pm, there will be an 'Al Yawwaleh' traditional dance and music show, followed by a Poetry Evening.

Special activities at Modhesh Fun City will start at 3pm, where the Family Zone will have traditional games and a number of heritage and cultural competitions.  Individual zones within Modhesh Fun City will also celebrate the occasion in their own unique way: the Lets and Go Zone, for example, will feature an Accession Day racing championship; the Zomoruda zone will see a special workshop; Space Toon will host a musical show; the Modhesh Souvenir Zone will offer special promotions and packages; Accession Day souvenirs will be sold by Modhesh Friends Club members; and the Sports Zone will host a football championship.

A fishermen's parade will begin at 5.45pm, featuring children attired in traditional diving attire, followed by the cutting of the UAE Flag cake, which will mark the beginning of the Accession Day parade at 6.30pm. All the members of the Modhesh Friends Club, accompanied by cartoon characters and other performers, will participate in this parade bearing UAE flags and pictures of President Shaikh Zayed. Both parades will be repeated at Surprises Island organised by the Dubai Development Board, with the UAE national anthem and other UAE songs being sung. At the Dubai Under Snow City, organised by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, the traditional Al Razeefa band will perform from 5pm until 10pm, followed by a poetry night. The city will also host special events, including games, shows and competitions. All DSS Accession Day activities will be covered by Dubai Television.