Ramadan shoppers are buoyed up in spirits with traditional dances and themed lighting and decorations around the malls in Dubai and Sharjah as they go to shop.

Maria Ensan, Public Relations Manager, said that the spirit of Ramadan is celebrated at Dubai Outlet Mall with Ramadan themed decorations and lighting, the traditional Arabic tent, Arabic music and the Sufic Tanoura dance performance during Eid Al Fitr celebrations.In Mercato, Ramadan-themed decor adorns the mall in burgundy and gold colours.  Decorative items reflecting the spirit of Ramadan such as large lanterns and lights in the shape of coffee pots are displayed around the mall.

A hospitality area, which is set up at the ground floor of Mercato near the fountain, welcomes all visitors for coffee and dates from Iftar time onwards. Near the Charity Box, on the first floor, there will be an interactive children’s workshop, offering a variety of arts and crafts including paper lanterns, Ramadan and Eid cards and painting. A Circus Carnival Parade with entertainers and musicians to entertain shoppers during Eid Al Fitr only.  It will be an entertaining circus themed performance, which will surely entertain all members of the family during Eid Al Fitr.

Dubai Festival City is bedecked in calming lights and starry crescents as the Al Futtaim Group Real Estate (AFGRE) development heralds the holy month of Ramadan with fervour reminiscent of the UAE’s tradition, culture and spiritual simplicity.

Attired in warm decor, innovative lighting, touches of Arabian magic and Fanoos lanterns, Festival Centre, the retail epicentre of Dubai Festival City, will also glow in a relaxing light, reflecting a tranquil ambience.

Vishesh Bhatia, AFGRE Group Director, believes Dubai Festival City’s serene atmosphere and lighting reflects the true spirit of the holy month: “The calm lights around Dubai Festival City and the Festival Centre reflect the culture, tradition and simplicity of life.”

Throughout Ramadan, shoppers can register daily between 8pm and 11pm for a chance to win Eid Grand Prizes totalling Dh30,000 in Dubai Festival City Gift Vouchers and Umrah trips.

The Festival Square in Festival Centre will host a Heritage Souk and cultural activities including traditional handicrafts, kids arts and crafts, puppet shows, the popular Freej riddles book, Hakawati stories and live Oud performances; in addition to other activities at the south zone near Toys R Us store.

Mega Mall in Sharjah has Sufic Tanoura dance and dabka Arab folk line dance of joyous occasions during weekends. “We also have a pirates show customised by WR-Events for us. Not only it is a narrative show but also it has a weekly competition in which missing pieces of the pirate ship are scattered around the mall and customers who find them win instant prizes. There will be a grand draw during Eid and we are giving away a 50 inch Panasonic TV. This is apart from our Dh1 million campaign. It is a six-month promotion that started this Ramadan and we are giving away Dh1 million within six months,” said Susan Leonardo, Marketing Executive. “We have a Ramadan tent offering traditional Arabic hospitality of complimentary dates and coffee.”

Ramadan exhibition

A special exhibition will be staged this Ramadan at BurJuman organised by the Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage. From July 27 to August 16, the “Quranic Manuscripts Through the Ages” exhibition will take visitors through the different stages of the written format of the holy book. Visitors will be able to browse through a display of manuscripts depicting the Holy Quran written in the old Kufic script and the Eastern line of copy, followed by the era of decoration and embellishment and finally the Moroccan Islamic lines. On display will also be exhibits related to the sciences of the Quran, a 1,000-year-old rare Quran copy and old Persian and Turkish manuscripts.

Performances by traditional dance troupes and kids’ activities will be held for Eid holidays. A Ramadan raffle is set for visitors shopping for the Eid holidays at BurJuman. Shoppers spending Dh200 at the mall from August 1 to August 16 will have the chance to win shopping vouchers worth of Dh100,000. The final draw will be held on August 16 announcing the winner.

lily@khaleejtimes.com