Last-minute shoppers in Dubai making the most of final-day DSF sale

Dubai: The longest edition of the world’s longest-running retail event – Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) – successfully concludes today after 47 days of shopping deals; cash, gold and car prizes; fireworks; entertainment and dining.

The 27th edition of DSF (December 15, 2021 to January 30, 2022) will come to a close with fireworks at The Pointe and The Beach and last-minute shopping in the ‘DSF Final Sale’ seeing 500 brands slash their prices – with discounts of up to 90 per cent – at over 2,000 stores citywide.

Also scheduled for the last day of DSF 2022 – Sunday – are performances by Saudi sensation Rashed Al Majed and Iraqi singer Waleed Al Shami. A hologram show, ‘Sawwah’, featuring Abdel Halim Hafez at Al Habtoor City Theatre will be held as well.

Launched in 1996, DSF annually attracts both residents and overseas visitors seeking to avail all the offerings of the festival, held in the pleasant winter months of the UAE.

DSF is organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of Dubai Economy and Tourism.

The latest edition saw a deals starting from Dh5 for shower gels to a multi-million luxury apartment in Madinat Jumeirah Living or Dh1 million in cash for a spend of just Dh100.

When it ends tonight, DSF will have given away over Dh30 million worth of raffles and prizes in January alone, including luxury cars, gold and cash, Mohammed Feras Arayqat, Director Retail Registration, Retail & Strategic Alliances, Dubai Economy and Tourism, recently told Gulf News.

Genuine deals

DFRE coordinates with the Commercial Compliance and Consumer Protection team to make sure that all retailers and vendors hold a valid DFRE promotion certification of participation before running any promotion and this includes discounts, offers, raffles, pop-up kiosks and seasonal sales, to guarantee that residents, visitors and shoppers are protected throughout the duration of the festival, Arayqat had said.

How it all started

When it began almost three decades ago, DSF was limited to just a handful of malls. In its second edition, in 1997, DSF had a home of its own, at Creekside of Baniyas Street, with international pavilions joining in with handicrafts and food. This was the origin of Global Village (which now has its own identity and location on Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Road).

DSF was a runaway hit, adding locations in 1999 to street venues at Al Riqqa, Al Muraqabbat, Al Diyafah and Al Seef.

With mega projects such as The Dubai Mall opening, DSF in 2009 saw new venues coming into the fold – even inside Dubai Metro with an onboard fashion show.

Over the years, DSF became synonymous with Dubai itself, and is one the city’s most famous and popular events.