Dubai: The sizzling summer spectacular that is Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) got off to a chilly start with a spectacular ice display to officially kick off this year's celebrations.
Hundreds of people from all over the GCC packed into Mall of the Emirates last night to get a glimpse of DSS mascot Modhesh make a grand entrance onto a 450 square metre purpose built ice rink in the mall's Galleria area.
He was followed by members of the Shangri-La ice circus, a 23-member Russian troupe of acrobats and trapeze artists which performed an impressive display of ice dancing, stunts and juggling. Visitors were then treated to a dazzling laser display.
The action was all part of the DEWA-organised Ice Surprises Week, which lasts until June 28 and is the first of ten themed weeks during the summer event. The string of dignitaries attending the ceremony was headed by Shaikh Maktoum Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairman of the Dubai Technology and Media Freezone Authority.
He was joined by Saeed Mohammad Ahmad Al Tayer, Member of the DSS Supreme Committee and MD and CEO, of DEWA, Abdullah Obaidallah, Executive Vice-President of DEWA and Saeed Al Nabouda, CEO of DSS and other members of the DSS organising committee.
The start of DSS sees the product of six months of hard work by organisers who wanted to make up for the cancellation of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF).
"The Ice Surprises is an excellent way for us to kick start DSS," said Ebrahim Saleh, COO of DSS. "There are a lot of other attractions happening at the same time in other malls, so it is great to see so many people here."
Saleh said Ice Surprises was chosen to open DSS because of the strong visual impact it would create for local residents and the hundreds of people in to Dubai for the ceremony.
"It's the best week of DSS so we decided to start with it," he said. "We have been working on DSS since January and we hope that everyone will enjoy the event."
The DSS will continue with the weekly themes, including International Food Surprises, Adventure Surprises, Cartoon Surprises, Nature Surprises, Arts Surprises, Knowledge Surprises, Flower Surprises, Heritage Surprises, and concludes with Back-to-School Surprises on September 1.
