Residents and visitors have enjoyed a sensational holiday season during Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) and the back to school period – and there’s still plenty of fun to be had!
With the new school term fast approaching and the end of the 24th edition of the summer retail festival in sight, students and families are encouraged to get out and about to experience all of the attractions, savings and promotions still taking place around the city.
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 Dubai before classes resume:
BACK TO SCHOOL DEALS & MORE
Nobody wants to be late for their first day of school. To help ensure students of all ages are on time for the start of classes, shoppers are invited to explore the deals offered as part of the DSS Save More When You Shop More with 1915 By Seddiqi & Sons promotion. The perfect opportunity to pick up a new timepiece, customers who buy any one watch or accessory will enjoy 25 per cent off the total price. Savings increase to 30 per cent if two watches or accessories are purchased and up to 35 per cent off for three watches or accessories. Plus, during DSS two lucky customers will win AED5,000 in gift vouchers each week, with four winners announced during the final week of the festival and a total of AED100,000 given away. The full list of participating stores includes 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.
The DSSSummer Sale’s back to school promotion includes savings of up to 25-75 per cent at more than 500 brands and 3,500 outlets. Each of the offers has been carefully created for parents and youngsters with great deals on a huge selection of new term must-haves. Students can dress to impress when classes restart with Buy One, Get One Free and Buy Two, Get the Third Free offers at Giordano and AED100 off purchases of more than AED500 at Hollister. La Martina’s sale has prices reduced by up to 70 per cent while Oakley’s offer has many items available for half price. Customers at Puma stores can shop for Buy One, Get Second for Half Price deals and savings of up to 50 per cent at Rip Curl. Herschel backpacks and O Bag’s range of products are available at up to 60 per cent off. Students can pick up sports kit at Soccerex and Adventure HQ, with prices reduced by as much as 75 per cent.
Perfect for parents, older students and mature learners, the Fenty Beauty Canyon at Mall of the Emirates gives shoppers the chance to pick out the latest colours, styles and looks from the Fenty Beauty brand. Exciting products on display include the latest Gloss Bomb Heat Universal Lip Luminizer and Plumper Launches. Customers who purchase items at the stunning Fenty Beauty Canyon pop-up, which is inspired by the natural beauty of the Dubai Desert, will receive an exclusive free gift. The stylish activation takes place until 31 August.
For this year’s DSS back to school promotion, shoppers can win a share of AED275,000 thanks to two great scholarship promotions. The ever-popular Modesh Scholarship will gift AED250,000 in prizes to students and their families. A total of 10 winners will receive AED25,000 each, with the prize draw taking place at the end of DSS on 4 September. Residents and visitors can take part by spending a minimum of AED200 at Ibn Battuta Mall, Nakheel Mall or Circle Mall and scanning receipts at the customer service desk. Jumbo is also offering AED25,000 to use for school fees to one lucky customer who spends more than AED1,000 on laptops, desktops and tablets at branches of Jumbo and online at www.jumbo.ae. Plus, DSS shoppers can win a brand-new Microsoft Surface Go laptop from Jumbo each day until the end of the festival.
Majid Al Futtaim SHARE members shopping at City Centre Mirdif and City Centre Deira during the back to school season can earn 20x SHARE Points and have a chance to win 250,000 SHARE points. Customers who spend more than AED300 on school supplies and scan their receipts using the SHARE app will be eligible for the raffle and be entered into the ongoing DSS SHARE millionaire promotion, which runs until the end of DSS on 4 September. The annual DSS SHARE Millionaire promotion 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, a chance 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. Prize draws will take place on 29 August and 7 September.
Time is running out for residents and visitors to enjoy great deals available as part of the Dubai Shopping Mall Group’s (DSMG) Back to School Promotion. Held until 29 August, shoppers at DSMG’s malls can find savings on clothing, stationary, gadgets and homeware with prices slashed by up to 75 per cent. Customers who spend AED200 in any DSMG mall will be entered into a prize draw to win a share of AED100,000, with 20 winners scooping AED5,000 each. The final draw will take place on 29 August. Participating malls include Al Bustan Centre, Al Ghurair Centre, Al Warqa City Mall, Al Khail Gate Community, BurJuman Centre, Binsougat Centre, Bay Avenue, Dubai Outlet Mall, Mudon Community, Oasis Mall, Shurooq Community Centre, Reef Mall, Time Square Centre, Union Cooperative Al Quoz, Wasl Vita, Dar Wasl, Wasl 51, Souk Madinat Jumeirah, Crown Mall and Central Mall.
TheDubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall are each hosting back to school promotions with fun activities for children including a chalkboard, stationary décor box, customisation bar, play area and more. Shoppers who spend AED250 or more and present their receipts at the back to school stand in The Dubai Mall will have a chance to win Skywards Miles, Emaar Gift Cards and entertainment offers. U By Emaar Points, Emaar Gift Cards and entertainment offers are available at Dubai Marina Mall. The promotion runs until 4 September.
FAMILY TIME
As another edition of DSS draws to a close, fans of Modesh and Dana can say farewell to the happy characters at Modesh World. The epic indoor theme park experience at Dubai World Trade Centre will officially call time on another summer of fun, games and more on 28 August. But until then, there’s still time for youngsters and families to explore all the rides, games and edutainment activities on offer. Adventure Village will thrill kids of all ages with a Battle Park Zone for teenagers, a Neeveplaste Slide for children aged three years and older, plus Zip Lines and a Freestyle Trampoline Park for three- to 12-year-olds. The Discovery Village at Modesh World is home to workshops and games inspired by Modesh’s friend Dana the Inventor. Visitors to the Entertainment Village can enjoy performances including Peter Pan, the classic fairytale Cinderella and an Alice Parade with characters from Alice in Wonderland. There’s also a Harlequins Parade with Modesh and Dana joined by Juggling Acrobats while Modesh Village will feature a giant bouncy castle. Modesh World’s Food Village is home to a delicious selection of eateries serving tasty dishes for when hunger strikes. 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.
Dubai’s late summer weather is the perfect time of year for families to visit some of the city’s biggest and best waterpark attractions and enjoy great deals available as part of Splash Fest. The promotion, which runs until 4 September, has a super selection of offers for visitors to LEGOLAND® Water Park at Dubai Parks and Resort, 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. A great deal for families or groups of friends, visitors to Laguna Waterpark can pick up four tickets for the price of three, while an hour at the Splash ’n’ Party attraction at La Mer Central is priced at just AED50.
Mercato Mall is the one-stop destination for back to school shoppers and fun-seeking youngsters. The mall features a giant slide for the little ones to woosh from the first to ground floor plus great circus entertainers. Parents can make the most of the last few days of DSS, including sales of up to 75 per cent off and AED10,000 up for grabs in weekly prize draws for customers who spend AED200.
DUBAI SUMMER STORY
Budding filmmakers are challenged to grab a camera and tell their own Dubai Summer Story. Creatively minded residents and visitors are invited to make their own 4K 30-second video for Instagram, with the best one winning AED100,000. The mini movies should follow the theme ‘Dubai Summer Story’ and feature three great activities from food, shopping, hotels, family fun and citywide attractions. Videos can be uploaded to Instagram with the tag @dsssocial using #DubaiSummerStory. Participants are asked to ensure their films respect the UAE’s cultural and societal traditions, with a modest dress code and no alcoholic beverages or shisha displayed. For terms and conditions, please click here. The deadline for submissions is 11 September.
DINE & WIN
Back to school shopping and family fun can be hungry work. Thankfully there’s lots of breakfast, lunch and dinner treats that can be enjoyed as part of the DSS Dine & Win promotion.Residents and visitors have a huge selection of eateries to choose from, with more than 300 participating cafes and restaurants at 18 malls. Plus, diners who spend AED100 at DSS Dine & Win venues will receive a scratch and win coupon for a chance to take home a ZOMATO PRO membership or RAK Bank gift cards loaded with AED200. As part of the back-to-school period, diners will receive two coupons with double the chances to win.
Foodies headed to the Al Bustan Centre can enjoy world-class fast food at McDonald’s or opt for a quick pick me up at the Coffee Lounge. Al Ghurair Centre’s DSS Dine & Win venues, include Indian outlet Bikanervala and pizza experts Papa John’s. Diners at Al Warqa City Mall can enjoy Middle Eastern treats at Allo Beirut or something sweet from Hail & Zaafaran. Business Bay residents can satisfy their hunger at Arabic restaurant Malak Al Tawouk or spicy egg spot Raju Omlet in Bay Square. Families looking for a lunch or dinner venue can enjoy Indian dishes at Gazebo at the Bin Sougat Centre followed by dessert at Baskin Robbins. Fast food fans are spoiled for choice at BurJuman with Jollibee, Burger King, KFC and many more outlets. Central Mall’s Top Tea Spot Cafeteria is a great place to spend a laid back afternoon while Crown Mall is home to South Asian eateries Bangladesh Restaurant and Up Star – North Indian Restaurant. Dar WaslMall will keep ramen lovers happy at Reif Kushiyaki Restaurant with Mexican food available at El Mostacho. Snacks to keep shoppers going can be found at Hatam Restaurant and French Bakery at Dubai Outlet Mall while the Mudon CommunityMall is home to Starbucks and WOFL Bakery. More DSS Dine & Win restaurants are located at Al Khail Gate Community Mall, Oasis Mall and Shurooq Community Centre. Diners can also visit eateries at Reef Mall, Times Square Centre, Union Cooperative Al Quoz, Wasl Vita, Wasl 51 and Souk Madinat Jumeirah to enjoy the promotion as well as delicious treats.
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, Nakheel Mal and Circle Mall). For more information, log onto the website mydss.ae or follow @DSSsocial for the latest information.
