The much-anticipated gala event Expo 2020 Dubai has finally kicked off on October 1, 2021. Slated to run for six months until March 31, 2022, this global spectacle promises to be full of shopping, culture, fun, and entertainment. It is the first time a world expo event has been held in the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia region and the first one ever to be hosted by an Arab nation. Dubai won the bid to host the expo in 2013 after beating several countries, and since then, people have been waiting eagerly to witness this grand event. Read on to find out more about what you can see and do there.
What is Dubai Expo 2020?
World expos first started in the year 1851 and are held once every five years. An event of this magnitude provides an excellent platform for hundreds of nations to come together, share ideas, and showcase their innovations for the world to see. 192 countries are participating in the expo and will have their individual pavilions to display their art, culture, food, and technology.
The event was first scheduled in 2020, but it was postponed by almost a year due to the COVID 19 pandemic. Though it should have been called Dubai Expo 2021 as it is taking place only this year, the organizers decided to stick to the original name, and hence it is called Dubai Expo 2020.
Top 15 things to do at Expo 2020 Dubai in no order
- Buy an Expo passport from the official store at the venue and get it stamped at every nation’s pavilion that you visit. This will be one of the most cherished keepsakes of your Dubai trip.
- The Monaco Pavilion has a bevy of delightful robotic penguins. You can interact with them and observe and learn about the behavior of penguins.
- To catch a breather from all the hectic activities, head to the top of the Garden in the Sky. This viewing deck is located 55-meters off the ground, and you can feast your eyes on marvelous 360-degree views of the entire venue, such as the verdant parks, shamianas, domes, and more.
- Head to the two-level Talabat food hall that uses cutting-edge technology and robots to deliver food and enjoy a futuristic dining experience.
- The future of aircraft cabin design is here. Visit the Emirates Pavilion to design your own aircraft. This is your chance to experiment with futuristic metallic and composite materials and create a state-of-the-art aircraft.
- Firdaus Orchestra is an all-women musical orchestra performing under the expert direction of Oscar-winner music maestro A.R. Rehman. Listen to beautiful renditions by the group as these women take the music world by storm.
- Sign up for a class at London-based bakery and baking school Bread Ahead, where you can learn top-notch baking skills in a domestic setting from master teachers.
- The Mascot show at Mister Scrap’s Scrapyard Idol has myriad entertainment options, including stage shows, dance routines, a digital theatre, music, and concerts. Create your very own virtual avatars in interactive booths and shake a leg or two here.
- The leading Terminus Group has deployed a set of robots at the venue. Interact with these cute robots as they perform many tasks such as greeting visitors, delivering food and beverages, assisting with directions, and so on. Doesn’t it sound fun?
- Rashid’s Playground is an ocean-themed adventure located in Jubilee Park. You can learn about the fascinating underwater world and beautiful aquatic animals here. You can also enjoy the whale slides, sharks on springs, ocean liners and participate in an interactive 3D maze modeled on the magnificent marine creature, the humpback whale.
- Experience the future of travel. Set off on a fantastic sightseeing journey aboard the Expo Explorer. This train looks like a regular locomotive but runs on compressed air and is completely pollution-free. Is this the answer to sustainable transport in the future?
- Explore the infinite space and the red planet – Mars. Find answers to questions like Will it be possible for humans to inhabit our neighboring planet in the future? Get all the details about UAE’s Mars Mission in 2021, along with the studies and research the Hope spacecraft will perform on Mars. Kids can have a great time exploring the Mars-inspired playground, bounce on the nets, and jump on the trampolines.
- The US Pavilion has a plethora of paraphernalia, including exhibits, artifacts, and pieces of rock from the moon. Also, check out the imposing SpaceX Falcon rocket and the outstanding US Mars Rover in this pavilion.
- The Netherlands Pavilion puts up an unbelievable and unique show of creating indoor rainfall out of thin air. This show will surely be a treat to all the senses.
- Listen to a Beethoven-inspired music fusion including classical, electronic, acoustic, and rock music and a robot orchestra at the Germany Pavilion’s Culture Lab.
Also read : Best Places to visit in UAE
Other highlights
- Apart from this, you can also savor several culinary delights from worldwide in the 200 plus restaurants and 50 plus F&B outlets here. Several award-winning chefs such as Rohit Ghai, David Myers, and Matthew Kenney will whip up the most lip-smacking delicacies you have ever sampled.
- Every night post sundown, the entire venue will be beautifully illuminated with light installations and projections that will transport you to a magical wonderland.
- The World Souq consists of a variety of ethically sourced crafts from all over the world. So, all the shopping enthusiasts can shop to your heart’s content for products like handicrafts, clothes, stationery, cosmetics, souvenirs, home decor, etc.
- More than 70 events are scheduled to take place daily, including parades, flash mobs, sporting events, music concerts, live shows, etc. The expo coincides with the golden jubilee celebrations of the UAE so that national day celebrations will be in full swing throughout the month. You can also participate in other festivals like Diwali, Christmas, and New Year’s Day.
Conclusion
More than 25 million people are expected to visit the expo, and out of that, over 70% are travelling from outside the UAE. Another highlight is that the event will follow a hybrid model for the first time in the history of world exhibitions. It means that people can visit the site physically and enjoy all the fun virtually. Dubai Expo 2020 is a once-in-a-lifetime event, so plan a Dubai holiday now and have a blast there!
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