• Home

Loads of Prizes Await Shoppers

DUBAI - Unlimited discounts and bargains in shopping centres, the Chinese state circus, floating restaurants, fashion shows and raffle prizes worth over a million dirhams are just a few of the highlights of Dubai Shopping Festival 2009.

However, keeping in view the tragic situation in Gaza, the mega event will kick off today on a sobre note. Though all the activities are set to take place as planned, the opening will lack the grand display of fireworks, as was witnessed in the past editions.

The festival, now in its 14th year, has evolved into one of the biggest tourist attractions in Dubai. During the event, all roads and street corners in the city are decked up with lights, flyers and streamers. The shopping malls attract hordes of people, especially the Global Village and the night souq on Al Seef Road. This year, however, with the exception of a few shopping malls, there has been a visible reduction in the illumination and decorations this year.

Attractions and Shows

One of the biggest attractions this year is the internationally renowned Chinese State Circus, which will begin today at the Dubai Festival City. Among the highlights of the show will be high-speed acrobatics of hoop divers, traditional plate spinning, the ancient art of Chinese jar juggling heavy earthen pots and hand balancing. The show would not be complete without the Lion Dance and the Shaolin Warriors.

The Chinese State Circus will perform at 6pm and 9pm everyday, except Mondays, from January 15 to February 15. The Mercato Mall has geared up to celebrate the DSF with the theme ‘DSF Carnevale’. From January 15 to February 15, the visitors can experience the Renaissance-themed Mercato transformed into a traditional Venetian carnival. In the evenings, there will be traditional Italian flag throwers, Venetian parades and the theatrical main stage on the ground floor will host an array of daily shows, revealing a true Italian street festival atmosphere.

Shopping Promotions

Jumbo Electronics, the leading retailer in consumer electronics and technology, will roll out an exciting promotion during this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival, offering shoppers the opportunity to win gold prizes and 10 airline tickets everyday, in collaboration with Bahrain Air.

DSF shoppers will get the opportunity to pick up special deals on LCD televisions, digital and video cameras, home theatre systems, DVD players, audio systems, laptops, desktops, mobile phones, and much more. Customers can also benefit from the unique ‘Jumbo Advantage’, including a product protection plan, home delivery and installation, and a flexible payment plan.

Adding to the events in Mercato Mall, a Spend-2-Win promotion would enable customers who spend Dh200 or more to enter into a draw to win a selection of exciting prizes. Mercato and its sister mall, Town Centre Jumeirah, have teamed up to offer an array of rewarding prizes, exclusively for both malls.

Customers at the Deira City Center stand a chance of winning shopping vouchers and exclusive film premiere tickets as the mall invites visitors to ‘Shop Like a Movie Star’ during the Dubai Shopping Festival 2009.

The DSF’s Lexus Mega Raffle organised in cooperation with the Al Futtaim Group, is an event by itself with cars and cash prizes worth millions of dirhams to be given away during the 32 days of festivities.

dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE