Wednesday Activities
Wednesday Activities
Dallas Cowboys Stadium Tour
With small group sizes and additional tour stops, the VIP Guided Tours are the ultimate Cowboys
Stadium tour experience.
Howdy Welcome Fiesta!
Welcome to the convention….Mexican style! Featuring piñatas for the kids, Spanish music, and salsa dancing lessons, you’ll want to down your fajitas fast and join in the fun.
Druze Jeopardy Mixer
Famous Druze singer who lived in Egypt? Druze are also called this name? Lead the revolution in Syria against the French? If you can answer these questions, try your luck in our first ever Druze Jeopardy mixer in the Hospitality Suite on opening night. Just show up, and we’ll pair you in teams with a guided game show host.
Thursday Activities
Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot
The Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot is the largest Thanksgiving Day event of its kind in the country. Starting from humble beginnings42 years ago at White Rock Lake, it has grown into the undisputed "Way to Begin Thanksgiving Day" for thousands of locals as well as those who travel to share in our great event.
The Trot tradition has now extended through generations of participants who celebrate the holiday with grandparents, relatives, friends and their youngest who we look to see with their own families in the years ahead. The Dallas YMCA supports strong kids, strong families and strong communities – all of which are represented at the Trot. Participants are also helping to support important YMCA programs. We look forward to seeing you – bring a big group! – to this year’s Capital One Bank Dallas YMCA Turkey Trot.
This year participants have the option of being timed on either the 8 mile or the 5K events.
· 7:00 - 8:50 am Race Day Registration / Packet Pick-up
· 8:00 am Registration and packet pick up closes for timed events only.
· 8:59 am Wheelchair race begins
· 9:00 am Race Begins
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade & Metee Lounge
Want to ease into Thanksgiving day just as you would at home? Come down in your PJ’s and join us for metee in the Hospitality Suite where we’ll feature the Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade on TV’s.
Kids Club – Indoor Thanksgiving Carnival
Want to keep your children entertained on Thanksgiving day while everything is closed in town? Join us as we transform an 18,000 square foot expo hall into the ultimate children’s playland! Bounce house with slide, arts & crafts center, cotton candy machine, manicures for girls, toilet paper toss, candy walk, face painting, potato sack race, and much more!
Youth and Singles – Indoor Flag Football Tournament
What is Thanksgiving day without a little football action? We’re converting a portion of the Expo Hall into a football field – yes, full 100 yards, referees, belts with flags, and jerseys! You won’t want to miss competing in this event.
Dallas Cowboys vs. New Orleans Saints – Indoor Tailgate Party!
Are you ready for some FOOTBALL??? Join us on the Atrium Level in the foyer of Monduel’s Lobby Bar & Centennial Café at 3:00 to watch our very own Dallas Cowboys take on the New Orleans Saints. Featuring football party games, trivia, and prize giveaways during commercials and halftime, come out and root for your favorite team…
Singles Night Out
Join in for a fun night out and see how we party in the Big Dallas!
Thanksgiving Dinner featuring Live Jazz
Enjoy a traditional thanksgiving dinner with Turkey carving stations while listening to a live 6 piece jazz band led by our very own Ray HeLal. The evening will feature standard classics from Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, and guest star Rabih Abifaraj sitting in on trumpet.
Friday Activities
Black Friday Shop-a-Holic Extravaganza!
Get the greatest deals of the year on Black Friday! Be in the lobby at 5 a.m. to follow us on the Dart Rail to Northpark Mall where you’ll experience Dallas’s finest shopping.
Yoga
Yoga originated in India over 5,000 years ago. It predates all major religions of the world, however, it was incorporated into some religions as they developed. Yoga literally means “union”. Yoga promotes greater relaxation and calmness, increases energy, rejuvenates the heart, increases flexibility, improves coordination, realigns the skeletal frame, improves strength, enhances concentration and memory, increases self-confidence, determination, and contentment. Yoga also helps improve circulation, promotes sound sleep, balances hormones and metabolism, and improves digestion. These benefits can be felt even after one session. Stated the most simply, yoga is the most complete natural health care system known to humankind. Please join us for this introductory session to Hatha Yoga lead by Joanne Osborn, owner of Yoga Unity in McKinney, Texas. For more information on yoga, please go to www.yogaunitymckinney.com
Double D Dude Ranch
Only 13 miles east of downtown Dallas, on 70 rolling acres with a serene lake, Dallas’ finest party ranch has the resources to accommodate groups from 50 to 5000. Featuring unique venues with Pony Rides, Horseback Riding, Hayrides, Petting Zoo, Paddleboats, Mini Golf, Basketball, Volleyball, Tug-O-War, Horseshoes, and Playground, there are fun-filled ranch activities for all ages. Double D Ranch captures the true Texas Ranch experience! http://www.ddranchdallas.com
1001 Arabian Nights Party
Join us for a cultural peak into the traditions and heritage of the countries in the Middle East. Featuring local exhibition of specialties from Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Iraq, and the Gulf, our goal is to unite the communities in the Dallas Fort Worth metroplex for an evening in celebration of cultural heritage. Mediterranean dinner will be served with entertainment from each cultural group, followed by headline singer Dany Al Ashkar and the Phoenica Band for dancing.
Friday Night Kids Club (Babysitting – infants to 12)
While parents are enjoying an evening of cultural entertainment, this evening’s Babysitting features kids dinner, magic clown show, crafts, movies, and storytime before bed.
Teens Night In
If you are between the ages of 13 to 17, you won’t want to miss this event! We are creating a “Main Event” experience at the hotel. Join in for Laser Tag, Hamster Ball and a video game theater allowing players to move around between giant screen TV’s to play Madden Football, Halo, Call of Duty, Tony Hawk, Wii Sports, and Guitar Hero. Dinner will be served with a special guest speaker geared just for Teens!
Saturday Activities
General Session – 10-noon
The State of the Druze Community Globally - In July of 2010, immediately following the ADS Detroit Convention, Druze from all over the world gathered in Lebanon to discuss the current state of the Druze community globally. There were over 500 that attended, including 154 from the United States. Among them were ADS President, Hatem Sleem, President-Elect, Rabih Suki, Board Member, Tareq Amine, Shauke Halime, and Issam and Hala BouHamdan. We will kick off the seminars for the day with this General Session that will summarize the main topics discussed.
Our duty as Muwahiddun - Complementing our theme of the Journey of Wisdom – Mind, Body, Soul, Ray Helal will guide the audience through a unique folly of the process of self acutalization in his presentation titled “Man’s Quest for Answers.” Core to the discussion is Mr. Helal’s premise that Tawhid is the ‘Road Less Travelled.’
Break Out Seminars
Youth Discussion (noon to 2:00)
Lead by Dr. Farouk Hamzeh, and key members of CORA, please join this YDP sponsored discussion for youth only. Pre-selected topics will be dispersed at round tables with exercises for group of 6-8 people.
Adult Seminars (2:00-5:00)
Saturday Kids-Fest! (ages 4 to 12)
“How to Own the Floor” (dance lessons - Cha-Cha, The Slide, Macarena), “No Slime Like Green Slime” (an hour of slime fun), Fire and Ice Extravaganza Show (dry ice, fog storms, and bubbling potions), Karate Demo by Bushokai Karate School, and an hour of Druze religious stories.
Gala Dinner
Our Master of Ceremonies for the evening, Dr. Raymond Hamden, will entertain us with is whit and insight throughout the evening. Often referred to as the “Frazier of Dubai”, Dr. Hamden’s syndicated radio talk show ‘In The Psychologists Chair’ features prominent personalities such as former Prime Minister of Pakistan, H.E. Benazir Bhutto and International Anchor personality, Riz Khan who have been on the show. During dinner, you will be entertained by the Druze Youth of Texas as they perform a play written by them on the trials and tribulations of growing up Druze between two distinctive social cultures in Lebanon and America. And, in traditional last-evening-of-the-convention style, we’ll debbke until we drop to the sounds of Dany Al Ashkar and the Phoenica Band!
Saturday Night Kids Club (Babysitting – infants to 12)
The main highlight of the final Kid’s Club festivities for the Thanksgiving Convention will be a Puppet Show. Kids will have multiple activities to choose from this evening, including coloring, games, and movies.