Watch: Winter City in Expo City Dubai goes into sustainability and festive overdrive

Dubai: The Winter City below the Al Wasl Dome at Expo City Dubai is decorated with festive cheer while championing sustainability through exhibits, games, workshops and more.

With a message to public that “The North Pole is melting, and there’s no time to lose!” the Winter City aims to educate visitors (children and adults alike) about the important rules of sustainable living. At the same time visitors are welcomed into an entertaining winter-themed line of activities, music, snow-filled ambience and other attractions at Al Wasl Dome.

Visitors are invited to join Santa’s team on a quest to become eco-heroes and save the North Pole. A unique holiday experience is created where families, both young and adults get to follow clues, undertake challenges and mingle with iconic Christmas characters – Ginger bread, Santa Claus, the elves.

Santa’s house

Right at the heart of the Al Wasl dome where the Winter City is being hosted is Santa’s house. It is a mockup of where Santa lives and works. While exploring Santa’s house, visitors find out how he lives sustainably. Santa’s house reveals how he reuses, reduces, and recycles. From repurposed decorations to energy-efficient lighting, Santa’s house showcases everything sustainable. It shows that even in North Pole, it’s crucial for us today to take care of our environment.

Frosty’s Farmhouse

Here, visitors get to unlock the secrets of farm-to-table living, master the art of composting, create special reindeer food to sprinkle on Christmas Eve, and learn about sustainable practices.

Elves host engaging workshops, teaching children how to be sustainable. Using vegetable to create artwork, children will enjoy a hands on approach to creativity, together with gardening activities to help to cultivate mini green fingers, and vegetable arts and crafts that will unleash creativity in new ways

Santa’s Toy Factory

Dive into STEM-based sustainable toy making, combining fun and learning in a playful environment.

Elves lead the way with another set of engaging workshops for children to create their own sustainable STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) toys using recycled materials. They’ll learn to build toys like wind turbines, solar-powered cars, and more, fostering creativity and eco-consciousness.

Letters to Santa

Craft heartfelt letters to Santa using sustainable materials and have meaningful conversations with the elves about sustainability and eco-consciousness.

Here, Santa’s elves guide the children through writing their heartfelt letters to Santa, using sustainable materials such as recycled paper, eco-friendly markers, and earth-conscious decor. But it doesn’t stop at crafting; the elves teach children about the importance of sustainability.

Mrs Claus’ Bakery

Inside Mrs Claus’s bakery at Winter City, children gather around tables to decorate Christmas cookies shaped like polar bears, penguins, and polar ice caps.

As they add colorful frosting and sprinkles to their creations, Santa’s elves, dressed in their festive attire, join in the fun. In between giggles and icing mishaps, the elves share valuable tips on how to combat climate change at home. Encouraging young bakers to reduce, reuse, and recycle while conserving energy and water.

Tickets and prices

Tickets are priced per person. Children below 13 can come free. Additional charges are applicable for some activities and workshops.

General Admission (for visitors aged 13 and above)

December 15-19: Dh20

December 20-24: Dh50

December 25-January 7, 2024: Dh20

Guidance for the venue

All visitors must have a ticket to access the venue.

Visitors aged 14 and under must be always accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over during their visit to the Expo City Dubai Site.

No refunds or exchanges once tickets are purchased.

Admission is strictly valid only for the day on which it was purchased.

Re-entry will not be allowed to ensure smooth event management.

Bathrooms are outside the ticketed area, pass-outs will be provided.

No professional photography or videography is permitted.

Bicycles/skateboards/skates / scooters cannot be bought into the venue.

How to get to Expo

By car: Expo City is located in Al Wasl Avenue and is easily accessible by car. You can park the car in the designated parking free of cost. By public transportation: Expo City is easily accessible by public transportation. If you are using the metro, you can get off at the Expo 2020 station and take a short walk to the location.

By taxi: You can also take a taxi to the city from anywhere in Dubai. It’s a popular destination, and most taxi drivers will be familiar with the location