Dubai Festival City’s Santa Run has returned for its fifth year, with a marathon of Santas competing to reach the finish line first.
Putting on their Christmas finest, some participants arrived ready for the festivities at 7.30am — while others collected their costumes.
Adults and children alike dressed in full attire; some as bearded Santas, others as elves, and even a few tinsel-clad Christmas trees. Babies, meanwhile, reclined in strollers, decorated to resemble sleighs, while their parents lined up along the starting line.
With a “ho ho ho”, the runners took their places at the starting line at 8.30am, before darting off.
Organised by RaceME in association with Dubai Sports Council, the race was open to families, with children aged between four and 12 running for free. While the longest race spanned 5km, there were also 2.5km and 1km routes available.
The track stretched from Dubai Festival City Promenade towards the Festive Market at Dubai Festival City Mall, with views overlooking Dubai Creek and the city skyline.
Those taking part were handed not only a free Santa T-shirt, but a beard and Santa hat as well. For the most elite of Christmas cosplayers preferring to craft their own costumes at home, there was also a competition for the best dressed Santa — with a prize of Dh1,000 in gift cards. Parents, meanwhile, competed for the Best Santa Sleigh Rockets Stroller prize.
The runners completed the race to a cacophony of jingling bells, exhausted breaths and cheers from their families and friends in attendance.
Elsewhere, more than 200 participants also took part in the first-ever Festive Fun run at Ski Dubai. Part of the site’s Winter Wonderland, the race was also organised with Dubai Sports Council, stretched along two 400m and 1km racecourses in Ski Dubai — of course, with Santa in attendance.
Scroll through photos of Christmas tree lightings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi below
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The Christmas tree at Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Santa Claus and his helpers by the Christmas tree at Emirates Palace. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Santa Claus greets children at Emirates Palace. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Families eagerly await the lighting of the Christmas tree. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Musicians play Christmas songs. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
People take photos by the tree. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Families take photos at Emirates Palace. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Visitors snap photos at the Christmas photo booth. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
The Christmas display at Emirates Palace. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
Santa Claus greets children during the event. Khushnum Bhandari / The National -
People gather for the Expo City Dubai Christmas tree lighting at Al Wasl Plaza, Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -
Santa appears at the tree-lighting ceremony. Pawan Singh / The National -
Santa's helpers show up for the tree-lighting event. Pawan Singh / The National -
Visitors flock to the Expo City Dubai Christmas event. Pawan Singh / The National -
Santa and Mrs Claus attend the event at Al Wasl Plaza. Pawan Singh / The National -
Santa waves to the crowds. Pawan Singh / The National -
The Expo City Dubai Christmas tree-lighting event in Al Wasl Plaza. Pawan Singh / The National -
Giant gingerbread men interact with visitors during the event. Pawan Singh / The National -
Visitors view the giant Christmas tree. Pawan Singh / The National
