Tourism & Hospitality | Tuesday 24 January, 2017 2:30 am |

A scintillating array of fashion and beauty events, retail offers and cultural celebrations is awaiting visitors during the final week of the 22nd edition of Dubai Shopping Festival, offering unforgettable experiences to families from across the region.

 

Running until 28 January, the 34-day shopping and entertainment extravaganza is one of the longest running festivals of its kind in the world, and is particularly admired in the region for its unique concepts and the diversity of its many attractions.

 

Be it creatively designed fashion shows that celebrate Dubai’s iconic locations, surprise in-store events that give visitors a chance to win prizes, the newly inaugurated Dubai Water Canal that transforms vast tracts of the city into a world-class leisure and entertainment destination or simply the age-old excitement of fireworks, the final week of DSF 2017 offers many a reason to board the next flight to Dubai and celebrate the best of lifestyle entertainment in the region.

 

A particularly popular event this season is ‘Street Runways’ that includes a series of unique fashion shows partnering with high-street brands in specific locations across the city. The last eagerly awaited show will be at City Walk on 25 January. With a twist to the traditional concept, the fashion show features Dubai’s renowned landmarks as a backdrop, with each design and fashion style synced with the destination.

 

‘Fashion Express’, another event that’s engaging casual shoppers and fashion experts alike, combines the popular 'flashmob' with a 'pop-up' concept, while featuring an exclusive in-store event designed to entertain visitors at city malls. Since DSF 2017 commenced in late December, visitors have participated in numerous in-store promotions and live product launches as part of the Fashion Express suite of events, and there are still further pop-ups to look forward to at City Centre Deira (26-28 January).

 

If indulging in some shopping is in plans for the coming days, then few places can match ‘Market OTB (Outside The Box)’ in its breadth of product and vendor options. An innovative shopping concept that features a funky mix of global brands and independent local labels, Market OTB is an idyllic outdoor venue with over 100 vendors offering everything from elegant clothes to colourful mementos. Running until 28 January, the unique market – propped up in Burj Park – will host a number of entertainment activities including live shows and music concerts, as well as a wide selection of food trucks and indulgent treats.

 

In addition to the wide selection of fashion events and spectacular destinations, DSF also harbours an eclectic mix of art, entertainment and action-packed adventure excursions that will capture the imagination of children and adults alike. ‘Roaming Artistes’ and musicians are spreading the festive cheer in malls across the city, with performances featuring a troupe of jazz musicians, a musical group sporting glowing LED costumes and Sparks Fire Dance circus acts among many others, promising to keep children engaged for hours.

 

Shoppers across the city can also avail DSF-exclusive promotional campaigns such as the ‘Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group Promotion’, where a minimum spend of AED 500 at participating gold and jewellery outlets in Dubai gives an opportunity to win three fabulous gold prizes every day, with one lucky winner receiving 1/2 kilo of gold and two other winners receiving 1/4 kilo of gold each. There’s also a mega raffle on the final day of DSF 2017 with 1 kilo of gold as the grand prize.

 

Seamlessly complementing Dubai’s modern take on entertainment and fun are the ‘DSF Fireworks’ – now synonymous with the festival itself. A dazzling display lights up the Dubai night sky every weekend, with the most thrilling views enjoyed at The Beach opposite JBR, Dubai Festival City and Global Village throughout the festival.