Festivals in Dubai: A Full Calender to Suit Every Mood

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Festivals in Dubai A Full Calendar to Suit Every
Mood
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When you want to do something larger than life
and celebrate with a bang, the city of choice HAS
to be Dubai. Dubai has developed in leaps, bounds
and twinkling toes into one of the most happening
cities. Yet, there are abiding traditions which
form the soul of this city. It is not just myriad
cultures that mingle to give Dubai its unique
flavour, but different eras of Arabian culture
too the modern co-exists with the moderate and
conservative. When the talk on Dubai veers to
festivals, one in particular is all about
tradition, devotion and austerity.
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The Holy month of Ramadan Ramadan is the ninth
and the holiest month of the Islamic lunar
calendar. At this time, the modern takes a back
seat in Dubai. The devout fast during the day. If
you are a visitor during Ramadan, it is important
that you respect and appreciate the culture. The
working hours are shortened, all public eateries
are closed during fasting hours and you cannot
eat or smoke in public. Austerity is the keyword
here. The city comes alive with traditional Iftar
celebrations once the fast ends in the evenings
Iftar tents (majlis and jaimas) pop up in the
streets, spread with fine Persian rugs and an
array of food. This is the ideal time to shop,
eat and socialize. If you get an invitation to an
Iftar party, do not pass up the opportunity. If
you dont know any locals, just book a cab to a
hotel based Iftar tent, eat Arabian delicacies,
relax over a cup of mint tea and let the culture
seep into you. Non- religious festivals in Dubai
are all about glitz and glamour. There is
something for everyone.
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The Dubai Shopping Festival Who hasnt heard of
this? Not many could have been insulated from the
fanfare that proclaims this extravaganza every
year. The fireworks that are a hallmark of the
fest, are symbolic of the dazzling deals that are
in store. You can get unbeatable bargains whether
you are exploring old souks or the grandest of
malls electronics, clothes-everything from
diamonds to dates- vie to catch your eye with
discounts ranging from 30 to 90! Flash mobs,
jugglers, street performers and raffles,where you
can win anything from cash to cars, add to the
excitement. Malls showcase Emirati culture and
music icons. This year, the 22nd DSF is slated
from the 26th December to the 20th January 2017.
So make sure you are there! The Omega Dubai
Desert Classic is the most talked about Golf
championship. Many of the worlds leading goofs
swing a mean club for the generous prize
money.
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Interested in sport? Dubai is host to some of
the biggest and most showy sporting events in the
world. The Dubai World Cup carries prize money of
USD 30 million! It is held around March every
year, the 22nd edition being earmarked for the
25th of March 2017. Make a huge fashion
statement. Get dressed to kill and make a grand
arrival in a swanky limousine. Book the glass
fronted Tiered Restaurant at Meydan to get a
panoramic view of the race course and get treated
like royalty. A modest outing would be at the
free admission area at the Meydan Grandstand.
There are many beverage and food outlets and you
can catch a good glimpse of the horses and enjoy
the free live concerts. Get there early with your
gang of friends for a thoroughly enjoyable
evening.
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The Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships are
annual tournaments held on hardcourts. The Dubai
Tennis stadium is surrounded by many beverage and
entertainment locations and the event is as much
a social as a sporting occasion. The Standard
Chartered Dubai Marathon is the first sporting
event of the citys sporting calendar. This is a
charitable fund raising event which includes a
4km fun run, a 10km race and the long haul 50km
marathon which carries a hefty cash prize.
Whether you intend to run or watch, both driving
up to the venue and parking might take more out
of you than running the marathon. Take a cab, get
off at Al Wasl road and walk to the race
venue.
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Art Dubai is the most prominent art fair in
Africa, South Asia and the Middle East. The 11th
edition takes place March 15-18 2017. Over the
years, this annual event has become the venue
where art collectors, galleries, artists,
curators and enthusiasts flock together.
Surprisingly, so much of the art is easy on the
pocket. The Dubai International Jazz Festival is
a February-March event. This is a great show of
stunning sets and lighting. You can be with it
while entertaining important clients or making it
an annual bonding party. Corporate bookings are
an unforgettable experience where you can get in
through a private entrance, sink into something
comfortable and be pampered by the waiter
service. So what are you waiting for? Hire a
stretch limo February 22, 2017 will have Tom
Jones on the opening night, Mariah Carey rocks on
the 23rd and Enrique Iglesias will send shivers
up your spine on the 24th!
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The Dubai Bride Show is a February event and it
showcases everything the discerning bride will
need for starting her new life clothes,
jewellery, accessories, make- up, home
furnishings et al. The Festival of Taste is
culinary art at its most creative. Taste
everything from camel burgers to sushi and fast
food to the accompaniment of great music. Live
Demos and meeting up with master chefs will
surely help you hone your culinary skills. Taking
in some or all of these great festivals can be
exhausting. And there are many more events like
the film festivals and Dubai summer surprises. So
why not take a break and cruise through Dubai
Marina on a yacht? See the Dubai skyline with
refreshed eyes. Festivals in Dubai are
exhilarating. Catch at least some of them for the
experience of a lifetime.
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