It's all on the waterfront

No matter what floats your boat, you'll find it down at Dubai Festival City next weekend. The entertainment complex hosts the city's first Dubai Boating Festival, a two-day event aimed at promoting the waterfront life.

Billed as a celebration of the city's strong maritime heritage, the festival offers something for everyone: Yacht and boat displays and a sailing competition for experienced boaters, while families can take part in the model boat race, dragon boats and the spectacle of the fire-fighting vessel and helicopter rescue display.

"We've got entertainment, activities and goings-on to appeal to a broad scope of people," says Phil Blake of promoters Island Global Yachting and Marina Manager of the Festival Marina.

"The fundamental aim, of course is to promote Dubai Festival City, but we also want to promote the boating culture here in the region, to remind people we are fortunate to have such a spectacular coastline on the Arabian Gulf," he says.

He estimates between five and 15,000 people will make it to Dubai Festival City solely for the event in addition to the several thousand already hitting the mall on weekends.

Dubai's sailing heritage is at the heart of the inaugural festival, with racing dhows and traditional boat-building demonstrations to watch and enjoy. In addition, children's activities such as a treasure hunt, entertainment from DJs and strolling performers, and kiosks selling everything from scuba diving equipment to trinkets of all kinds will ensure a fun weekend for the family.

And there's something for foodies too: The Intercontinental Dubai Festival City is serving up seafood specialties and shisha at its Al Sultan Brahim Beirut Lebanese fish restaurant, and posh French food in an al fresco setting at the Bistro Madeleine brasserie.

But it is the event's yacht displays that will see the big money action. Yachts ranging from 20 feet in length to 100 feet and priced between Dh100,000 and Dh45 million from companies such as Art Marine and Monte Carlo Marine are to be on show, so both first-time yacht buyers and big hitters have something to look forward to.

Meanwhile, for the more adventurous looking to actually get involved, several events provide the action.

Anyone visiting can try their teamwork skills on a dragon boat, the long narrow vessels that are powered by human paddling.

Taking their team work rather more seriously are corporate teams from a dozen UAE companies, who will compete in a bottle boat race to raise awareness of recycling on Saturday.

Teams of four from the likes of HSBC, Emirates, DNATA, Bafco and the Big Bus Company will compete to build and race a boat constructed entirely from empty plastic water bottles and other recycled materials.

Each firm pays Dh10,000 to take part, all of which goes to the Clean the Creek Foundation. "The event has a powerful message, one that we hope will grow to greater heights in future years. It's following the enthusiasm that has already been shown by Dubai-based companies who see this as not only an opportunity to give something back to the environment, but celebrate their involvement by having enormous fun," says Tom Meyer, Area General Manager, InterContinental Hotels Group Dubai Festival City.

All the craft will be recycled after the race.

The social message is underscored with the second annual floating wheelchair race to raise money for children with special needs. The event, which benefits the Little Wings Foundation, takes place in Festival Centre's Canal on Friday.

Blake says he hopes the festival will grow to become an annual event on Dubai's calendar. "As more companies and partners come on board, we're looking forward to seeing the event grow in size and scope."

More information on the Festival and activities can be found at www.festivalcentre.com


The weekend's action

Friday, October 24, from 1pm:
- Samba parade
- Dragon boat racing
- Charter boat cruises
- Helicopter rescue display
- Fire vessels dynamic display
- Canal wheel chair racing

Saturday, October 25, from 11am:
- Samba parade
- Dragon boat racing
- Charter boat cruises
- Bottle boat parade
- Bottle boat racing
- Dinghy racing