Curtains come down on inaugural edition of 'Eid in Dubai'

Senior officials from the DSF Office pointed out that the inaugural edition had achieved its aim of creating a truly festive atmosphere for residents and visitors in Dubai while enhancing the emirate's reputation as a sought-after tourism, cultural, and leisure destination.

Laila Suhail, Chief Executive Officer of DSF Office said,

"The positive response witnessed by the inaugural edition of 'Eid in Dubai' reflects the ability of Dubai to host international and premium events successfully and reiterates its position as a leader in the global festival industry. 'Eid in Dubai' brought together people of all nationalities and religion for a momentous celebration and over the coming years, the event will encompass the whole of Dubai. This vibrant city is one step closer to attracting 15 million visitors by the year 2015 and the DSF Office will continue to contribute to this aim through its innovative endeavours."

Ibrahim Saleh, Coordinator General of DSF Office said, "We are thankful to the numerous government departments that played a significant role in the first edition of 'Eid in Dubai' and we are already laying out plans to include even more activities during celebrations marking Eid-Al-Adha."

Yousif Mubarak, Chief Operations Officer of DSF Office said, "'Eid in Dubai' presented numerous challenges, especially since we were short of time to organize an event of such scale. Nevertheless, we had a concrete logistical plan that ensured all elements of the event were looked into."

'Eid in Dubai' presented some highlights that witnessed sell-out crowds during the four-day event.

The Return of the Phoenix, the critically acclaimed play by the renowned Rahbani family, drew praise for its combination of artistry, sound and light effects, and a powerful narration of a people's struggle for unity.

The opening show was attended by His Highness Sheikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.

The popular cartoon theatre show, Barney's Musical Castle, was a children's highlight during 'Eid in Dubai'.

The fun-loving purple dinosaur endeared itself to the thousands of children who had gathered at Airport Expo Dubai through an edutainment show including songs and brilliant stage settings.

With a Fun Fair, Heritage Zone, Fireworks display, and plenty of live musicians, the Eid District at Dubai Festival City, a key sponsor of 'Eid in Dubai', was a massive hit among shoppers and visitors at the mall.

Children also thronged the specially organised fuwalla tent for Eid sweets and goodies.

The inaugural edition of 'Eid in Dubai' was organized along with National Bonds as the founder sponsor, and supported by wasl, the asset management group owned by Dubai Real Estate Corporation.

ARY Exclusive, Emirates, Dubai Festival City, and Dubai World Trade Centre were the key sponsors and the event was organised in association with Dubai Shopping Malls Group and Dubai Gold & Jewellery Group.