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Sharjah / Emirates Business
The first ever three-week long Winter Festival at Al Majaz Waterfront in Sharjah recently drew curtains after providing thirty thousand visitors from all nationalities and age groups across the seven emirates with the unending frolic of a dreamy winter wonderland.
Guests were left in awe of a snowy festive landscape, which stretched across the Waterfront’s walkways, events areas, covering even the trees and foliage, which created an impactful snow-covered panorama without the hassle of subzero temperatures.
This first-of-its kind festival hosted 30 events and activities, which featured street artists, stilt walkers and cartoon characters who left the audiences thoroughly entertained with an array of artistic shows and festive activities.
Children were treated to the largest share of winter-themed activities and games. They enjoyed the Winter Festival’s ice rink – Sharjah’s first such outdoor facility – where both first-time as well as amateur skaters learnt and polished their skating skills as they were cheered on by friends and family.
Young visitors were seen getting an adrenaline rush as they tobogganed from a 20m long artificial ice slide. In the snow area, made snowmen and other snow sculptures using the artificial snow. Visitors challenged themselves to find their way out of an inflatable maze designed to test their puzzle-solving abilities.
Mohammed Fadhil Al Mazrouei, Manager of Al Majaz Waterfront, said: “We are overwhelmed by the response our first-ever Winter Festival received throughout its duration, making it one of the most popular events we have hosted recently.
It was an absolute joy to see the massive turnout of visitors of all ages and cultural backgrounds enjoy and appreciate every event and activity we organised to complete the dreamy ambience of our winter wonderland. As a result of its big success and unprecedented customer satisfaction, we have decided to include the Winter Festival in our annual calendar of events.”
He noted that the festival will be organised every year to coincide with the school winter holidays, and said that the second edition of the festival may be organised in a larger area with an increased choice of games and events.
Among the festival’s highlights were the Fun Parades featuring colourful performers, drummers, a saxophonist, jugglers, fairy-tale characters and dancers who provided entertainment on the move. Other events included two Fantastic Flower stilt walkers, who created beautiful floral sculptures to entertain guests, magic acts by the Two Elves, who nudged children’s imaginations with interactive tricks. The Bubble Show and Electro Show were among everyone’s favourites. The Wild Fire Conquerors enthralled their audiences with high-quality flame manipulation and pyrotechnics, creating a stunning visual spectacle.
Al Majaz Waterfront hosts a variety of artistic and entertainment activities throughout the year, including film screenings, stage shows, roaming performers and firework displays to commemorate major national events and festivities. The park has recently undergone an AED 35 million extension and development, which has added 53,000 sqft to its total area, and includes 12 new restaurants and cafés.
As part of this redevelopment project, the Sharjah Fountain has also been extended to provide a picturesque backdrop to the Waterfront’s new dining outlets. A total of 165 new parking spaces have also been built to accommodate the needs of the venue’s increasing number of visitors.
