A grand opening ceremony of Dubai shopping festival is being organized at Dubai Festival City on Jan 24 evening in the thirteenth edition of the Festival. The opening will reflect the growth of Dubai over the years and include a combination of light and sound shows in the form of laser displays and dazzling fireworks

With over a hundred events including a wide spectrum of activities for every age group, DSF 2008 will feature some inclusions this year to add to the excitement.

Food Festival
A favourite of DSF visitors, Food Festival attracts people of diverse backgrounds to a celebration of international cuisine. Celebrity chefs, live cooking counters, and culinary workshops, in addition to interactive events and exciting prizes, add to the excitement of this truly one-of-a-kind gastronomic experience. The Food festival will be held at Uptown Mirdif from January 25 to February 2. Evenings are the best times to visit the Food Festival.

Dubai Carnivals
Based on the idea of floats, Dubai Carnivals will feature four platforms, each with a different theme. The themes include Russian, Arabic, Japanese, and Chinese. Different locations in Dubai like the Muraggabat Street, Al Seef Street, Creek Park, the Dubai Marina, Uptown Mirdiff, Arabian Ranches, Global Village, and even Dubai Media City, Dubai Internet City, and Knowledge Village will play host to the Carnivals thus making it possible for visitors anywhere in Dubai to view them. A total of 300 performers will take part in the Carnivals that will be held during every weekend throughout DSF.

Fireworks Festival
Fireworks have been a hallmark of every DSF edition and 2008 is slated to be bigger, better, and longer. Dazzling fireworks will be launched from a specially created platform when the display begins on Jan 24. The Official launch of the Fireworks Festival, organized in cooperation with the Al Zarooni Group, a key sponsor of DSF 2008, will take place on January 25th at 8pm beside the Dubai Creek.

Guinness World Records
As Dubai’s brand ambassador, DSF has contributed through numerous world records, and this year will be even more exciting as DSF 2008 will witness the launch of a new record breaking event under the name “Dubai Records”. The launch of this event will take place on 16th of Feb.

Fringe Festival
The ‘Fringe’ festival concept was established over 60 years ago and continues to celebrate various forms of arts including theatre, comedy, visual arts, dance, and music. Major international cities that host fringe festivals include cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Edinburgh, Dublin, Melbourne, Prague, and now, Dubai. Between Jan 24 and Feb 8, numerous international performers will perform at various venues throughout Dubai

Dubai Fashion 2008
Held under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum - wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai the Madinat Jumeirah will host the 2008 Dubai Fashion from Feb 10 to Feb 12.

New attractions in DSF 2008

Weekend Packages
A new concept to be presented during DSF 2008 is the ultimate weekend fun and entertainment package. This new addition will happen on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays every week during DSF 2008 where a special mega event along with the daily events will be presented. Dazzling fireworks will also adorn Dubai’s night sky during the weekends.

DSF Night Souq
A favourite with DSF crowds every year, the Night Souk comes alive late in the night and provides shoppers the unique chance to bargain for the finest goods till the early hours of the morning. Categorized as leisure shopping, Night Souk combines an entertainment area and a food court with raffle draws and amazing shopping offers for the perfect family outing. DSF 2008 sees the Night Souk move closer to the Dubai Creek thus providing a picturesque backdrop to one of the favourite DSF shopping destinations. Organised throughout DSF 2008, Night Souk will be open to visitors from 6pm to 2am from Sundays to Wednesdays, and from 6pm to 3am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.