Expo 2020 Dubai to entertain crowds with spectacular four-day Jubilee celebrations

Visitors will be able to watch fireworks and specially curated shows celebrating the UAE's 50th anniversary

Performers during the Antigua and Barbuda National Day Parade at Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Street dancers entertain the crowd. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

A bubble performer entertains visitors to the world's fair. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Traditional Russian performers during Russia Fest at Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

More bubbles in Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Pauliteiros de Miranda, a traditional Portuguese dance, at the Portugal pavilion. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

Performers at Expo 2020, Expo 2020 Dubai. Photo: Expo 2020 Dubai

An acrobat dressed as a bee performs in the air during the Colours of the World daily parade on the streets of Expo 2020 Dubai. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Opti the robot entertains families on the streets of Dubai. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Music on the streets of Dubai for Expo 2020. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Street dancers entertain the crowds. Antonie Robertson / The National

A giant tiger puppet prowls the streets. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

Expo 2020 Dubai will celebrate the UAE National Day and Jubilee next weekend with fireworks, live performances and hourly surprises for visitors over four days.

For the Golden Jubilee weekend, the world’s fair will be open from 9am to 2am from December 1 to 4.

More than 200 performers will take to the stage at Jubilee Park, Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre and Al Wasl Plaza each day, entertaining audiences with specially curated shows to celebrate the UAE’s 50th anniversary.

Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday, Amna Abulhoul, executive creative director for Expo, said the performers will include at least “95 people from 95 country pavilions”.

“Every day, there will be a big surprise and every hour, another surprise,” she said.

“This weekend is all about the world turning into one and paying tribute to the people of this land, the UAE. Each day the gates to Dubai Expo will be opened by story tellers of the UAE.

“On December 2, the day will start with a national anthem and flag-raising ceremony, followed by an Al Azi performance, where we have narrated 50 years of the UAE [through] a 10-line poem.”

The main show for UAE National Day, "Journey of the 50", will take place at Al Wasl Plaza twice daily, at 7.30pm and 10.15pm, and will be an “extension of the impressive opening ceremony”.

Visitors can also enjoy daily fireworks throughout the four-day weekend, as well as choir performances and a show called The Story of a Thread, which depicts a young boy and his grandmother talking about the UAE through the decades.

Broadcast on large screens at different stages across the Expo site, visitors can also watch the UAE's official 50th National Day celebrations, which will take place in Hatta on December 2 from 5.30pm.

In its first seven weeks, the world's fair has welcomed more than four million visits through its gates, apart from the 22 million online visits.

Figures released on Monday showed there were 4,156,985 visits since October 1, with the popular Irish show, Riverdance, helping to draw the crowds during the evenings throughout November.

Organisers said sales of the half-price November ticket, which costs Dh45 until the end of the month, were also going strong, with more than 120,000 weekday tickets sold over the past three weeks.

Organisers have yet to release details of ticket offers for December.

In pictures - UAE National Day celebration