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Global Village returns with food and fun after a seven-week break

Here's what's new at Dubai's family-friendly destination of choice

Last updated:
Lakshana N Palat, Assistant Features Editor ; Areeba Hashmi, Reporter and Virendra Saklani, Chief Visual Journalist
US-Israel-Iran war
Inside Global Village: Dubai Police ready for the parade
Inside Global Village: Dubai Police ready for the parade
Lakshana Palat/Gulf News
Get those comfy shoes on and that fitness tracker charged - family-friendly destination Global Village is reopening its doors today and you know what that means: entertainment, feasting, and lots of happy moments to share on the socials. When Global Village temporarily closed on Feb 28 due to the shifting regional landscape, many plans to explore the arena of experiences were scrapped. For nearly seven weeks, the vibrant pavilions stood quiet, and the usual hum of the world’s cultures coming together was missed by residents and tourists alike. However, today on Monday, April 20, with the ceasefire in full effect, the fete is making a very wanted return. At 5pm, the lights will be back on, the street food sizzling, and the Season 30 celebrations will resume. While the park was originally scheduled to wrap up on May 10, the mid-season break has people hopeful for a potential extension. For now, the energy is electric as visitors rush back to catch the shows and shopping they’ve missed. Gulf News will be covering all the details live. Whether you'll be there for the spicy noodles, the handcrafted treasures, or just the evening breeze at the lake, if you see us, come and say hello. Or, just follow our live blog to see how everything unfolds tonight.

More visual treats

Looking for an Insta-perfect backdrop for your feed? Here's something that might make the cut.

Watch out for this: A new installation

Global Village has a new installation of Terracota Warriors Army, a famous archaeological discovery from Xi An China, consisting of unique lifelike clay soldiers with each distinct facial features and clothing.

Cheer is in the air

As the doors opened, a number of visitors lined up for their entry into Global Village.

Dubai Police give out UAE flags to visitors

Easy parking at Global Village

How are you planning to get to Global Village? Start your visit with a seamless experience, suggest Salik × Parkonic.
Use the smart parking system that combines automatic payment via the Salik eWallet with advanced artificial intelligence technologies from Parkonic, from the moment you arrive until the moment you depart.

Spot for celebrations

Chandrasekhar with his wife and kids, who are six and nine. He is here with his wife, Kusumanjali. The Indian expats, who hail from Andhra Pradesh, are celebrating their anniversary today. This is their second visit to Global Village with their family. "We took a little day off for the kids from school to come here," she said.

'Just can't miss this': tourists 

David Baldwin and Sharda Dullabh are tourists, and they have been in Dubai for 10 days. After a whirlwind of a tour around Abu Dhabi, they wanted to catch Global Village before leaving tomorrow. The pull of good food and shopping is irresistible, they admit. "We came here two years ago, and we plan to come back again next year."

Stall owners are excited

Biju, who owns a small refreshments stall outside Global Village, is excited to be back. As he says, he hasnt been here for a month, and has missed it sorely. He is waiting for business to get back on track again. "I am just waiting to go inside whenever I can, and also meet my friends who just might give me free stuff."

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Meet the early birds

Ahmed Alhosin arrived early with his friends at 4pm, and is waiting to head in. What excites him about Global Village opening again? As he says, he is just happy to be back. "Looking forward to burger and chicken and buying from stalls, like clothes, perfumes and just looking around."

Also Read: Ajman bus route to Global Village resumes: Ticket price and timings announced

Vendors, visitors gear up for the reopening 

Global Village is gearing up for a reopening after a month-long pause. The excitement is evident, as visitors are expected to slowly start to line up as well as for the vendors. We spoke to the vendor Rabiya Bilal from No. 17, Pakistan stall, who expressed her excitement on the return to Global Village. "I sell Indian shawls, Pakistani shawl and Hijabs. I have so many designs and I am excited to share them. I was very sad to be away from my stall, but back now."

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