Dubai might seem an unlikely location for a Christmas break but for the past ten years, the
Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) has been establishing itself as a major international event. Running for a massive 45 days, from December 20, 2006 to February 2, 2007, this years festival features much more than the opportunity to spend a lot of money; there is a World Cultures Festival, a Family Entertainment Festival, Arts and Cultural Festivals, Musical Festivals, Dubai Carnivals Festival, Dubai Fashion Festival, a Sports Festival, a Food Festival, a Records Breaking Festival, a Heritage Festival, a Shopping Malls Festival and a Raffle and Winnings Festival which includes some mega-expensive prizes.
Also included in this year's DSF, Cirque du Soleil performs its internationally acclaimed Quidam act and there is a Balloon Festival, with the participation of over 60 balloons. Finally, 'Bazaars of the World' is a DSF showcase for the development of Islamic culture through different periods in history with workshops on various crafts, painting, carpet weaving, copper engraving and the unique re-creation of a number of historic bazaars.
Dubai aims to attract more than 15 million visitors to the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2010 so by the end of the decade, the idea of Dubai as a location for a Christmas break might seem a little less unlikely.
Labels: bazaar, Cirque du Soleil, Dubai, fesival, shopping
