DUBAI // If the summer heat has many dreaming of a White Christmas, one festival in December aims to make it a reality.
Artificial falling snow, an ice rink and a snowball fight pit are among the features which will be at the Dubai Christmas Festival from December 5 to 7 at Dubai Media City Amphitheatre.
The festival, which features a huge Christmas tree, the obligatory Santa Claus and a gingerbread house, drew 22,000 people when it was held for the first time last year.
“People around the world enjoy festive celebrations, and this will be the best opportunity for the whole of Dubai to join in the festive spirit,” said Chris Fountain, managing director of Turret Media.
“We have worked extremely hard to take the event to a higher level, and this year there is much more to experience and enjoy.
“With the ice rink, snowball park, pantomime and snow falling every hour on the hour, we’re certain this year’s festival will be a wonderful experience for everyone who joins us.”
The “whitening” of the festival will be done with company Desert Snow, which provides Hollywood-grade snow effects to TV studios and events in Dubai.
Ben Elliot-Scott, the director of the company, said the festival will requisition the company’s largest snow machines in order to cover the entire area.
“They chuck the snow 10 to 15 metres in the air and the wind carries it,” he said. “We’ll have a good blizzard blowing several times throughout the event.”
The falling snow is made of self-evaporating foam, while the artificial snow that will cover the ground and be used in snow fights, will be made from moist, milled paper.
“It’s all very ecofriendly, and everything is biodegradable,” he said.
The company has been busy with bookings most of the summer. Most recently, the company had been hired to have a snowball park for Modesh World, in Dubai.
Mr Elliot-Scott said the popularity was due to the novelty factor.
“We’ve been replacing snowmen noses all summer,” he said. “It just shows that anything is possible in Dubai, people want things as crazy as possible.
“The local kids in particular never get to see snow normally, so it’s a real novelty thing for them.”
As well as offering traditional snow, the company now has snow in different colours, including in black and grey.
Mr Elliot-Scott said the grey snow in particular looked like ash, which could be used in movies or TV shows to make a scene look war-torn.
“We’ve had some bookings for Halloween for the grey snow,” he said.
The festival will feature a Christmas market and a cookery show, while DIFC restaurant Gramery will be serving a Christmas roast.
Tickets for the show will go on sale from October 1. For more information, visit: www.dubaichristmasfestival.com
mcroucher@thenational.ae
