The year that was: 12 photos that summed up Dubai in 2017
As we say goodbye to another year, we look back at the best bits…
As 2017 draws to a close, here at What’s On we’re reflecting on the last 12 months in Dubai. From the record-breaking New Year’s fireworks show (which you’ll see replaced with a light show this year), to groundbreaking gigs, new feats and the opening of some pretty amazing projects, Dubai has had a pretty impressive year.
So here are 12 photos from the last 12 months that sum up just how special it was…
January: Burj Khalifa rings in the New Year
Lighting up the sky in celebration of the start of the year, the Burj Khalifa is one of the most watched spectacles on the planet, and ringing in 2017 was no exception. The stunning display centred around the theme of national pride.
January: Sheikh Mohammed launches The Year of Giving
After 2016 encouraged Dubai to get back into books with the Year of Reading, HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the UAE, declared 2017 the Year of Giving, and with it, came the welcome introduction of the Dubai Food Bank. Back in January, HH Sheikh Mohammed shared this sweet video of his daughter volunteering at the food bank.
March: Pics of the Dubai hyperloop progress released
In new images released in March, we saw the progress being made by Los Angeles-based company Hyperloop One in their plight to create a hyperloop that will reduce the time to get from Abu Dhabi to Dubai to 12 minutes. The images show how construction is progressing at the first ever Hyperloop test site in the Nevada desert. In August 2017, an update from the team outlined they had completed their fastest trial to date.
May: Dubai shows support for Manchester
In May 2017, tragedy struck Manchester in the UK, with a senseless attack on an Ariana Grande concert killing 22 people and injuring 59 others – many of them children. Less than 24 hours after the attack took place, Dubai sent a message to the world and the more than 200,000 Britons living in the UAE that they stand firmly with the people of the UK by lighting up the world’s tallest building with the Union Jack flag.
June: Deira fish market is replaced with a state of the art facility
After almost 60 years of existence, the iconic Deira Fish Market closed its doors in June 2017, but it was replaced by the brand new Waterfront Market near Hamriya Port. The new market is a neater, cleaner food environment, with air-conditioning, odour control, covered parking facilities and stricter hygiene regulations. You can find out more about it here.
August: La Perle sets pulses racing
It has been well over a year in the making, and at the end of August, La Perle opened to the public. The permanent, water-based, Las Vegas-style ‘extravaganza’ with acrobats, divers (the stage features a diving pool), motorbikes and more. It’s really more about the stunts and the ‘wow’ moments. Here’s five things to know about it.
September: Dubai launches the Floating Venice
Just when we thought we’d seen all, the group behind The Heart of Europe and The Floating Seahorse, Kleindienst, unveiled a Dhs2.5 billion floating resort called The Floating Venice at the 2017 Cityscape Global. The resort is set to be completed by 2021 and will be a 3000 person occupancy inspired by the Italian city. Find out more about the development here.
October: Sheikh Hamdan launches the Dubai Fitness Challenge
Getting Dubai on the move, HH Sheikh Hamdan launched the Dubai Fitness Challenge on October 20. The Dubai 30×30 challenge encouraged Dubai residents to get involved in sports, try something new and get active for 30 minutes every day for 30 days.
October: New beachfront destination La Mer revealed
The beachfront at Jumeirah 1 had been under construction for some time, and in October 2017, the early phase of the project, called La Mer, opened. Home to more than 30 restaurants and shops, it’s well worth checking out for a beachside family day out. Read all about it here.
November: Liam Gallagher puts on a stellar show
The annual Party In The Park one-day festival returned to Dubai Media City Amphitheatre in November, with headline act Liam Gallagher raising the roof off Media City. With support from The Chemical Brothers and the Temples, a mini market and pre-party brunch, we’re already excited about the 2018 line up…
November: Sheikh Hamdan completes new urban zipline
After weeks of speculation, the Xline Dubai Marina, a double zipline that crossed from JBR to The Address Dubai Marina was officially opened at the end of November. Sheikh Hamdan was the first to test out the nerve-shattering stunt. We also tried it out, and you can see how we got on here.
December: Dubai Safari opens its doors
After much anticipation, Dubai Safari opened its doors in December 2017. It received an overwhelming response, and saw more than 14,000 guests through the doors on the first two days. Home to more than 2000 animals, you can check out 250 species in four villages across the park, from lions and tigers to birds and reptiles. Take a tour with us here.
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