3-day holiday in UAE: Top things to do at Expo 2020 Dubai

Dubai - Watch colourful parades, listen to Sami Yusuf or Junoon live, or be enthraled by the all-women Firdaus Orchestra

The UAE and many other Islamic countries observe Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday on 12th of Rabi Al-Awwal — the third month of the Islamic calendar. To mark the Prophet’s birthday, both public and private sectors are given a holiday in the UAE.

On Sunday, the UAE declared Thursday, October 21 as a holiday to mark Prophet’s birthday. And with Expo 2020 Dubai in full swing in the UAE, what better time than the upcoming three-day weekend for folks to explore the mega event?

Residents can even make the most of their visit with the October Pass promotion, that allows guests unlimited access for the whole month for just Dh95. The pass also offers 10 ‘Smart Queue’ bookings per day for participating pavilions and attractions, so you can skip waiting in long lines.

Here's what you can look forward to exploring at the mega fair during the long weekend:

>> Thursday, October 21, 2021:

•Unique cultural events will be held to celebrate the National Day of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines at 10.15 am at Al Wasl Plaza.

•Women’s Pavilion will host inspiring stories of women from the Arab and Muslim world who are leading the way in astronomy, space and mobility from different parts of the Arab and Islamic world. The event will be held from 11am to 1pm.

•Each day, the “Colours of the World” Parade will welcome countries to Expo 2020 Dubai and treat audiences to a unique cultural fusion experience. The Parade is a vibrant, colourful moving celebration, featuring performers and musicians, that radiates energy and brings a blast of fun to daytime visitors.

•Chilean pop artist “Flangr”, who has developed music with space sounds coded from the Orion Nebula by the Observatory ALMA, will perform a musical show at Jubilee Stage from 3pm to 3.40pm.

•Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre will host a magical encounter created by local and international artists, breaking barriers between musical genres and cultures through mashups and original artists collaborations. The late musical event will run from 9.30pm to 11.30pm.

•Another stellar performance will come up from Panama’s Lady of Jazz Idania Dowman, as well as 2018 Latin American Idol Winner Margarita Henríquez. The main act will be performed by Los Rabanes, the best Panamanian rock band and winner of the Latin Grammy award.

Friday, October 22, 2021:

•The Schoenbrunn Palace Orchestra Vienna, an internationally acclaimed Viennese chamber orchestra that translates the glamorous era of imperial Vienna into music, will perform at Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

•Experience the fun and excitement of a specially-commissioned show from Saudi Arabia, combining music, songs, puppetry, audience participation and digital screen content. A dazzling cultural entertainment experience for all the family will be held at Earth Stage from 5pm to 8.30pm.

•Sami Yusuf's performance of 'Beyond the Stars' in Al Wasl Plaza will be a spectacular international programme. He'll be joined by master musicians from around the world in a visionary production unlike anything done before.

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com