Hundreds of Filipino and international pop culture enthusiasts filled the hall of the Dubai International Academy on December 2 and 3, to participate in the 4th edition of the Sandbox Swapmeet—Dubai’s premiere pop culture community.
The moment you enter the room, you are transported to a fantasy land where everyone is dressed up in their favorite character costumes, the exciting sounds of anime fill the air, thrilling games gather the crowd, and action-packed performances take center stage.
The two-day event featured the return of aficionados and fans from different groups such as Action Figure, Funko and Designer Toy collectors, Trading Card Gamers (NBA Basketball, Pokémon, Yugi-OH, Magic The Gathering), Anime and Manga collectors, the team of Adult Fans of Lego (AFOL), Die Cast Cars collectors, and a line of Comic Creators and Artists.
Side events were showcased, with energetic visitors joining the Hot Wheels Gravity Race Competition, Magic: The Gathering Card Game Tournament, Retro Games, and the much-awaited cosplay competition hosted by Cosplay AE.
Organizers of Sandbox Swapmeet shared that this edition is different from others as they aimed to bring back traditional board games for everyone to enjoy.
“This year, in-add namin ‘yung board games kasi nakikita natin na ‘yung kids natin at home they are more into gadgets. So what we did, we invited the community of board gamers this Volume 4, para once pumunta ‘yung buong family dito ay mag-bonding din sila through board games,” said one of the Swapmeet organizers.
Coinciding with the UAE National Day weekend, Sandbox Swapmeet Volume 4 brought fun and festivities that took fans and participants to a world where everyone can freely express themselves.
Sandbox Swapmeet not only served as a gathering of pop culture fans, but it also became a hub for entertainment, expression, and the opportunity to meet with people of the same interests and share stories that would resonate with the whole community.
Sandbox’s SWAPMEET has grown organically from a small group of Filipino collectors and enthusiasts into a community household name of various nationalities. For any inquiries, participations or sponsorships, you can reach out to their team at [email protected] or through their social platforms on Facebook or Instagram.
