Over 250 events for DSS 2006

DSS is powered by fun-filled and entertaining events that stimulate different faculties of the brain and are largely responsible for sustaining the high degree of public interest in the annual fiesta. A lot of brainstorming and planning goes into devising and executing these events at such a massive scale leading to fresh, new editions of the grand summer fiesta year after year. The DSS Office and Organising Committee comprising of 17 different Government Departments leave no stone unturned to present a refreshing, novel and exciting edition of Dubai Summer Surprises to enthrall one and all. This time the focus is more on family activities as seen in the impressive events calendar unveiled today.

Addressing the Press conference, DSS CEO, Saeed Mohammed Al Nabouda, said: "Once again we are here to welcome a new season in our yearly calendar of events. Although an annual fiesta, the Dubai Summer Surprises holds an element of surprise each year. The organisers of the event have tirelessly innovated and introduced new events that add a touch of freshness to the annual fiesta and make each edition grander than the previous one. Today, we have reached a stage when our festivals and events are regarded as the benchmarks for gauging the success of other festivals in the region as they are being compared with us from time to time. Although comparisons are being drawn, our events rely on ideas and networking more than anything else. We believe in people power and have steadily invested in building a strong base for sound ideas.

"Today as we announce the Events Calendar for the upcoming DSS we are proud to state that our very own DSS is one-of-a-kind event that stands out from the rest. The Dubai Government has invested 75 million dirhams in this ninth edition of DSS for creating opportunities for the private sector and businesses to flourish. As yet another spectacular edition of DSS unfolds we expect it to weave magic through its merit across all sections of society."

Al Nabouda announced that a DSS 2006 opening ceremony marking the beginning of the Ice Surprises week - the first themed surprise week in the events calendar of DSS - will be held on June 21 from 7.30pm onwards at Ski Dubai, Mall of the Emirates which is one of the best venues for such a themed week. The Ice Surprises, organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) will entail an array of activities such as ice carving workshops, treasure hunts, plays and skits and ice-cream eating competitions to be held at the various malls in Dubai.

The Ice Surprises will be followed by Arts Surprises from June 29 to July 5 organised by Department of Naturalisation and Residency Administration (DNRD). The week will open amidst much fan-fare and pomp and show at the Modhesh Fun City at 7pm on June 29 and will have a series of events such as children's art workshops and competitions, carnivals and shows as well as exhibitions.

From July 6 to 12 we will see Dubai convert into a foodie's haven with the Food Surprises week organised by Dubai Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM). Marked with an impressive opening ceremony from 7pm at the Mall of the Emirates, the Food Surprises will herald into a whole week of food related events which will also highlight the traditional cuisine and the culinary history of Arabia. Also included will be sponsored programmes to spread awareness about healthy eating as well as workshops on Asian and European cuisines.

Then comes the Adventure Surprises week from July 13 to 19 organised by the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS). The week will open on July 13 with a formal ceremony to be held from 5pm to 10pm at the Mall of the Emirates. The entire week will be packed with exciting events such as adventure shows and competitions as well as treasure hunts. This will be followed by the kids' favourite Cartoon Surprises from July 20 to 26 organised by Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI). The week will begin with a themed opening ceremony at 7pm at the Mall of the Emirates and will lead to seven days of total fun and entertainment for the little ones. Also included in this week's activities are food and toy safety seminars which will benefit many. Then comes the Nature Surprises from July 27 to August 2 organised by Dubai Police. The week formally begins on July 27 at 7.30pm with an opening ceremony also to be held at the Mall of the Emirates. Encompassing a campaign to create awareness about environment and focussing on the numerous bounties of Nature through plays, competitions and workshops, the activities of this week will give a whole new dimension to DSS thereby proving that there is much more to DSS than just fun and play.

From August 3 to 9 will be the Knowledge Surprises week organised by the Land Department. The week formally opens at the Modhesh Fun City at 7pm and will include a host of shows and competitions including the interactive science show and the famous Sama Fitfoot show. From August 10 to 16 will be the Flower Surprises week organised by Dubai Municipality. After a flowery opening ceremony at the Mall of the Emirates at 7.30pm on the first day, this week's activities will be revolving around flowers and will entail flower arrangement competitions, exhibitions as well as workshops and flower carnivals. Next comes the Heritage Surprise organised by Dubai Customs from August 17 to 23. The opening ceremony of this week will be held at the Modhesh Fun City at 7.30pm. Throughout the week Heritage Allusions by all seven emirates of the UAE will run in the various malls of Dubai to take you back in time for a glimpse of the UAE of the years gone by. A special Emirates Traditional Bazaar will run throughout the week at the Dubai World Trade Centre which will host several stage shows, story houses and handicraft exhibitions.

Last but not the least comes the Back-2-School Surprise from August 24 to September 1 organised by the Department of Economic Development (DED) to prepare the young ones to get back to their school-going routine. The week will be introduced at an opening ceremony at the Mall of the Emirates from 7.30 onwards on August 24. Presenting a wide range of activities this week will open at the Ibn Batutta Mall and will lead to a number of interesting shows and contests leaving the kids with pleasant memories of DSS 2006 ending on September 1.

Apart from the 10 weekly themed surprises the other Government departments such as Dubai e-government has Modhesh Friends Forum, Digital Photo and Website Competitions and e-Government Awareness Lectures; Sama Dubai TV is hosting Al Maidan, Dubai Al Multaqa and Kids shows and the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department will hold their own programmes and activities such as besides workshops, seminars and the first Youth Camp at the Association of Reformation and Social Guidance to create general awareness among the future generation. The ever-popular Children's City at Dubai Creek Park will host a series of events such as the Kellog's Summer camp from June 21 to August 30 from 8am to 1.30pm. Also included in its calendar of events are facepainting, puppet shows, food and toy workshops as well as a host of games and fun activities in line with the themed weeks.

Announcing the various events, Al Nabouda pointed out, "DSS 2006 with its over 250 events will offer something for everyone. It is evident from the preparations ahead of the event by the Organising Committee whose members are largely responsible for staging the massive events have given their 100 per cent to make it a success. Centring around the two core elements of shopping and kids' activities DSS has much more to it than just that. Several new initiatives introduced this year prove our commitment to making this event a family centric event with lots and lots in store for the entire family.

"The Spas Promotion and Beach Activities are two such initiatives that invite adults to participate in mainstream DSS activities. The Collectors Exhibition, the Photography Exhibition, some of the successful events from last year makes an appearance this year as well as the DSS Summer Family Fiesta 2006 which will cater to the needs of the entire family. There will be prizes galore giving everyone a chance to win. And of course, there is the smiles promotion that aptly sums up the idea behind the DSS. Dubai Smiles All Summer Long and invites everybody to share the smile of joy and take it far and wide," said Al Nabouda.

As every year this year too Modhesh Fun City will take centrestage of DSS and host a number of fun fairs, stage shows, exhibitions, workshops and seminars in its specially designed zones. Halls 2,3,4,5 and 6 of Dubai World Trade Centre will be converted into exclusive Entertainment Hall, Tech Hall, Management Hall, Adventure Hall, Toddlers Hall and a Service Hall. Modhesh Stage and Modhesh Fun fair will captivate the fancy of the little ones throughout the summer with an array of shows, games and activities. The Family Court and Relaxation Zone at the Fun City is a special gesture for the parents who will get a chance to relax while their kids revel in the activities being offered in the indoor amusement park. Arts and Crafts Zone, Traditional Zone, Sand Art and Sculpting Zone, Play Station Zone, e-zone, Sports Zone, Clever Thinking and Play Zone and Information Zone will be the main attractions of Modhesh Fun City which will offer a lot to children of all ages. Hall number 8 of the Fun City will be converted into an area for Adventure Safari by Dubai Real Estate which will hold some surprises in store for all those seeking adventure. A new edition this year is the Dubai Summer Family Fiesta 2006 to be held at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Modhesh Fun City will convert into a marketplace providing a one-stop-shop for all school and stationery requirements during the Modhesh Back to School Market to be held from July 31 to August 19 in the various halls of the Dubai World Trade Centre. It's another added attraction to the popular children's venue and families, retailers and educational institutions are expected to attend the exhibition. The exhibition will display the latest in school items with exciting offers and promotions.

The various in-mall events embody the true spirit of DSS by integrating the summer fiesta with mainstream shopping and leisure facilities of Dubai. By way of holding events in the temperature-controlled, highly sophisticated malls of Dubai the event reaches out to a cross-section of society barring age, nationality and other differences. Dubai Shopping Malls Group (DSMG), the umbrella organisation representing over 39 malls of Dubai comes up with exclusive deals and promotions to offer tangible shopping benefits to the shoppers with the added benefit of purchase based raffles offering cash prizes during DSS. This year too a number of promotions and special DSS discounts have been lined up to attract buyers. The Dubai Gold and Jewellery Group (DG&JG) is once again offering a number of prizes including gold prizes as part of their attractive promotion. Besides the famous DSS raffle is also back in its new found identity this time round. Named as Dubai Summer Surprises Grand Raffle it gives you a chance to drive away in a trendy BMW X5 4.8is and Dh100,000 cash every week with a purchase of a raffle ticket worth Dh200. The tickets have gone on sale from June 1 - much before the actual proceeding of the summer fiesta begin at the various Emarat petrol stations and shopping malls and street-side kiosks of Dubai.

The Collectors Exhibition to be held from July 7 to 16 will bring together collectors of various objects under one roof in BurJuman (new extension). From 10am to 10pm during the exhibition visitors will have a chance to meet numismatists, philatelists and some unusual collectors like the man with a passion for shopping bags. Then there are those who collect small cars, household objects, cameras, pens and what not! This is the perfect event for everyone to find out some more about the strange and fascinating world of collectors.

Disney Magic to be held from July 15 to 28 at the Mall of the Emirates will show the original Disney classics and also bring the endearing Disney characters amidst fans. Over the past six years this event has proved time and again that it is as good as being there as it brings a wholesome Disney experience right here in Dubai. Complete with exciting magic shows this year's Disney Magic will also present the last 100 years of Disney in retrospect as well as lifesize interactive games with Disney characters.

We all love stories, don't we? The World of Stories, an event is committed to creating a magical world where families can witness some of the best story characters from literature come to life is spread across a period of 8 days to be held from July 28 to August 4 at Mercato Shopping Mall in the evenings between 4pm to 10pm. An entire array of customised shows, workshops and actual meet and greet corners, for an entire week Mercato will become a 'fairytale land' where numerous characters step out of story books and take centre stage to enthrall every individual within the family. Themed colouring workshops, grandma story telling corners, a library for kids and families to browse through some reading material as live 'mascots' parade through the area and an education corner where kids can develop various story-telling techniques will be some elements of the event that are sure to create a fun-filled week for both the young and the young at heart.

From August 20 to 26 between 5pm to 9 pm, the massive China Court at Ibn Batutta Mall is all set to be converted into a colossus stadium for the little ones to show off their sporting muscle by hosting the Kids Olympic Games. The sporting challenges are being hosted for children under 10 years of age in an attempt to encourage their sporting skills. Babies will also get a chance to exploit their motor skills and crawling ability to win attractive prizes.

The Photography Exhibition now in its second appearance at the DSS, will run from August 14 to 19 at BurJuman between 10am and 10 pm. The six-day event is a tribute to photographers, as it offers both local and international photographers an opportunity to showcase their best pictures. The event will include a competition and a seminar. Alongside this, films on photography will be screened and the opening ceremony will be a virtual networking opportunity for enthusiasts and professionals as they interact with some of the best names in the field from home and abroad.

The Dubai Summer Surprises is all about making summer season a celebration to rejoice the unlimited fun and leisure opportunities offered in the DSS package. Over the years DSS has evolved into a family event rather than being limited to entertaining and educating just the kids. To take this a step further the concept of DSS Summer Family Fiesta was born. The Summer Family Fiesta packs fun and entertainment for the families and also provides a platform to do business. Consumers can expect superb sales, bargains, entertainment, fun activities, demonstrations, mega prizes, lucky draws and much more. DSS Summer Family Fiesta Incorporates activities, events and exhibitions to be held from 12pm to 9pm from August 22-26, 2006 at Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre

For those who are more creatively inclined this year the Arts Oasis is a surefire way to keep them happily engaged. For a whole week from August 22 to 28, the Reef Mall will become an Art gallery offering a little something for every member of the family. The Exhibitions and Displays will be on from 10am to 10pm while artists workshops and demonstrations will be held in the evenings from 5pm to 10pm throughout the seven days. Unlike the usual art galleries which only comprise an exhibition, The Art Oasis will encompass all kinds of fun and educational works, which will allow artists of all ages and backgrounds to participate in the event. It will include an Art exhibit, Interactive art work cum workshop, Art shows, live pottery and a family competition.

Other major events are Min Beladi (From My Country - the UAE) event scheduled from 4pm to 10pm through July 19-28 at Bin Sougat Center where the present generation can get an insight into their rich culture and tradition, the Barbie World which gives youngsters a chance to soak in all aspects of playing, watching and even meeting a real-life Barbie! At Reef Mall starting July12-28 from 4pm to 10pm, where parents can bring their little doll to the Barbie House and make her wildest Barbie dreams come true while the Deira City Centre will play host to the Summer Kid's Fashion Week from August 24 to 30 between 5pm and 9 pm. Members of the Modhesh Friends' Club will roll out onto the ramp and display their style and talent wearing the latest seasonal gear from noteworthy brands like Benetton, Mother Care, AIIZ, Woolworths and Monsoon. Besides, fashion shows there are many prizes to be won by participating in exciting workshops that teach children to create fashion artifacts, Fabric Painting and Block Printing, Embellishment and Masquerade. Clearly, this is an event not to be missed.

A wonderful new addition to this year's bouquet of events includes the fascinating Sheila and Abaya Fashion Shows. The three-day evening extravaganza from August 29 to 31 from 6pm onwards will see the best talent in the industry converge at BurJuman to showcase the metamorphosis of the traditional Arab garment. Models will sashay down the ramp showcasing the latest trends in Sheilas and Abayas. Apart from the fashion show, exhibitions and demonstrations will also be a part of the event. Another first to this year's DSS is a musical concert, Queen it's a Kinda Magic being held at Madinat Jumeirah Arena on June 29.