• Home

Parade spreads cheer

DUBAI - Balloons, with their gravity-defying magic and bright colours, have a unique ability to delight both children and the child within all adults. They are associated with good times, fun and frivolity, and so it comes as no surprise that children are clamouring to be part of the weekly balloon parade organised by the Dubai Summer Surprises office.

Members of the Modhesh Friends Club are having a gala time taking part in the weekly parades, said Yousef Mubarak, administration director of the DSS Office. He said 30 kids take to different malls every week, wearing balloons shaped into hats, animals, flowers and other items, according to the DSS theme of the week.

“For Flower Surprises, the children wore balloon hats shaped like flowers, for Ice Surprises, they wore balloons in the shape of snowflakes and so on,” he said. “This way, we keep things different for the kids involved and also for the visitors to the malls.”

The Balloon Parade attracts a great deal of attention wherever it goes, especially because it is accompanied by a parade of cartoon characters joining in with the kids from Modhesh Friends Club. Packed with slapstick comedy routines, mime and the occasional musical group, the parade attracts even more kids to join in as it makes its way around the mall. Participants in the balloon parade are also happy to interact with audience members, posing for pictures with them and distributing free balloons.

• UAE