Eid 2017: Our guide to the festive events to check out around the UAE

Courtesy Emaar

Courtesy Sharjah Coral Beach Resort.

Courtesy Ferrari World Abu Dhabi

Victor Besa for The National

Victor Besa for The National

Antonie Robertson / The National

Courtesy Yas Mall

Courtesy Dubai Design District (D3)

Courtesy Ikea

Courtesy Meagan Kelly Horsman

Courtesy Kids HQ​

Whether you want to shop, dine, relax or check out art exhibitions – there is a lot happening across the Emirates this weekend. We round up some of the best Eid events to check out.

Food Deals

Abu Dhabi brunch

Al Raha Beach Hotel is offering a Middle Eastern, European and Asian brunch at Sevilla restaurant on the second day of Eid. For Dh234 a person, guests can savour traditional dishes, including ouzi, kebabs and kabsa, and there will be games and activities to keep the children entertained. For Dh354, guests can also take advantage of the hotel’s facilities, including the beach and pool access for the day.

• www.alrahabeach.danathotels.com

Food Deals

Dubai Eid lunch

Arabic restaurant Ewaan, at the Palace Downtown, is serving up a modern take on a traditional menu for Eid Al Fitr. Authentic flavours from the region will be presented while guests dine at tables with pool and garden views. Lunch, which costs Dh225, will be served from 12.30pm to 3.30pm, and a dinner menu, costing Dh275, will be available from 7pm to 11.30pm.

• www.addresshotels.com

Food Deals

Sharjah’s sharing celebration

Usher in Eid with communal brunch at the Cote Jardin restaurant in Sharjah’s Coral Beach Resort. The festive buffet will be available on the second and third days of Eid, from 12.30pm until 4pm. For Dh125 per person, diners can enjoy traditional Arabic fare and international dishes. Children under 6 years of age eat for free, and guests attending the brunch can enter a raffle to win a one gram gold coin.

• www.facebook.com/CBRsharjah/

Family Fun

F1 drive time

Ferrari World Abu Dhabi will keep its doors open through the night on Sunday to celebrate Eid Al Fitr. As part of the park’s FreeView season, guests will have free access to a rollercoaster rally and can enjoy musical entertainment from four DJs. The new Turbo Track ride has also opened in time for Eid, and those brave enough, are invited to strap themselves in for a vertical climb before a zero-­gravity fall. Small children can receive driving instructions in fun-sized 430 GT Spider cars and race around a purpose-built track. Tickets range from Dh125 to Dh175 for general admission.

• www.ferrariworldabudhabi.com

Family Fun

Dining with dinosaurs

The world’s largest indoor theme park, IMG Worlds of Adventure, has plenty of fun for the whole family over Eid. There will be live music performances, special appearances and interactive shows for children. Visitors can explore the prehistoric world of dinosaurs in the Lost Valley, and enjoy rides based on characters from the Cartoon Network and Marvel comics. The venue also has a wide range of shopping and dining options in its central zone of the site. Ticket prices range from Dh150 to Dh440 for a day pass. The park will be open from 11am to midnight from Sunday until June 28.

• www.imgworlds.com

Family Fun

Junior kids’ camp

Starting on Sunday, indoor play and entertainment centre Kids HQ will host what it is calling the “best camp in town” for 3 to 8-year-olds. Parents can drop off their children for a day for Dh85, or book them in for seven-day programmes from Dh60 a day. In addition to assault ­courses and soft-play games, interactive workshops for children this summer include arts and crafts, painting and gymnastics. Visit the venue on Umm Suqeim Road in Dubai’s Al Barsha 2 from 8.30am to 7pm, Sunday to Wednesday; 8.30am to 8pm, Thursday to Sunday; and 10am to 8pm on Fridays.

• www.kidshq.ae/kids-hq

Family Fun

Overnight zoo stay

Emirates Park Zoo and Resort in Abu Dhabi is offering Eid Al Fitr room rates starting from Dh518 per night, including taxes, for two adults and a child. Book one of 27 family villas with views of the giraffe park. During the day, guests can learn about more than 1,800 species of wildlife during an interactive tour with an expert keeper. Activities for children and adults include elephant feeding, a petting zoo, plus educational shows and presentations. Additional resort features include a swimming pool with slides, water chutes and a waterfall area.

• www.emiratesparkzooandresort.com

Family Fun

Food market tour

The much-anticipated new fish market recently opened in Dubai, making it the perfect place to shop for your Eid meals – or simply enjoy the sights and sounds. The venue spans about 100,000 square metres and features hundreds of vendors selling everything you might need, from fresh fruit and vegetables to meat, seafood and catches of the day. Expected to attract more than 500,000 visitors a month, the Waterfront Market replaced the Deira Fish Market, a traditional trading hub that stood on the site for almost 60 years. The sleek and modern attraction, near Hamriya Port, is open during the week from 10am to 10pm for retail, and 9am to 11pm for restaurants. ­Retailers are open on weekends from 10am to 11pm, and 9am to midnight for all dining establishments.

• www.waterfrontmarket.ae

Shopping

24-hour mega sale

Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi will open for 24 hours during Eid Al Fitr. Starting at 10am on Sunday and finishing at 10am the following day, more than 300 brands will be discounted by up to 90 per cent as part of the mall’s mega sale. Most stores will remain open around the clock, with many holding hourly specials after midnight, including Geant, Home Centre, Hamley’s, House of Fraser, Tryano, Vox Cinemas, Fun Works and Ace Hardware. Other activities include live entertainment, games for children and prize draws for ­Etihad flights and a Tesla car.

• www.yasmall.ae

Shopping

Arab fashion showcase

Head to the Dubai Design District (d3) from Saturday to Wednesday to check out seasonal and celebratory collections by regional labels, including Blanc 8.3. The contemporary label, known for supporting humanitarian causes through design, will ­display a range of Eid abayas and post-Ramadan kaftans. Accessories-wise there will be creations by Gafla Jewellery ­reflecting the UAE’s heritage in gold, diamonds and gemstones. And on the furniture front, ­Saudi designer Aya Al Bitar’s ­contemporary pieces this month include modern Quran and prayer stands.

• www.dubaidesigndistrict.com

Shopping

Home comforts

Swedish retailer Ikea is helping to furnish UAE homes with tableware and soft furnishings for Eid festivities. Stores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai will stock the new Hemmafest collection, which features Middle ­Eastern-inspired decorative crockery, cups, bowls and ­serving dishes. Also included in the limited-edition range are cushions, throws and floor ­seating in textiles drawn from Arabic art works. Other items on sale this month include Eid accessories for the home and garden, ranging from quilt covers to plant pot stands.

• www.ikea.com

Art & Culture

Al Ain exhibitions

Artists from across the UAE will exhibit works including from collages, pop art, and comics and animation installations at Al Qattara Arts Centre until July 29. An ongoing exhibition, which runs until August 31, is also being held at Al Jahili Fort and features artefacts pertaining to the Trucial Scouts. Entry is free.

• For opening hours and full ­details, visit www.abudhabievents.ae

Art & Culture

Local artist spotlight

Ductac, in Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates, is hosting an exhibition called Ramadanization 2017 until Tuesday. It features the works of local artists who have explored the spiritual practices and traditions of Ramadan around the world. Open from 9am until 10pm, entry is free.

• www.ductac.org/index.php

Art & Culture

Arabic music and dance

BurJuman in Dubai will celebrate four days of Eid with a variety of daily activities and performances from 7pm and 11pm. Visitors will be offered Arabic calligraphy henna tattoos, and there will be face painting, pottery classes and lantern decorating for children. There will also be a traditional oud player and tanoura every night.

• www.burjuman.com