Cultural Heritage

Don't have a group, completely fine. badminton sessions for all levels.. Aed 45 for two hours, aed 28 for one hour come and play with us. teams will beade on levels to have exciting matched contact no +971 50 6658 933 join below WhatsApp group for regular updates. [https://chat.whatsapp.com/L5XeBmwIJ33GNRli4CF7Bc](https://chat.whatsapp.com/L5XeBmwIJ33GNRli4CF7Bc)

**Are you ready to spend your weekend away Indiana Jones style and pocket the memories of a lifetime?** Here comes another chance to visit Petra with a plunge into super salty Dead Sea, but thats just the beginning! We will also take a look at the highlights of Amman, do the short hike across the gorgeous wadi with year flowing stream, and follow steps of Lawrence of Arabia in Wadi Rum. Little known 2 hours trail will lead us to the famous pink rock complex from the backside, making our way to the one of Worlds 7 Wonders directly to its highest point - Monastery. Standing alone towards ancient facades, will make you feel like Indiana Jones!! Lets go! **Petra is famous complex of rock-cut architecture**, established in 312 BC as a capitol of Nabataeans Empire. It was only possible to create a city in a dessert by building a water supply system but that's not all, the area was flash flooded regularly so the system of dams was built around it too. The whole area obviously found its way to UNESCO Heritage list. [https://vimeo.com/209766786](https://vimeo.com/209766786) **Dead Sea is the lowest point on the planet** at -429mtrs below sea level, its also one of the worlds saltiest bodies of water together with Lake Assal in Djibouti. This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot flourish, but nothing will stop us to take a floating swim in it! Activities: sightseeing, short 3 hrs hiking and getting amazed with Nabatean City! **Grade:** easy, available for everyone. **Accommodation and meals:** included - dbl sharing, 3 star hotel and Bedouin camp. Single occupancy at 295 AED extra. **Cost: AED 2410 excl. flights, until DEC 17.** **RSVP:** Please make sure to include your email address and WhatsApp number in the related field when you join the event. This is to assure we can contact and send you all documents. **Excluded:** * Jordan Pass (entrance fees) jordanpass.jo - one day pass at 70 JOD. **Lets go!!** **Day 1 // Friday** Meeting at airport at 5.30pm for a direct flight at 7.20pm. Arrive at Amman 21.15, transfer to north Amman, check in to the hotel. **Day 2 // Saturday** After an early breakfast, quick look at Amman highlights - Citadel, Ummayyad Palace and Roman Amphitheatre before we hit the road to Dead Sea. At the Beach Resort we’ll have lunch and time for a swim in this incredibly salty lake before travelling further south to Petra. On the way, we stop by Wadi Numira or Dana Nature Reserve to stretch the legs before head down south. We will arrive to Little Petra at about 6-7pm, in time for sunset and dinner at luxury Bedouin Camp, which is a wonder on its own. **Day 3 // Sunday** Half day in Petra. An early start at 6.30am, then jeeps take us at 6.30am through the desert to the start of the backway trail to the Monastery. This is ‘the backdoor’ to Petra, with fantastic views over Wadi Araba, and few steps, it’s the perfect way to enter Petra. Once we’ve reached the Monastery – the largest of Petra’s temples, we will go down the stairs and walk through the Roman area, visit the Royal Tombs and stop for picnic lunch. Next it’s past the Street of Facades and finally arriving at The Treasury – the most famous of Petra’s sights. A walk through the Siq takes us to the entrance where we will jump on the bus and head to Wadi Rum before drive back to airport. [https://vimeo.com/217694073](https://vimeo.com/217694073) See yah in Petra x Trekkup Crew [Whatsapp 050 4848238](https://wa.me/971504848238) / [info@trekkup.com](info@trekkup.com) [Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup](https://linktr.ee/trekkup)

Come and have tea, meet new friends and engage in an open conversation about life's purpose, our collective responsibility towards humanity, our existence on this planet, diverse religious perspectives, spiritual insights, the interconnectedness of all people, gender equality, the convergence of faiths, and current world issues. Location: Cafe Barbera, close to Miracle Garden [Location pin ](https://maps.app.goo.gl/JnL2jTgF4jWAndYn9) Time: 19:30

Sierre Leone and Freetown, Liberia and Monrovia - **freedom country and freedom town** \- two destinations where slavery and emancipation take on a whole new meaning\, with one being the site of **African resettlement from Europe and the other from America**, these are lands of searing heritage. Sierre Leone’s Freetown, with its vast beaches along the peninsula, lively surfing culture, chimpanzee sanctuary among the rainforests, and nearby islands with decaying slave fortresses, or another with butterfly colonies and pygmy hippos! **Bunce Island**, where trading in gold, ivory, cane wood, and slaves in the tens of thousands was launched from a fortress all the way across the Atlantic to the Americas, where the vast majority of the slaves of the Antebellum south came from. Today it’s a ruin of old stone and rusty cannons but the memories of this place continue to haunt. Just a little bit American and kind of West African, **Liberia is unlike anywhere** you’ve been before, with mountains to climb, world’s most beautiful beaches to surf and swim, vast parks full of untouched wildlife, city scenes out of the American south, and founded as the homeland of freed American slaves, it’s a step off the map into Africa’s last frontier! Monrovia is a scene of stately ruins, like the **Hotel Ducor and it’s famous swimming pool**, or the Masonic Temple’s peeling paint, broad streets of plantation-style mansions and Antebellum architecture, a marked contrast to Freetown’s Portuguese influence. You’ll even find a few speakers of “Pidgin” English, if you listen carefully! **Let’s go!!** **Day 1 :: Arrival + Firestone, The Rubber Tree Forests** Liberia is the only country that has **never been either a colony or a protectorate**; it was founded by Krio, freed slaves who returned to Africa from the US, hence the name "**Liberia: the country of freemen"**. Krio make up 5% of the population and control a large part of the economy and politics; they are considered the creators of the nation and the modern economy. 80% of the population speaks the Krio language, which is a form of "Pidgin" English. Immigration clearance and proceed to on a rough road through a spectacular **rubber plantation forest called Firestone**, the largest contiguous rubber plantation in the world, located in Harbel, Liberia, which first opened in 1926. In the mid-1990s, former Liberian President Charles Taylor's soldiers, many of whom were children, raided the Firestone plantation for fuel and supplies. Firestone pulled its executives out and left the plantation, and many of the company's Liberian workers were later killed. After the civil war, the company revived its operations and is now back on track. After a tour of the plantation and the surroundings, head to our ecolodge for overnight stay. **Day 2 :: Libassa + Monrovia** Leisure morning in tropical idyll setting. For curious, exploration of the site in a **search for Pangolins** \- live a dream of Liberia's wild and unspoilt nature\. Later in a day\, its time to head to Monrovia city\. Check in to hotel, start exploring Monrovia, we’ll pass by many curiosities including the **Temple of Masonic Lodge**, the most significant symbol of the Krio culture and the abandoned **Ducor Palace Hotel** (or what remains of it), a former luxurious hotel with a swimming pool overlooking the ocean. We ll also learn about the Mende people and the Bundu Mask in the forests outside the city. Head back to our hotel in the evening for dinner and rest. **Day 3 :: Crossing to Sierra + Tiwai** Check out from hotel and head to Sierra Leone on slightly better roads towards the border. **Bye bye Liberia!** Further on the boats to Tiwai Island for some **monkey jumping, bird calls, and maybe a crocodile** or two. If we’re really lucky, we’ll spot the elusive Pygmy Hippo! **Day 4 :: Tacugama via Bo** After binch beans and some coffee, we’ll head out to the second capital of Sierre Leone, the bustling Bo before moving on to **Tacugama Chimp Sanctuary**, home to many chimpanzees who have become injured and need help returning to the wild. We’ll drive into the hills for a panorama of the city and charming sunset. **Day 5 :: Bunce and Tasso Island** Bunce Island, made famous for being the last stop on the slave trade before being sent off to the Americas. The island was declared a national monument in 1948. A major European commercial fort was built here during the slave trading era, serving as a meeting place for European traders and African merchants. Over 50,000 slaves—women, children, and aged men—were transited to the Americas. The trading of slaves, gold, ivory, and cane wood was prevalent during the 1800s, and many slaves sent to South Carolina and Georgia were traded on this island. See and feel the island by touching the history yourself. **Day 6 :: Banana island + Freetown City Tour** Morning set out towards Kent for Banana Island, where we spend half day **swimming and getting to know the local community**, explore the Portuguese influence, and learn the ways of the Krios peoples of this former slave island. After lunch, return to the city, start with visiting the National Museum and the Big Market, which operates daily. It is a covered market selling a range of crafts, bric-a-brac, traditional medicines, and mystical items. **Day 7 :: Crossing to Conakry** **Bye-bye Sierra Leone!** Early in the morning crossing to Guinea Conakry, check in to hotel, city tour. **Day 8 :: Isles de Los** We will end up our trip with idyllic escape to Iles de Los, tropical paradise of 3 islands, for some swimming, relaxing or just playing beach football with the kids. **Day 9 :: Departure back to Dubai** Its time to head to airport for return flight home, Bye Bye West Africa! **Grade:** Easy - available for everyone. **Activities:** Trekking, boating, swimming, sightseeing. **Accommodation & meals:** hotels and lodges - double sharing, meals excluded. **Cost: 9,200 AED** excl. flights. Cost valid until DEC 10th. **Flights, approx. 5000 AED:** Day 1 DXB-ROB Ethiopian Day 9 CKY-DXB Emirates **Specifically excluded:** flights, visas, restaurant meals, single room supplement. **Visas:** **Sierra Leone:** E-visa 85 USD **Liberia:** Pre-arranged visa 110 USD **Guinea Conakry:** E-visa 85 USD See yah in West Africa x Trekkup Crew [Whatsapp 050 4848238](https://wa.me/971504848238) Find all trekkups at [linktr.ee/trekkup](https://linktr.ee/trekkup)

BRUNCH and Weekend Vibes at Querida Mexican & Friends 🌮 Join us this weekend for a relaxed Mexican-style brunch in the heart of Al Barsha. Location : https://maps.app.goo.gl/i3vLDu4aaRkq5ZGcA Menu: https://qr.emenu.ae/querida/#/en/category/32795 Fresh tacos, classic plates, and cozy vibes 📍 Querida Mexican & Friends , Al Barsha

To confirm your booking, RSVP here and send a WhatsApp confirmation on **+971 55 284 9303** with your full name. It’s officially festive season—and we’re doing something *extra* special this time. Our next circle will be all about **embroidering your own Christmas ornaments**! 🎁🧵 You’ll learn **5** beginner-friendly stitches to create **unique, handmade ornaments** you can hang on your tree, gift to loved ones, or cherish for years. A wholesome, festive workshop where you leave with decorations you’ll be proud of. ❤️ It’s ✨ **What to Expect:** * A cozy, judgment-free zone where you can relax, unwind, and just be. * Supportive, guided learning—I'm here to make sure you feel welcomed, encouraged, and safe to create at your own pace. * A warm group of like-minded people (new friends included!). * In this beginner-friendly session, you’ll learn **5** unique stitches. 🧵 **Why Embroidery?** * It’s therapeutic (goodbye, stress). * It sharpens focus and patience. * It builds confidence, stitch by stitch. * And hey, your walls will thank you for the art you’re about to make. 🧶 **All Materials Provided:** * Needle & thread * Embroidery hoop * Pre-sketched fabric with a variety of ornament designs Don't miss this opportunity to explore the rich tradition of embroidery with a hint of the modern expression of art and craft something beautiful. Expect: ✨ Cosy vibes ✨ Festive creativity ✨ A mindful break you won’t forget 📅 **Pre-booking is required!** Reserve your spot here: https://pay.ziina.com/Kailanithreads/oxZ2bMgnN **\*IMP NOTICE: No walk-ins allowed or payment on the spot allowed. Only those who have pre-booked will be confirmed participants\*** **Location:** Alchemy, Dubai Let’s stitch and share a few laughs. Can’t wait to see you there!
• In this beginner-friendly session, you’ll learn 5 unique stitches. 
🧵 Why Embroidery?
 • It’s therapeutic (goodbye, stress).
 • It sharpens focus and patience.
 • It builds confidence
 • And hey, your walls will thank you for the art you’re about to make. 
🧶 All Materials Provided:
 • Needle & thread
 • Embroidery hoop
 • Pre-sketched fabric Don't miss this opportunity to explore the rich tradition of embroidery with a hint of the modern expression of art and craft something beautiful. **Investment: AED 150/-** **📅 Pre-booking is required!** To confirm your booking, RSVP here and send a WhatsApp confirmation on +971 55 284 9303 with your full name. *IMP NOTICE: No walk-ins or on-the-spot payment allowed. Only those who have pre-booked will be considered as confirmed participants* **Location:** Brunch & Cake, Wasl 51 **Time:** 3-5 pm Let’s stitch and share a few laughs.
Can’t wait to see you there!

**GLO : 🎧 The Biggest Bolly-Tech Party** **FRIDAY \| 11 PM onwards** **OFFERS 💥** **⚜ Free Entry on Guestlist till 12AM** **⚜ Free drinks for Ladies till 2AM 🍸** **⚜ 4 Drinks + 1 Shisha Gents @129** **⚜ 4 Drinks + 1 Shisha Couples @169** **📍DOWNTOWN DUBAI** **📞 Reservations: 0543231214**

🤗 We sincerely invite you to attend the opening ceremony of the **"China-UAE International Cultural and Art Exchange Exhibition**" This exhibition celebrates the poetic spirit and **artistic heritage** of the East while building bridges with the world. 👉 Click ATTEND and contact the host on **☎️ +971-58-208-4392 (Rodrigo)** 🎨🎨👨‍🎨👩‍🎨Over 100 works by Chinese calligraphy and painting artists! 🍵Chinese tea 🎁 Souvenirs provided **🗓 20 December 2025** **⏰️ 1:30 pm - 4:00 pm** **☎️ +971-58-208-4392 (Rodrigo)** **📍 [Dragon Mart 2 atrium in front of Nesto Hypermarket](https://maps.app.goo.gl/GrTWscoKwyXKxk7Y7)** **💰 FREE!** **Supporting organisation:** International Exchange Working Committee of China Association of Trade in Services **Hosts**: **🐲Dragon Mart Chinese Tenants Trade Committee in Dubai** **🏮CHINESE SOCIAL CLUB** **Organisers**: Beijing Chengyouxuan Culture Communication Co., Ltd., Beijing Chuangyiyuan International Culture Center, and Silk Road Danqing Culture Co., Ltd. **Co-organisers:** ArtChain Global Culture & Art Financial Investment International Group Co., Ltd. Hong Kong Kuangshi International Auction Co., Ltd. Hong Kong Hanhai International Auction Co., Ltd. US Global International Auction Co., Ltd.

The PERSIAN FESTIVAL Shabe Yaldā is coming up this week! It's the longest and darkest night of the year, when friends and family gather to eat, drink and read poetry! Join **Mr. Rodrigo** and friends for an evening of engaging conversation and cultural exchange with authentic Iranian food, live Persian music and a true Persian atmosphere! 🦜🥘👨🏻‍🍳🎻 **About [SHABESTAN RESTAURANT](https://www.gaultmillauae.com/features/discover-shabestan-dubais-most-revered-persian-restaurant/):** 🏛 **Established in 1984** (Second oldest Persian Restaurant in Dubai!) 👨🏻‍🍳 **Persian** **Family-Run** (3 generations! 👴🏻👨🏻👦🏻) 📷 **Unique views** of Historic Dubai Creek and Old Dubai 🏅**Awards received** \*😋 **MICHELIN** Bib Gourmand 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 \*⭐ **Gault & Millau** selected Restaurant **TO PARTICIPATE:** **👉CLICK "ATTEND"** ☎️ **MESSAGE** the host on +971-58-208-4392 📅 **Saturday, 20 December** **2025** ⏰ **7:30 PM – 9:30 PM** 📍 [Shabestan Iranian Restaurant,Baniyas Rd, Dubai](https://maps.app.goo.gl/DvYyZG6LDAmN6p9P9) You can choose among the following options: **👨‍🍳 YALDĀ** **SPECIAL MENU (AED 250)** **STARTER** Trio of the famous aubergine and spinach with hint of garlic and kashk **SABZI KHORAN** Seasonal vegetables with feta cheese **SALAD SHIRAZI** A refreshing plate from Shiraz -- cucumber, tomato and onion with zest of lemon **FESENJAN BA MRGHABI** Succulent roasted duck breast with pomegranet Sauce **DESSERT** Fresh fruit Platter Tea & Iranian Sweat 🍽️**SET MENU 1**🐑🍖 (**AED 250)** \*IRANIAN SALAD AND MASTKHIAR \*KASHK- E- BADEMJAN (Aubergine puree prepared with lamb meat, onion and kashk) \*PERSEPOLIS (Combination of meats, kebabs and chicken Served with three kinds of Iranian rice) \*FALOODAH WITH PERSIAN ICE CREAM \*PERSIAN SWEETS \*TEA / COFFEE / SOFT DRINK / MINERAL WATER 🍽️**SET MENU 2🐟**🦐 (💰 **AED 300)** \*IRANIAN SALAD AND MASTKHIAR \*BOORANI SPINACH Sautéed spinach topped with fried onions, yogurt and saffron \*SHABESTAN Seafood Specialty with kebabs chicken Served with three kinds of Iranian rice \*FALOODAH WITH PERSIAN ICE CREAM \*PERSIAN SWEETS \*TEA / COFFEE / SOFT DRINK / MINERAL WATER 🅿️ Free Parking 🎻 Live Music! ⚠️ **ALLERGIES**: ***Please inform us of any food allergies when registering. We will do our best to accommodate dietary restrictions*** 🚶‍♂️🌴 **WALK**: After the meal, those who wish can stay for a relaxing walk along the Dubai Creek waterfront💦, and enjoy magnificent views of the Dubai Creek with its cruises⛵🚢 and Al Seef, the old Emirati-style village with its characteristic lights and traditional architecture. 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 This is a **Family Friendly event**, so we encourage you to bring your children: 👀 please look after them at all times to ensure their safety 📢 Tell all your friends! 🚭 Smoking inside the restaurant is strictly forbidden. 🙋🏻‍♂️**About the host**: [Rodrigo Vásquez](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigovasquezofficial/), MPhil (Cantab), is a Spanish/Guatemalan maths educator, entrepreneur, and business networker residing in Dubai for 7 years. He is the founder of Vine & Fig Tree Real Estate, LLC and Vine & Fig Tree Tours (FZE). He speaks 10 languages and enjoys organising events to meet like-minded people.

Meet the Emirati Ibrahim Aboelkheir, socialize with the community, & grow professionally in Arabic and Emirati Culture! [Join our whatsapp community!](https://chat.whatsapp.com/LJsZpnl4d6t5CGfvSTrgct?mode=hqrt2) Here is the location: [Info Skills Office, HNS Business Center, Emitac Building, Al Garhoud Dubai, nearby GGICO Metro Station](https://maps.app.goo.gl/yR1SCWSrwHUPXbX47?g_st=ipc)

🆕 *Luxury Venue 🆕Elegant Networking Event under Star* ✨✨ *Join us* for another Luxurious Social Networking Event Under stars🌟💫 *Register here* 👇👇 https://luma.com/864jp67w *Discover Ruby Ru,* a new Opened Luxurious Venue with Unique Decorations & Classy Style Standing on the Amazing View of Creek & Full Dubai Skyline *Enjoy* the View & *Make* New Friends, *Build* New Connections🤝 and *Take* Amazing Pictures with Luxurious Style 🗓 *Saturday 20 December* 🕗 *7:00 pm to 11:00 PM* 📍 *Ruby Ru Lounge By Iris* *Marriott Marquis Dubai Creek* , Jewel of the Creek ✔ *Free Entry For Ladies* + 1 Wekcome Drink🍹 ✔ Amazing Fireworks Show 🎆 ✔ *Discover Brand New Venue* 💫 ✔ Elegant Networking Vibes✨ ✔ Amazing Creek *View* 🔥 ✔ Unique Style & Designs💥 ✔ Socialize & *Networking* 🤝 ✔ Live *Dj* starts 9:30PM🕺 ✔ *5* Stars Hotel Experience⭐ ✔ *Free* Valet Parking 🅿️ 👗👔 *Dress Code* : Elegant Only 👗 *Ladies* 💃 *Free* Entry for all Ladies💃🥳 With *1* Complimentary Drink🍹 👔 *Gentlemen* 🕺 💰 *70 AED* 💰 *Cash* Only🛑 Including 1 selected Drink🍹

**Your DXB Tribe – Festive Creative Gathering at Mawaheb w/FoscART** 🗓️ Saturday, 20 December | 2:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. 💰 AED 150pp (it Includes a beverage, pastry and all painting materials) 😍 As we get closer to the holidays and the end of the year, we want to create a space where we can slow down, connect, and enjoy a beautiful afternoon together. Join us at Mawaheb, a unique art studio that celebrates community and creativity, for a cosy festive gathering. We’ll spend the afternoon painting and decorating Christmas ornaments — pieces you can hang on your tree, gift to someone special, or keep as a reminder of this moment of connection. Beyond the creativity, this is also a chance to reflect on the year we’ve lived… the highs, the challenges, the lessons, and the small moments that shaped us. It’s a gentle closure of 2025 and a meaningful way to start thinking about what we want to invite into the new year. Expect good vibes, inspiring conversations, creativity, and a safe space to meet other amazing women in our tribe. We can’t wait to see you there. ❤️🎄

This morning Will be the Training for 8 forms of TaiChi--To achieve the world record: " Most Nationalities Performing Taichi Simultaneously" Dear Friends from Around the World, We warmly invite you to represent your country in a meaningful and inspiring World Record challenge. This extraordinary event is more than a record attempt—it’s a celebration of cultural diversity, unity, peace, and health. Join us as we bring the world together through the graceful movements of Tai Chi. 📜 Event Highlights Make History: Join participants from across the globe and be part of a historic World Record attempt. Exclusive Participant Rewards: All participants will receive: A commemorative Tai Chi uniform Chinese cultural gift An official certificate of participation and honor World Record Recognition: If the challenge is successful, each participant will receive an official certificate. Future Opportunities:Outstanding performers may be invited to China for international cultural exchange performances. 🌍 Participation Requirements: Register using your own name and represent your country of origin (passport or official ID required). Take part in free TaiChi training sessions provided by the organizers. If multiple participants register from the same country, final selection may be based on Tai Chi performance. 📅 Event Details Date: September 28, 2025 Location: Downtown Dubai (Exact venue to be confirmed) Registration Form: https://forms.gle/p47GJ3ZMNyUXZU626 Deadline to Register: September 25, 2025 🌟 Why Participate? Tai Chi is a living symbol of traditional Chinese philosophy—harmony, balance, and coexistence. Through this event, we aim to demonstrate that while we come from different nations, our shared desire for peace and health unites us all."One world, one family."Your presence will be a powerful step toward cross-cultural understanding and global friendship.Let’s come together and express the beauty of our world through the flowing rhythm of Tai Chi! 🧧 Organized by: Dubai Chinese Charity Martial Arts Group 📬 Contact Us: Instagram: @Chinese.Martial.Arts.Dubaihttps://www.instagram.com/chinese.martial.arts.dubai?igsh=MTJtcXA2NzQybzB5NA== 📝 Please Note:Final event details may be subject to change based on World Records' official requirements. The organizers reserve the right of final interpretation. 🔄🌏 Help Spread the Word: Please forward this invitation to friends and communities around the world. The more nationalities represented, the stronger our message of unity! Read less

Let's grab some coffee/food and share a morning chat! The East Market has an ample parking lot and outdoor and indoor seating. Grab a cup of coffee from Winston's Coffee & Waffles or on your way to East Market and meet us on the second floor - table behind or east of the elevator. If the weather cooperates we will be meeting in the patio. Per what this group is about: "Everyone is welcome! International transplants to Columbus who want to improve language skills, Columbus residents who want to discuss international travel and culture, and anyone who enjoys getting together for good conversations."

$5 MOVIE NIGHT! With avatar fire and Ash, James Cameron takes audiences back to Pandora in an immersive new adventure with marine turned Navi leader Jake Sully. Navi Warrior, Naytiri and the Solly family. The film has a screenplay by James Cameron and Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. We will see the 6 PM showing and I will post my seat so that we can sit together. We can grab something to eat after if people want and chat to round out the experience. This is a MUST SEE MOVIE for me. I hope you feel the same. I will CANCEL if there are less than 5 RSVPs on the movie date.

The aim of this group is to get together and practice our German. Doesn’t matter if are a beginner or a native speaker. The goal is to speak and improve our German. Everyone is welcome! If the weather is good, look for us in the Biergarten. Pro Tip: Get there before 6:00 for happy hour pricing.

As we prepare to enter a new year, the Burning Bowl Ceremony offers a powerful and heartfelt opportunity to let go of what no longer serves us and make space for new beginnings. You are warmly invited to join us for this sacred and reflective ritual. The Burning Bowl Ceremony is a beloved Unity tradition—an empowering moment where we release old patterns, worries, or limiting beliefs by writing them down and symbolically releasing them into the flame. This act of letting go opens the door to clarity, peace, and transformation.

First Sundays are free admission at Franklin Park Conservatory. Sunday, January 4th, is also the last day The Palm House will be open before renovations begin. Let’s meet, enjoy a respite from January weather, and wander the gardens. Free neanthe bella palms are available to guests, beginning at 10am, while supplies last. Afterwards, we can visit the nearby East Market (212 Kelton Avenue).

# **Band: Firefly Trace, caller Kenny Greer** Beginner lesson at 7:30, regular dancing begins at 8:00 **Sponsor: All Soles Contra and Square Dancing, First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Rd., Columbus OH 43214** WHAT IS CONTRA DANCING? Picture the Grand Ball scenes like you’ve seen in period films such as “Pride and Prejudice”, where the dancers are lined up in long lines, across from each other. That’s English Country Dancing, the predecessor of contra dancing. Now, add moves like “swing your partner” and “do-si-do,” like you’ve seen in square dancing. Set it to fabulous, high energy, live music with fiddles, guitars, percussion and more, alá “Riverdance.” Finally, set the whole scene down in the middle of Woodstock, with a hip, groovy atmosphere, a bit of tie-dye, and hints of counter-culture attitude. THAT’s Contra Dancing! Wear cool and comfortable clothes (you will get warm) and clean shoes that won't mark up our nice wood floor. Be sure to come for the beginner's lesson from 7:30 - 8:00, followed by dancing 8:00 - 10:30. All dances are taught; we will help you learn! Beginners always welcome, no need to bring a partner. Cost is $10.00 adults, $5.00 ages 12-26. Under 12 free. Free parking in church lot. Please bring your own refillable water bottle.