Dubai Shopping Festival opens 27th year with celebrations at Burj Park

The event welcomed more than 5,000 people as Emirati-Yemeni pop star Balqees Fathi and Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki took to the stage

Balqees Fathi performs at the Dubai Shopping Festival opening at Burj Park, Downtown Dubai. All photos: Ruel Pableo for The National

The Emirati-Yemeni singer is known for her melodious but powerful vocals.

Fans enjoying the DSF opening concert.

Balqees is a regular and popular performer at UAE events.

Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki was the other act at the concert.

More than 5,000 people were at the event.

The performances were accompanied by vibrant lights and special effects.

A view of Burj Park on the opening day of DSF.

Food trucks and stands at Burj Park.

A food truck by celebrity chef CznBurak.

Dubai Shopping Festival runs until January 30.

The 27th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) began with a celebration that befits the city's larger-than-life reputation. More than 5,000 people made a beeline for Burj Park for the opening concert, which included live performances from Emirati-Yemeni pop star Balqees Fathi and award-winning Egyptian singer Mohamed Hamaki.

Also setting the tone for the festival, which runs until January 30, were a plethora of performance artists, augmented reality stage shows, dancing fountains and a vibrant light show at Burj Khalifa, proving that DSF has evolved to become so much more than a retail event.

This year, for instance, shoppers and visitors to the various participating malls and outlets across Dubai can also enjoy daily fireworks displays, outdoor markets, pop-up dining venues and a number of other live concerts for the 47-day duration of DSF.

Over at Bluewaters Island, visitors can enjoy the DSF Drone Light Show which will take place daily at 7pm and 9.30pm, and will also be complemented by a light show at Ain Dubai.

Set to Rashed Al-Majed and RedOne’s Ya Salam Ya Dubai, the Expo 2020 anthem This is Our Time and David Guetta’s global hit Titanium featuring Sia, the show aims to tell the tale of the UAE’s past, present and future through mesmerising choreography and augmented reality elements.

Another addition to this year’s festival is TunesDXB at La Mer, with concerts from January 7 to 9.

Elsewhere, six interactive art installations will be on display under the Dubai Lights project. One is City Gazing Dubai by VOUW at DIFC Gate Avenue, an installation inspired by the emirate with a special accompanying soundtrack. Other works can be seen at The Pointe, La Mer and Last Exit, Al Khawaneej.

More details on DSF are available here.