Residents and visitors are in for a treat this weekend (12 to 14 August) as Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) delivers a sensational line-up of fun, games, sales, exciting promotions and much, much more. This weekend coincides with the annual DSS Back to School promotion, so students and parents can get shopping for great offers before the new academic year gets underway.
Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), DSS showcases Dubai as a fun, open, welcoming and safe destination, with all of the participating venues, stores and malls following the important health and safety procedures, including social distancing and the wearing of masks at all times.
Here DFRE outlines some of the best activities, deals, sales, events, activations and more taking place across the city this weekend:
FOODIE PROMOTIONS
Until 21 August, the DSS Summer Restaurant Week will tempt hungry families and friends with great deals on tasty meals. Dozens of the city’s best-loved eateries are serving special menus including breakfast, two-course lunches and three-course dinners along with children’s menus. Food lovers can take their pick from 30 restaurants, with a total of 50 meal choices available across 20 delicious cuisines served at 24 locations around the city. For the full list of restaurants, visit www.SummerRestaurantWeek.com.
Residents and visitors have the chance to tuck into amazing food and win super prizes with the DSS Dine & Win promotion. Until 4 September, foodies and families who spend AED100 at Dine & Win eateries will be entered into a raffle to win ZOMATO membership and RAK Bank gift cards loaded with AED200. During the back to school period, diners will have double the chances to win. Participating venues can be found at the Al Bustan Centre, Al Ghurair Centre, Al Warqa City Mall, Al Khail Gate Community, BurJuman, Binsougat Centre, Bay Avenue, Dubai Outlet Mall, Mudon Community, Oasis Mall and Shurooq Community Centre. Diners and families can also visit venues at Reef Mall, Times Square Centre, Union Cooperative Al Quoz, Wasl Vita, Dar Wasl, Wasl 51 and Souk Madinat Jumeirah.
LIVE SHOWS
Coca-Cola Arena will host The Music of ABBA, West End Extravaganza and Disco Symphonic shows this weekend. Three great feel good evenings of live entertainment will kick off with The Music of ABBA performed on 12 August, followed by the West End Extravaganza show on 13 August and Disco Symphonic on 14 August. Featuring talented singers from London’s West End and musicians from the National Chamber Orchestra of Armenia, each performance will be spectacular and lots of fun. Tickets are available from visitdubai.com.
BACK TO SCHOOL
Students and parents can stock up on new term supplies with a huge selection of Back to School offers available at stores across the city. Brands offering great Back to SchoolRetail Deals include fashion outlets Banana Republic, Baccarat, Calzedonia, Oysho, Pull & Bear, Topshop, Tory Burch and many more. New school footwear offers can be found at Coach, Bally, Dr Mauch, Sole Therapy, Wonderful Shoes and more. The Back to School promotion also features homeware brands including Objects of Desire, Maison Du Monde, Jashanmal Home and Think Kitchen among others.
Modesh will pop up this weekend to help parents and students with their education fees as part of the much-loved Modesh Scholarship Promotion. The shop & win raffle will see a total of AED250,000 awarded to 10 shoppers, with each winner receiving a AED25,000 scholarship. To be in with a chance of winning, shoppers need to spend AED200 at Ibn Battuta Mall, Nakheel Mall or Circle Mall between 8 August and 4 September and scan their receipts at the customer service desk to be automatically entered into the prize draw.
Students can shop for the latest high-tech study gadgets and have the chance to win AED25,000 in school fees as well as a Microsoft Surface Go laptop everyday with Jumbo Electronics. The retailer’s Back to School promotion runs until the end of DSS on 4 September. Customers who spend more than AED1,000 on laptops, desktops and tablets at Jumbo Stores and www.jumbo.ae will be entered into the prize draw.
FAMILY FUN
The d3 Summer Programme will host the Splatter Drawings event on 14 August where youngsters can learn all about mask-making using paper, textiles and assorted finishings. Splatter Drawings will take place from 10am to 12pm at Building 7. Later in the day, from 2pm to 5pm at Building 7, Collagraph Printmaking sessions will explore a creative and experimental form of printmaking through collagraphy. Participants will learn to create a collograph print by first creating a collagraph plate using discarded cardboard, and then printing the plate using ink, their hands and/or a spoon.
The summer-long Splash Fest promotion will help youngsters beat the heat and cool down with some super soaking fun. Families headed to La Mer will have plenty of options for a great weekend with four tickets to Laguna Waterpark available for the price of three, while an hour at the Splash ’n’ Party attraction at La Mer Central will cost just AED50. Both deals will run until 4 September. LEGOLAND® Water Park at Dubai Parks and Resort has a package of Splash Fest offers including 20 per cent off the price of a ticket when booked online in advance, 50 per cent off the price of cabanas after 4pm, plus kids eat for free after 4pm this weekend and until 4 September. Visitors to Wild Wadi Waterpark can pick up an admission ticket plus meal for AED149 as part of its Splash Fest offer available until 28 August.
Youngsters can learn great circus tricks from professional performers at the Modesh Circus Academy from 12 to 21 August. Held daily from 3pm to 8.30pm at the Dubai World Trade Centre, children aged five to 12 years can learn how to stilt-walk, spin plates, juggle, balance on a slackline and more in a fun and friendly circus workshop environment.
Also taking place at Dubai World Trade Centre, Modesh World is home to great games and thrilling rides until 28 August. Residents and visitors can explore three halls filled with shows and great F&B and have a chance to meet both Modesh and Dana. As well as not to be missed family fun, one lucky visitor to Modesh World will drive off in a GAC-GS5 2021 model family car courtesy of Gargash Group when they spend AED300, with a winner announced on 28 August. Modesh World is open throughout the week from Sunday to Wednesday 2pm to 10pm and Thursday to Saturday 10am to 12am.
Modesh and Dana will also make an appearance at Al Khawaneej Walk this weekend at the Modesh and Dana Maze Wonderland. Open daily until 18 August, the maze features games, obstacles and more with those who enter challenged to find Modesh and Dana hiding in the centre of the maze.
The View at Nakheel Mall will be the ultimate destination for unique yoga sessions for the whole family. Open to all ages and abilities, the Fitness Beyond&Core Direction yoga class will be held at the observation deck, offering stunning views of the Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Marina, from 7am to 8am on 13 August. To book a space, visit www.coredirection.com.
Fans of the children’s favourite cartoon Hotel Transylvania can join Count Dracula, Frankenstein, Mavis and Mummy Murray at City Walk. The characters will make live appearances on Friday and Saturday from 4.30pm onwards until 28 August. City Walk will also host a special version of the mysterious hotel in the Courtyard, with ball-toss games, bingo, themed board games, arts and craft workshops, and more for families to enjoy. Entry is free upon presenting a receipt for a single spend of AED100 or above at any City Walk outlet.
This weekend, residents and visitors can escape to a world filled with incredible music, stunts and more at La Perle. The award-winning show in Al Habtoor City will welcome guests with a range of special DSS offers, including free entry for kids under 12 when accompanied by a paying adult. UAE residents will receive 20 per cent off the price of a ticket and groups of four guests can enjoy 25 per cent off as part of a friends and family offer.
This weekend, and daily until 28 August, IMG Worlds of Adventure will open its doors for a great Summer Festival. Featuring an LED Display Dance Extravaganza, an Indoor Beach plus a stunning Character Parade with 30 plus cartoon stars including Modesh and Dana, Johnny Bravo, Gumball, Darwin, Finn and Jake as well as Marvel heroes Hulk and Captain America, the theme park is the home of summertime family fun.
Fun seekers can slide into the weekend at MercatoMall, with the shopping destination welcoming back the family favourite giant slide for another edition of DSS. Customers can whoosh from the mall’s first floor to the ground on the slide, specially installed over the escalators. The mall will also feature live entertainment with Hungarian circus shows. Both Mercato and Town Centre Jumeirah malls will host DSS Shop & Win promotions with shoppers able to take advantage of sales with up to 75 per cent off at most retail outlets, as well as have the chance to win AED10,000 each week with every spend of AED200.
RETAIL PROMOTIONS & RAFFLES
One of the biggest and best prizes on offer to shoppers this DSS, the Shop & Win Your Dream Home promotion will give away a brand-new and fully furnished flat in Al Habtoor City to customers at Pan Emirates stores. The mega prize, worth AED1.1 million, will be won by customers exploring savings of up to 70 per cent at Pan Emirates until 31 August.
The Summer Resort promotion will give visitors to Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall a chance to walk away with super prizes including Emirates Skywards Miles and more. Held this weekend and daily until 17 August, customers who spend AED250 or more at either mall and take their receipts to the Summer Resort stand will be invited to pick out an envelope containing prizes including Skywards Miles (The Dubai Mall only), U By Emaar Points (Dubai Marina Mall only), Emaar Gift Cards, staycations and much more.
Ongoing until the end of DSS on 4 September, the epic DSSSummer Sale features 500 brands and 3,500 outlets with savings of 25-75 per cent. Participating fashion brands include Brooks Brothers, Cotton, Etro, Jacadi, Lancel and Max & Co. Homeware favourites Aura and Jashanmal Around The World will tempt shoppers with great deals while famous department stores Marks & Spencer, Harvey Nichols, Bloomingdale’s and Galeries Lafayette will host huge offers on a wide range of products. Parents can shop for big savings on kids’ clothes at Carters, Chicco, Cotton On Kids, Mothercare, Oshkosh B’gosh and Original Marines.
There’s still plenty of time for shoppers to win one million SHARE points. Running until the end of DSS on 4 September, the DSS SHARE Millionaire promotion will give shoppers who spend AED300 or more at Majid Al Futtaim malls including Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira and City Centre Me’aisem an opportunity to become a weekly winner of one million SHARE points. To enter, customers can either use their SHARE wallet or scan their shopping receipts using the app. Weekly prize draws will take place on 15, 22 & 29 August and finally on 7 September.
The super DSS Save More When You Shop More with 1915 By Seddiqi & Sons promotion gives shoppers who buy any one watch or accessory 25 per cent off, with savings rising to 30 per cent if two watches or accessories are purchased and 35 per cent off for three watches or accessories. Two customers will also win AED5,000 in gift vouchers weekly, with four winners announced during the final week of DSS. A total of AED100,000 will be given away. Participating stores include 1915 By Seddiqi & Sons at BurJuman and Dubai Marina Mall, Seddiqi & Sons at The Dubai Mall and City Centre Mirdif, Guess Watches Boutique at Mall of the Emirates, Guess Watches & GC at City Centre Deira and Guess Boutique at BurJuman.
This weekend is the last chance for shoppers to try their luck at winning an Infiniti Q50 car. The last draw of the hugely popular DSS Shop & Win promotion will be held on 14 August. Shoppers who spend AED200 at participating malls during DSS will be entered into a digital raffle to win the luxury vehicle. Participating malls include: Al Bustan Centre, Al Ghurair Centre, Al Warqa City Mall, Al Khail Gate Community, BurJuman, Binsougat Centre, Bay Avenue, Dubai Outlet Mall, Mudon Community, Oasis Mall, Shurooq Community Centre, Reef Mall, Times Square Centre, Union Cooperative Al Quoz, Wasl Vita, Dar Wasl, Wasl 51, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Crown Mall and Central Mall.
The DSS Mercedes Mega Raffle will continue this weekend and until 25 September. Customers who buy a special AED150 coupon at ENOC and EPCO petrol stations, ZOOM stores and stands in malls and other venues will have a chance of landing a 2021 Mercedes C200 and AED25,000. The raffle is also available online at www.idealz.com.
Dubai Summer Surprises is supported by Key Sponsor RAKBANK MasterCard and Strategic Partners which include: Al Futtaim Group (Dubai Festival City Mall and Dubai Festival Plaza), Al Zarooni Group (Mercato Shopping Mall), AW Rostamani Group, Dubai Holding, Emirates Airline, Enoc, Etisalat, Majid Al Futtaim (Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira), Merex and Nakheel (Ibn Battuta Mall, The Pointe, Nakheel Mall, Dragon Mart 2).
For more information, log onto the website mydss.ae or follow @DSSsocial for the latest information.
