DSF and DOM to launch the biggest balloon gathering in all Asia

The Dubai Balloon Festival, spanning two weekends, will be launched in Dubai on December 20 at Dubai Outlet Mall in Dubailand, a member of Tatweer, and will be the first hot-air balloon event of its kind in the Middle East.

Etisalat, one of the platinum sponsors of the Dubai Balloon Festival, will officially present the event while the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) will be a partner in the event as another platinum sponsor.

The Dubai Balloon Festival is slated to be a major attraction by itself and Dubai will witness thousands of hot-air balloon enthusiasts as visitors over the coming years. The event hopes to further Dubai's image as the ultimate destination not only for ballooning, but expects to portray the city as the first choice of world travellers.

The event will undoubtedly stand out as a festival on its own and in its inaugural year, present a variety of entertainment shows that will be an attraction to all those who visit Dubai during this festive season.

The Dubai Balloon Festival will begin with a massive lift-off of around 75 balloons lighting up the Dubai skies from Dubai Outlet Mall site. The balloons will then move to the Global Village venue andform a night glow spectacle to mark the opening hour of the DSF.

Said Mohammed Khammas, CEO of Al Ahli Group and Dubai Balloon Festival (DBF), "As part of the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in creating world class attractions to boost the tourism industry, we join hands with the DSF in providing this spectacular experience to all visitors and residents as expected from all monumental projects of Dubai. The Dubai Balloon Festival and the Dubai Outlet City are only a start."

The event aims to put Dubai on the map as one among the premiere ballooning destinations of the world. 75 pilots from countries spanning the continents will take part in this extraordinary event thus representing a multitude of cultures. After its grand opening during the DSF, the Dubai Balloon Festival will be held as an annual event.

The night glow spectacle to open the combined 11th and 12th editions of this magnificent shopping and entertainment extravaganza on December 20 will truly be a sight to behold with mammoth hot-air balloons, some as high as a nine-storey building glowing against the dark. The balloons will stay on ground throughout the opening hour celebrations beginning at 8pm the same evening.

The event will unite balloon enthusiasts from around the world including participants from Europe, USA and Japan. There will be one participant from Australia and three from the UAE. The festival will take place in the evenings on December 21, 22 and 23 and the following week on December 28, 29 and 30.

The festival is open to public free of cost and will not only treat them to a wonderful sight of gigantic, colourful balloons soaring into the blue skies but also entertain them with concerts, acrobats, games and entertainment, photo contests, music and other delightful events.

The city of Albuquerque, USA, has been holding the International Balloon Fiesta for over 34 years giving a chance to experience the thrill and the grace of hot-air ballooning. With technical expertise by a team of professionals from the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Inc., the Dubai chapter of this popular international event has been initiated as a joint venture of the Al Ahli Group and ETA-Ascon and Star Events are providing organisational support and Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is providing technical support.

The combined edition of DSF 2006-2007 will run from December 20, 2006 to February 2, 2007. The 45 days of family fun, entertainment and shopping frenzy will offer retrospective glimpses of the 10 previous editions combining the best of the best and promises to be even bigger and better.