While the time is still Ripe, you need to check out this Dubai market

On Friday mornings, when Dubai takes the day off, a trip to Zabeel Park (for 5AED) is a good idea any time of the year, given its multitude of offerings – tracks for jogging, walking and BMX, a pitch for cricket, a park for skateboarding, areas for golfing, barbecue and picnics too, a boating lake lined with lakeside kiosks, an indoor ice-skating rink, an exhibition gallery, prayer rooms, a fitness centre, and various monuments. There are also educational and interactive displays for edutainment. (From time to time, visitors say, some facilities are closed, so it's best to check and go). But for six months from October 13 – April 20, visits to the park become all the more special because of the 'The Ripe Market' it hosts.

Ripe Organic took shape when Becky Balderstone, who moved to Dubai from UK, realised that she couldn't source seasonal, organic and fresh local produce in the UAE, like she did back home. Aware that a number of farms grew organic produce, her shop began selecting those following stringent organic practices in the region, putting them through a taste-test and selling them in boxes. Today Ripe Organic retails fresh, organic produce through four shops in Dubai as well as weekend Ripe Markets (in Dubai and Abu Dhabi) that also promote arts and crafts, since 2011.

The Friday I headed there was sunny and the pathway leading to the park was rather lovely – footpaths lined with date-palm trees that were rooted in rectangular beds of fuchsia flowers. Inside were stalls, one more tempting than the other. A rather interesting one was occupied by Blossoms, a brand that sources honey from Yemen – divine with a thickness you're unlikely to have previously encountered and the unheard of white honey only found in its snowy mountainous regions. Pickled olives stocked in barrels and sold in glass jars were popular – deliciously stuffed with feta, peri peri, garlic, etc – as were olive oil varieties infused with smoked avocado and orange. Teas and ice creams, walnut pesto, meats and breads, vendors for each had something that stood out. For instance, one found not only pure rye bread at a pop-up boulangerie, but also a 'Vikings rye bread' and fitness bread, whatever that means! And obviously the trademark Ripe Organic pop-up, an open counter displaying all its farm fresh produce – greens, roots, tomatoes with their vines intact, huge shrooms of shitake and oyster, and a range of seasonal fruit. But while all of Ripe Organic's produce is, as the name suggests, fully organic, not everything in the market necessarily is. "Ripe Markets are focused towards supporting the community, small businesses and products that are local/natural/handmade/organic/arts and crafts/creative," explains Rachel Panaino, The Ripe Market's marketing and communications manager.

No wonder, besides agro-produce and food products, further ahead there were also counters selling clothes, shoes, accessories, Turkish artworks, wooden signages with witty one-liners and even children's books. There were 'natural deodrants' and exfoliating coffees, and for those who like their baths chemical-free – bars of handmade soaps too ranging from coconut milk mixed with black salt to a number of floral flavours. But among them, the most striking eco-friendly discovery was Mango Beats that makes wooden speaker for cell phones. Made with wood and leather, they are acoustically designed such that the speakers requires no plugging-in /charging, electricity, battery or any external energy to work/amplify the sound of your device. If you have shopaholic leanings, it's best to prioritise or plan a budget as the allure of products is not merely because many are different or unique, but also because most of them, if not all, are of very good quality.

Tied-up with Dubai Food Festival, Ripe Markets are also held at Barsha Pond Park and Umm Al Emarat Park during the outdoor season (generally from November to March/April), and at Times Square during the indoor season. Vendors change every few weeks.

Beyond Ripe Market, Navigating the best of DFF

Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), the Dubai Food Festival, now in its 5th edition, has become an annual aggregator of some of Dubai's most interesting food events. For three weeks, generally from end of February to early March, the festival seeks to locals and tourists alike offer a plethora of options that have evolved due to people from diverse nationalities residing there and great numbers of tourists flocking to the city each year from. Where Dubai Restaurant Week caters to fine-diners, Hidden Gems (for which restaurants are selected through user polls) takes you to little-known eateries outsiders are likely to miss. For the street feel, there's Miami Vibes (not necessarily the most noteworthy), whereas Taste of Music combines food and drinks with live music. Of all that the tourism board exposed us to, besides The Ripe Market, a favourite was Etisalat Beach Canteen, set up on Jumeirah Beach. You can stroll on the white sandy beach or swim in the shaded turquoise sea, fly kites or join a group for yoga. Besides the sound of waves, easy music and fun numbers liven up the background and food trucks spoil you for choice with a variety of cuisines – some interesting discoveries were the Jamaican caramalised corn, Harry Potter inspired butter beer, frozen hot chocolate, Polish pierogi dumplings and taco waffles! For those interested, there were cooking demos by some of Dubai's best chefs too. An experience you can enjoy with friends, family or just your partner too – you can opt for heritage walks and scavenger hunts or shop for a variety of products – perfumes, apparels, knick knacks and cosmetics.