DSF 2004 launches today with a spectacular Opening Ceremony at Al Seef Street

It will start with a spectacular opening ceremony on Al Seef street, and simultaneously will throw open many of the attractions and activities of DSF 2004.

The Opening Ceremony, which will feature all conceivable colours, lights and sounds, will be held at Al Seef Street. With parades, fireworks, sound and light shows and dancing laser beams, the Opening Ceremony is sure to be a taste of the grand scale of things to come. 1500 performers will bring this spectacle to life and declare DSF 2004 open. This ceremony will commence on Al Seef Street at 8pm.

The Global Village, now bigger and better than before, will open its doors to the DSF revelers at 4pm. With 38 international pavilions, a host of food and entertainment outlets and the marvelous Fun Fair. The Global Village will remain open till 1am.

The Carpet Oasis will open at 10am, the Jebel Ali Outlet at 2pm, the Night Souq at Al Seef Street at 10pm and the fabulous Aqua Fantasia shows will be at 6:30pm and again at 8pm. At the East Hall of the Dubai Airport Expo, the 'Layali Dubai' concerts will begin at 11pm. The Children's City at the Creek Park will be open all day from 10am to 10pm.

The first draw of the mega DSF raffles will be held at a special stage in the Global Village at 9pm. This draw will identify the first winners of the Lexus, Nissan and Gold raffles.

The shows in parks will commence from today, with 'Pinocchio' playing at the Al Safa Park at 6:30pm and again at 7:15pm. 'Jungle Book' will be performed at the 'Al Mamzar Park' at 6:30pm and again at 7:15pm.

The street activities will kick off the festivities on the major roads of Dubai, earmarked for DSF activities. Al Seef street, apart from hosting the Opening Ceremony, will also have the 'Fun Fair Zone', 'Tea Oasis', 'Fish for Fun' Corner, train journeys and much more. The zone will be thrown open to visitors from 4pm onwards.

Al Muraqabbat Street will have a whole range of activities and exciting events, and the festivities will begin right from 4pm today. The 'World Wrestling Championships' will commence at 8pm, the '2nd Police Academy Stunt Shows' at 7pm and again at 9pm, 'Ajman TV Programmes' from 10pm onwards. All other zones will be open from 4pm to midnight.

Al Riqqa Street will see the 'Emirates TV Stage Activities' at 11pm, 'International Italian Circus' at 6pm and again at 9pm, 'Skill Games Zone' from 4pm to midnight, and 'Lazer Musical Shows' at 8:30pm and again at 10:30pm. The Fun Fair zone will be open from 4pm to midnight.

Heritage events include the activities at the Heritage and Diving Village, which will open from 5pm, the Hatta village events from 4pm and the Al Ahmediya School and Heritage House events from 5pm onwards. For a peek into Arabian Bedouin Lifestyle, the Al Shindagha Heritage Area would be the place to visit, with a whole range of activites, shows and games suitable for all ages. This Heritage area will open at 4:30.

A preview of the exciting sections and zones that will dot Dubai from today onwards would not be complete without the exciting 'Xtreme Riders Zone', with shows at 5:30pm and again at 8:15pm. 'Jungle Wonders Shows', at 6pm and 7:30pm, 'Monster Truck Shows' at 8pm and 9:30pm, all adjacent to Dubai World Trade Centre. The 'Snake Forest' is on at the Dubai International Airport from 4pm to 4am. There will be special screenings of 'Mohanlal's 25 Masala Mix- The Film Festival' with shows at 1:30pm and 4:30pm at Al Nasr Cinema.