The annual Eid Al Adha holidays are the perfect time to celebrate special moments with friends and family, especially as there’s so much to see, do, eat and enjoy during the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) festival of fun.

With the extra-long Eid public holiday officially announced, residents and visitors can make the most of a super DSS calendar of events created with fun-seekers and families in mind.

Visitors to the city’s malls, restaurants, venues and landmarks will discover a great selection of offers, activities and more throughout the Eid Al Adha break. Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), all of the stores, malls and venues taking part in this year’s Eid Al Adha festivities and DSS will follow all of the important health and safety rules including social distancing and the wearing of masks at all times.

DFRE highlights some of the best family-friendly events taking place over Eid Al Adha in Dubai:

Foodies can enjoy a super tasty and socialable Eid as they explore some of the best restaurants the city has to offer with the Big Eid Eat promotion. Taking place from 20 to 24 July, diners eating out at more than 30 venues can take their pick from special brunches, menus, chef’s table events and cooking masterclasses. Customers who post their fun food moments on social media @DSSSocial using #BigEidEat, #MyDss and name the participating restaurant will have a chance to win one of four shopping vouchers worth AED5,000.

Offering the perfect combination of great food deals and a chance to win a super city staycation, the Dine & WinEid Al Adha Staycation promotion will he held throughout the public holiday. Food lovers who spend just AED100 at participating restaurants will be entered into a prize draw for a great getaway at the Park Hyatt Dubai, Waldorf Astoria DIFC, Hilton Canopy, Al Seef Heritage Hotel or Hyatt Regency hotel. Restaurants and cafes taking part in the Dine & Win Eid Al Adha Staycationcan be found in malls including: Al Bustan Centre, Al Ghurair Centre, Al Warqa City Mall, Al Khail Gate Community, BurJuman, Binsougat Centre, Bay Avenue, Dubai Outlet Mall, Mudon Community, Oasis Mall and Shurooq Community Centre. Diners and families can also visit venues at Reef Mall, Times Square Centre, Union Cooperative Al Quoz, Wasl Vita, Dar Wasl, Wasl 51 and Souk Madinat Jumeirah. The promotion runs from 10 July until the third day of Eid.

Another great promotion for food lovers to enjoy, the DSS Dine & Win promotion will end on 4 September. Customers who spend AED100 in selected restaurants will be in with a chance of bagging ZOMATO membership and RAK Bank gift cards loaded with AED200. The DSS Dine & Win promotion shares the same participating venues as Dine & Win Eid Al Adha Staycation.

Aventura Parks at Mushrif Park promises super fun when the sun cools down, with kids and adults welcome to enjoy a host of adventurous activities including nature trails, tree surfing, rope climbing and ziplining during Eid and throughout DSS. Available daily from 5pm to 12am for just AED99, the special Aventura Summer Nights promotion gives visitors access to the park’s 24 ziplines, six circuits, 80 obstacles and more than 1,640 metres of games. The park’s Summer Enrichment Camp will present the ideal escape for youngsters with energy to burn. Offering a host of educational workshops as well as craft and skills sessions, the summer camp is available until 26 August from 9am to 6pm priced at AED240 per day, AED420 for two days or AED840 for a week with snacks and lunch included. Use the promo code ‘Summer10’ to enjoy 10 per cent off the price. Proving Aventura Parks is not just for kids, the venue will host its Aventura Cool Corporate Nights with fun team-building exercises and more available. Sessions are priced at AED110 per person and can be enjoyed from 5pm to 12am throughout DSS.

Dubai Festival City Mall will bring the great outdoors inside with its super-fun beach-themed activation for Eid and DSS. Home to multiple activities, games, a playground and sandpit for kids to enjoy, the beach attraction is a great destination for the kids while mum and dad explore the sales. Shoppers who spend AED300 will be entered into a raffle to win a gift card loaded with AED20,000, with draws held each week of DSS. Customers can also win instant prizes by taking part in a range of fun games at the beach attraction by spending AED300.

A firm favourite with families of residents and visitors, La Perle, will thrill audiences during Eid Al Adha with incredible displays of awe-inspiring acrobatics, dramatic stunts and thrilling music. During the public holiday, and until the end of DSS on 4 September, kids under 12 can enjoy free entry to the Al Habtoor City-based show when accompanied by a paying adult. UAE residents can enjoy a benefit from 20 per cent off the price of a ticket, while groups of four guests will receive 25 per cent off as part of a great friends and family deal.

Dubai’s largest indoor theme park, IMG Worlds of Adventure will host great entertainment, thrilling rides and live dance shows over Eid and across the summer season. Until 28 August,residents and visitors can enjoy performances of the Summer Beach Dance show, Caveman vs Dinosaurs and wonderful African Drummers. A wide variety of entertainers will help to spread smiles around the venue with surprise daily performances from clowns, dancers, stilt walkers, unicyclists, jugglers, mimes and more. Visitors can also catch the fun Character Park Parade, which takes place each weekend with a tasty selection of international F&B choices served around the theme park.

A must-visit for fans of the exciting new basketball-themed Space Jam movie and classic Looney Tunes capers, the Space Jam Experience thrill visitors to City Centre Mirdif until 26 July. The show, which is making its debut in the region, will feature games and activities for the little ones plus meet and greets with Space Jam and Looney Tunes characters. A live DJ will spin tunes while audiences watch a spectacular acrobatic basketball dunk show.

The super sporty action continues at City Centre Mirdif with the mall’s annual Summer Sports Camp. Running until 26August, the camp is ideal for children who enjoy playing football, basketball, tennis or dodgeball. The camp also hosts a wide range of other fun games and activities daily from 10am to 10pm during Eid and DSS.

Taking inspiration from traditional Arabic lanterns, or ‘fanoos’, Ibn Battuta Mall’s Eid Lantern Celebrations will make a great destination for families with creative youngsters to keep entertained. Held daily from 1pm to 7pm until 24 July, children can enjoy activities including fun photo booths, creative workshops and storytelling sessions.

The Theatre at Mall of the Emirates will host the children’s play Ahlam and the Melodies Band until22 July. A wonderful family-friendly story about orphans, the play is told through the eyes of a girl called Ahlam as she embarks on adventures to find a new home. Perfect for kids aged eight to 12, tickets are available from platinumlist.net and visitdubai.com.

Youngsters can explore the Modesh and Dana Maze Wonderland filled with fun activities and games as they search for everyone’s favourite characters Modesh and Dana. Held at Al Khawaneej Walk mall, children who enter the maze will have a series of funpuzzles to solve and obstacles to pass as well as other challenges as they hunt for the best route to find Modesh and Dana in the centre. Once there, victorious children can take a cheerful selfie with the happy duo. The Modesh and Dana Maze Wonderland will be held daily until 18 August. Visitors can explore the maze as well as the wide range of stores and eateries at the mall in the Al Khawaneej neighbourhood.

Fans of Modesh and Dana can meet their heroes and enjoy fun-filled Eid Al Adha days at Modesh World. The great family-themed pop-up experience will take place at Dubai World Trade Centre’s Sheikh Saeed Halls 1, 2, 3 and The Arena until 28 August. The immersive theme park offers unmissable adventures in a unique environment inspired by Modesh and Dana’s home in the lagoons. With family friendly activities each day, youngsters can play and explore happily. Older children are well catered to, with exciting Battle Park activations plus a zone for avid gamers. Modesh World is open Sunday to Wednesday from 2pm to 10pm and Thursday to Saturday from 10am to 12am. The venue also features retail stores and F&B zones to help keep energy levels up.

Ibn Battuta Mall will welcome cartoon fans to the Tom & Jerry Cheese Town Experience until 30 July. Held in Dubai for the first time, the exciting and interactive event features games and activities, with the famous cat and mouse duo making special guest appearancess to meet fans. With displays of original Tom & Jerry artwork, sculptures and animations collected over the years on show, the Tom & Jerry Cheese Town Experience is a must visit over Eid for families with youngsters in tow.

A mega hit with children all over the world, the CocoMelon show will entertain families at Mall of the Emirates from 29 July until 7 August. Appearing in the UAE for the first time ever, the CocoMelon event will keep delighted youngsters endlessly entertained. With more than 100 billion online views CocoMelon’s mix of cartoons, nursery rhymes and children’s songs is phenomenally popular with children and families.

City Walk will host a special Hotel Transylvania activation from 29 July to 28 August. Fans of the spooky kids’ movie can meet characters including Count Dracular, Frankenstein, Mavis and Mummy Murray on Fridays and Saturdays. The Hotel Transylvania event will also feature fun daily activities as well as games, challenges and more.

Dubai Summer Surprises is supported by Key Sponsor RAKBANK MasterCard and Strategic Partners which include: Al Futtaim Group (Dubai Festival City Mall and Dubai Festival Plaza), Al Zarooni Group (Mercato Shopping Mall), AW Rostamani Group, Dubai Holding, Emirates Airline, Enoc, Etisalat, Majid Al Futtaim (Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira), Merex and Nakheel (Ibn Battuta Mall, The Pointe, Nakheel Mall, Dragon Mart 2).

For more information, log onto the website mydss.ae or follow @DSSsocial for the latest information.