Tourism & Hospitality | Sunday 11 January, 2015 3:45 pm |

Market OTB, the sustainable platform to discover new retail concepts, returns for its second edition from January 15-24 as a main attraction of the Dubai Shopping Festival’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

In an accessible new location at South Ridge Park in Downtown Dubai, Market OTB is an ‘out of the box’ approach to retail, dining and entertainment. For 2015, the number of participating retailers has grown to over 55, while the platform has expanded to include industry talks, performances, family entertainment for all ages and a multitude of dining options.

To support Dubai’s Expo 2020 vision to reduce waste and conserve finite resources, Market OTB uses refurbished shipping containers to house its retail concepts including fashion, jewelry, art and interiors, as well as a cubic structure made from recycled bottles to host panel discussions and talks around this subject by industry experts.

“Market OTB is a DFRE initiative and presented by DSF to create a destination of discovery, where the community gathers in a sustainably created space to experience new retail talent, performances, and fun for the whole family,” said Suhaila Ghubash, Director, Festival and Events at Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), and the organisers of DSF.

“The success of our first event in 2014 inspired Market OTB to expand its platform to 10 days – showcasing brands not found in conventional retail venues, but accessible to the public within a programme of events and experiences for all members of the community, residents and visitors.”

Market OTB will feature a number of performances, including an opening event on January 15 with GCC-based alternative/electronic multimedia artist and music producer Zahed Sultan, followed by the first-ever live performance in Dubai by Lebanese singer, songwriter and visual artist Tania Saleh on January 23, supporting her new album, A Few Images (Algumas Imagens). The live music performances throughout the event are supported by OHM Records.

New for 2015, an outdoor cinema concept will include screenings from regional filmmakers throughout Market OTB. To encourage the emerging and upcoming retailers and entertain a diversity of guests, the JamJar will feature arts and crafts activities, while the skater community can test their skills on a ramp custom-created by RAGE.

Visitors can experience Market OTB 2015 at South Ridge Park from 4pm – 10pm from Sunday – Thursday, and 10am – 10pm on Friday – Saturday. Entry to Market OTB and all supplementary events is complimentary. For more information and highlights from the inaugural edition