Saudi Arabia’s date-growing capital is about to smell a lot sweeter. The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) has launched the seventh edition of the AlUla Dates Season, opening Friday, September 18, 2026, as part of the wider Khayrat AlUla Agricultural Season 2026–2027.
What’s Happening This Year
The season kicks off with the AlUla Dates Auction at Al Fursan Village, running over weekends through November 15. Farmers from across the region will bring their finest harvests to the table, with both live bidding and direct sales on offer for buyers, traders, and investors. Expect to see prized local varieties, including Barni, Majdool, Halwa Hamra, Anbara, and Sifri up for grabs.
Running alongside the auction, the Al Manshiyah Farmers’ Market opens its own dates season from September 18 to 27, giving visitors a more hands-on, festival-style way to explore the harvest, think market stalls, tastings, and family-friendly activities that spotlight the palm tree’s role in Saudi heritage.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just a pretty photo-op for the ‘gram. The auction has become a genuine economic engine for AlUla’s farming community; last year’s edition alone generated around SAR 13.19 million in revenue, moved over 2,250 tonnes of dates, and involved more than 1,600 farmers, marking 48.7% growth over the previous year.
Behind the scenes, the RCU has fertilised and pest-controlled over 137,000 palm trees and certified 500 farms under the Saudi Dates brand, all part of a bigger push under Saudi Vision 2030 to position the Kingdom as the world’s largest date exporter.
Also Read: 3rd Al Wathba Dates Festival Begins This Jan With 14 Competitions, Folk Shows & More
The Bigger Picture
The Dates Season is one thread in RCU’s Khayrat AlUla Agricultural Season, launched in July, which also covers the Summer Fruits Season and the upcoming Citrus, Bergamot, and Honey Season, a reminder that AlUla’s desert oasis is as much a working farmland as it is a heritage destination.
Cover Image Courtesy: SPAGOV/Website
FAQs
When does the AlUla Dates Season 2026 start?
It launches on Friday, September 18, 2026, alongside the Al Manshiyah Farmers' Market.
What date varieties will be on sale?
Visitors can expect Barni, Majdool, Halwa Hamra, Anbara, and Sifri, among others.
