Record 40,000 visitors at Ramadan Night Market in the first four days

Photos: Supplied

Thousands of shopping enthusiasts streamed into the Ramadan Night Market as the souq completed its fourth day at Sheikh Rashid Hall, Dubai World Trade Centre.

The exhibition that opens at 8pm and closes at 2am every night surpassed­­­­­­­­­ a staggering 40,000 visitors with the number expecting to grow further.

Offering a wide range of products, entertainment and food, the market has been a source of attraction to people from various backgrounds, nationalities and ages. Visitors were seen enjoying themselves milling around the shops, browsing, bargaining and buying, while youngsters were immersed in games, rides and all sorts of fun.

The huge food pavilion, of course, remained one of the star attractions with foodies luxuriously picking and choosing among their favourite international culinary.

“This is a great place to be,” exclaimed Nasreen a visitor at the souq, “Families need avenues like these to relax and enjoy especially given the exceedingly busy lives we lead. At Ramadan Night Market, all my family members can find something that would interest them, similar to a mall, but without having to walk so much. The variety is quite impressive too”.

The gilded, curtained Henna Majlis standing tall in the centre of the hall remained a continuous source of delight for ladies. Decked in traditional floor arrangement, the enclosure was a buzzing place while women and young girls sat patiently watching their hands and feet being embellished with various henna designs.

“This is the first time I’m getting my hands painted with henna, and I can’t get over how pretty they look,” said Carla, a British national working in Dubai, “I think Ramadan Night Market is a great idea since it puts together so much fun under the same roof, and I’d love to explore the rest of the market.”

Outlets that sold garments and jewellery drew the most crowds as people did their Eid shopping, besides stocking up generally. Readymade kurtas (long shirts) in traditional Indian and Pakistani designs and sparkling colourful jewellery were very much in demand, while visitors browsed through furniture and decorative knickknacks as well.

Most attendees seemed quite happy with the wide range that market offered and enjoyed the bazaar-like environment which they felt provided a refreshing change from regular mall-shopping. The vibrant décor of the hall and organized system was also lauded.

Shopping apart, some visitors claimed they would be returning to the market just to taste the mouth-watering array of cuisines. With over 50 food stalls, the pavilion catered to various taste-buds, offering choices from fresh fruit to juices to Arabic, Indian, Chinese and fast food among others.

With everything from traditional to international just a few steps away, decision-making was not easy. As icing on the cake, many food outlets were giving away free coupons.

Sunil Jaiswal, President, Sumansa Exhibitions who are the organisers of the event, said: “It feels great when you see such a great welcome to Ramadan Night Market, and the fact that people love it so much. On the inaugural night, there were people at the entrance of Sheikh Rashid Hall waiting for souq to open its doors.

The next day, we clocked in more 700 visitors in just first 10 minutes of the opening. The rising popularity graph simply goes to show that the market is catering to wide range of interests which makes it an ideal family recreational venue.”

Besides food, the gaming zones also remained a hot favourite among children and adults alike. While visitors tried their luck in the Play and Win Area, children and teenagers enjoyed themselves immensely on fun rides, merry-go-rounds and other games at Kids Play Area and Fun Play Area.

Parents also appreciated the massive play zones where they could keep an eye on their kids as they completed their shopping or grabbed a bite at the same time. Scores of visitors participated in the daily raffle draw as well.

Cutting Chai serves as the Gold Sponsor and Jet Airways as Official Airline partner for this year’s event, while Physique TV is the official TV partner. Official radio partners include 89.1 Radio 4, Channel 4 FM 104.8 and Al Rabia 107.8 FM.