Dubai: Visitors to Zabeel Park have more than one reason to head there during the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) ever since the park was transformed into an entertainment hub featuring many stunt shows and other activities.
As part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of DSF, Zabeel Park is hosting the ‘Etisalat Festive Park,’ which has been offering numerous fun-filled activities for families and children.
The initiative was a new concept organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE) in collaboration with etisalat and has been attracting thousands of visitors since January 1. The visitors said that the weather, the relaxing environment, and the ability to watch the shows and enjoy other activities for only a Dh5 admission fee gives them another reason to come again.
When Gulf News visited the park, families were spotted sitting on the grass with their children and munching on snacks as they eagerly waited for the next stunt show to start again.
Charmain Manaloto, from the Philippines, said she has been visiting the park with her niece and friend every Wednesday since the beginning of the festival, and that she has been enjoying every single entertainment attraction in the park.
“I like bringing my niece here because there’s a playground for her to play and plenty of other games for her to enjoy. The ongoing DSF has made the park lively and entertaining this winter and has given us a chance to watch plenty of shows for free,” said Charmain, who came to the park at 3pm, which is the time when the ‘Circus Comes to Town’ and the ‘Extreme Show’ begin.
Charmain said she wants to bring her other friends with her next time to spend some time at the park before the festivities are over.
On the big stage, The Circus Comes to Town attracted many spectators who came to watch a series of acrobatic performances being presented by 20 circus artists. The three thirty-minute shows are being held at 4pm, 6pm and 7pm daily.
Closer to the entrance of gate 1, the Extreme Show also saw many people gathering around the area to watch the stunts being performed by eight daredevils. The show was divided into three parts.
The first show was by two brothers performing dangerous stunts on a double wheel. The second show was performed by four bikers who started doing stunts inside a round metal ball while a woman stood in between them cheering, and the third performance was by two drummers who first drummed on buckets and then on a professional kit of drums while music continued to play in the background.
The Extreme Show is being held every day until February 1 at 4.30pm, 6.30pm and 7.30pm.
Emirati Alia Abdul Razzaq Mohammad chose to visit Zabeel Park on a weekday with her family and friends to avoid the huge crowds. They chose to bring their own snacks and drinks to the park and sit on the grass to watch the shows comfortably.
“I always come here with my children because there’s plenty of space for them to play, but this time we chose to come as a large group, and by coincidence, we found out that there’s a big show happening every 30 minutes. The weather and the overall atmosphere are also perfect, which really encourages us to come here again,” she said.
On the agenda of the park for the remaining weeks of DSF are exciting activities, events and attractions for park-goers of all ages. Those looking to discover fresh and organic foods can head to the Ripe Food and Craft Market every Friday.
