Dubai: This Ramadan, you can enter Expo City Dubai's ‘Hai Ramadan’ event for free and celebrate Ramadan festivities, which include plenty of food stalls, activities, entertainment and a night market.
According to Expo City Dubai, the festivities will allow visitors to experience a journey through the Islamic world, from traditional Emirati neighbourhoods, to the Levant, North Africa, South Asia, and the Arabian Gulf.
If you want to be a part of the festivities, here is all you need to know.
Free entry for ‘Hai Ramadan’ at Expo City Dubai
Entry to Hai Ramadan, including the Al Wasl show and sports activities, is free. However, visitors will be charged for workshops and games.
Additionally, ‘Hai Ramadan’ is also offering communal iftars and corporate iftars, which have to be reserved and paid for in advance.
Timings and dates for ‘Hai Ramadan’
The event will run until April 22, 2023, and its timings are from 4pm to 2am. The only exception are the workshops, which start at 1pm.
Activities and Events at ‘Hai Ramadan’ in Expo City Dubai
Here's what you can expect from 'Hai Ramadan':
1. Theatre Show - Rashid and Latifa Quest to Find the Moon Performance in Al Wasl Plaza
Al Wasl Plaza will offer a free family-friendly theatrical show by Expo 2020 Dubai’s official mascots, Rashid and Latifa.
The theatre show will be held from March 24 to April 21. The play will have English shows at 7.30pm and 10pm, and Arabic shows at 9pm and 11pm.
2. Free Ramadan workshops for children
11 Ramadan-themed activities will be on rotation throughout the festival, according to Expo City Dubai’s website – expocitydubai.com
The free workshops will offer activities for up to 30 children at one time. The workshops start at 1pm and will be held from March 23 to April 21.
The activities include:
1. Islamic Tile: Mosaic/Canvas
2. Paper bag drummers
3. Garlands
4. Paper bag mosque
5. My first Dua book
6. Coffee cup décor
7. Calligraphy
8. Ramadan Origami
9. Masjed Art
10. Tasbeeh wooden beads
11. Eid cards
3. Paid children’s workshops for Ramadan
The paid workshops for children are held in the Ramadan Market Areas of Sky and Horizon Avenue in Expo City Dubai. Sky and Horizon Avenue are in the Alif Mobility Pavilion area. The workshops will host a mix of Ramadan-themed and basic craft activities and will be held every day from 1pm till April 21.
Cost
The workshop ticket cost can range from Dh15 to Dh40 per child.
Workshop activities list:
Sky Avenue
• Slime Lab – Slime making
• Trendy Charms – Jewellery and Charm making
• Sharabassy – Ramadan Themed Activities
Horizon Avenue
• Craft Republic – Ramadan Cookie Decorating
• Craft Republic – Tote Bag, T-Shirt and Sign Painting
4. Free sports and wellness events for Ramadan
There will also be sports tournaments for adults with a dedicated zone at Jubilee Park that will feature games, fitness and wellness events for people of all activity levels.
The Sports Fitness and Wellbeing Zone will be divided into four areas:
1. Kids Zone
2. Adult Sport and Fitness Zone
3. Wellbeing Zone
4. Foosball Zone
While the activities are free of charge, you will be required to register before you participate. You can complete the registration requirements at the venue.
5. Giant versions of traditional games
There is an interactive area located in Ghaf Avenue, where visitors can enjoy oversized versions of Carom, Backgammon and Teela, which is a traditional Emirati game similar to marbles. There are also seating areas with board games and cards.
6. Free Emirati cultural performances
A selection of locally based musicians will entertain the visitors with traditional Emirati musical instruments such as Oud, Qanun, and Nay, as well as the violin and hang drum.
The musical performances take place at all the main ‘Hai Ramadan’ locations, which are all located near the Al Wasl Plaza area.
7. Ramadan Market
The Ramadan night market at Expo City Dubai will see home-grown vendors offer perfumes, gifts, and tailor-made clothing.
8. Food and beverage options
Visitors will get to enjoy regional cuisine, international gastronomy and street food vendors from local restaurants in the UAE.
9. Iftar Cannon with Dubai Police
Expo City Dubai, in cooperation with Dubai Police, will host one of the main cannons for Iftar during Ramadan located in Al Wasl Avenue.
The cannons are fired right before the adhan for the Maghrib prayer. The time for the Maghrib prayer, which is also when the fast ends, will vary throughout the month, as the length of the day changes. According to Dubai’s Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD), the time for Maghrib on the first day of Ramadan will be 6.35pm. Towards the end of the month, the time will move up to 6.47pm.
Dedicated mosque for ‘Hai Ramadan’ visitors
According to Expo City Dubai, worshippers will be able to access a dedicated mosque on site for all prayers, including Isha and the later Taraweeh and Tahajjud prayers.
How to reach Expo City Dubai
You can travel to Expo City Dubai via Dubai Metro, bus, taxi or car.
By Dubai Metro
The easiest and most convenient way to reach Expo City Dubai is to go on the Dubai Metro Red Line, and take the line heading towards Expo 2020 Dubai.
By taxi
You can book a private taxi through private-ride-hailing apps such as Uber or Careem. If you want to book a public taxi, you can do it through Hala Taxi or the S’hail app operated by Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA).
By car
If you are driving to Expo City Dubai, you can reach it from all major inter-Emirate roads. You need to follow the directions for Expo road (E77), which will take you to Expo City Dubai.
Once you get to Expo City Dubai, you must follow one of the four designated parking zones, where you will find approximately 9,500 parking bays.
Here are the four parking spaces:
1. Mobility Parking zone
2. Al Dana Parking zone
3. Al Forsan Parking zone
4. Jubilee Parking zone
By Bus
The bus route towards Expo City Dubai is F55. The bus, F55 will stop at Expo 2020 Metro Station 2, which is the second entrance.
How to plan your journey to Expo City with the S’hail app
Not sure if you should take the Metro or the taxi to Expo City Dubai? On the app, you can select your mode of transportation and destination. You can compare the cost and duration of the trip and decide which route suits you best.
The Dubai Metro and bus schedules are also constantly updated by RTA.
Here are the steps on how to use the app:
1. Download the ‘S’hail’ app.
2. Open the app and tap on ‘Plan a Journey’. Enter your current location and your destination. You can either enter both these details manually or select them on a map.
3. Then, click on the settings icon on the right side of the screen and choose your preferred mode of transport.
4. Choose the departure or arrival time, and tap on the blue tab labelled, ‘search’.
5. The app will then provide you with a list of options, with the route, the departure and arrival timings and the fare.
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