Dubai entertainer Juan marks decade of opening‑day drives at Global Village

According to Khaleej Times published on Thursday 15 October 2026 at 1:18 PM, as the gates opened for Season 31 on Wednesday, Colombian entertainer Juan drove the Clown Police vehicle into the park alongside his fellow performers.

For the past ten years Juan has been among the first to take the wheel on opening day, a routine that began when he became a Dubai resident twelve years ago.

The Clown Police vehicle is a blue‑and‑gold vintage‑style car that transports the entertainment team’s clowns and mascots.

Juan, who is 33 years old, said the experience is “overwhelming every year,” as he told Khaleej Times.

“I feel like a celebrity entering first,” he said, laughing.

Juan’s role and reflections

Beyond the opening ceremony, Juan drives the same vehicle throughout the season, giving rides to the entertainment team as they move among visitors.

He explained, “The vehicle is not used just only for the opening ceremony. I drive it throughout the season. I take the entertainment team on rides around Global Village, carrying the colourful characters as they interact with visitors. For children, the sight of the mascots arriving in the vehicle is part of the experience.”

Juan added that his motivation comes from the connection with the audience: “I love what I do. I prefer driving inside the park more than the roads. I love the traffic inside the Global Village where I keep hitting the brakes. And sometimes, I do come across blocks.”

He said the opening drive is more than a job duty; it marks the point when weeks of preparation meet the cheering visitors, music, performers and families waiting outside the gates.

Post‑Covid memories and this season’s turnout

Having worked at Global Village for a decade, Juan has watched the destination evolve, each new season bringing a different atmosphere.

He recalled that the opening after the Covid‑19 pandemic was especially memorable: “The opening after Covid was very memorable. It felt like a long break,” he said, adding, “It was special to see everyone back.”

He noted that the return carried added emotion after a period when large public gatherings had been halted, seeing families, costumed performers and the park come alive again made that opening stand out from the others he has experienced.

For the current season, crowds began gathering well before the gates opened; families queued at ticket counters, cars filled the parking areas and visitors waited outside the World Gate for their first entry.

Inside the park Juan waited in his driver’s uniform, ready for his familiar role, and once the signal came he drove the Clown Police vehicle forward, carrying the performers who would greet the first visitors.

Although the drive is short, after ten years it has become one of the most meaningful moments of every Global Village season for him.