The third Al Wathba Date Festival begins on Thursday, January 15th. Yes, it is being organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority and will run until January 24th. A part of the Sheikh Zayed Festival, this is being held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is the Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, and Chairman of the Presidential Court.
Al Wathba Date Festival To Begin On January 15th
Al Wathba Date Festival aims to support date palm farmers. Yes, as they boost local production and promote innovation in date palm cultivation and related industries, the aim is to safeguard the UAE’s agricultural heritage and even pass it down to future generations. Featuring 14 competitions, a total of 116 prizes worth over AED2 million are on the line. The competitions include a date beauty contest for specific varieties like those of Nukhbat Al Wathba, three cooking competitions, a photography competition, two date packaging competitions, and a live painting competition. Sounds quite fun, doesn’t it?
It Highlights The Quality Of Locally Produced Dates
Well, the festival also presents a date auction. Yes, it highlights the quality of locally produced dates and also showcases some of the finest and most distinctive varieties in the UAE. With the auction aiming to encourage farmers so that they can sustain and develop date production, they aim to offer visitors and enthusiasts an opportunity to discover Emirati dates. Additionally, the plan is also to offer visitors a full heritage experience.
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A Heritage Experience For Visitors
The heritage experience offered to the visitors here includes traditional performances and folk shows. These are further complemented by date sale outlets and a souq that features products reflecting the heritage of the nation. Drawing enthusiasts and visitors from the Sheikh Zayed Festival, it serves as a specialised platform for promoting dates and the products related to them.
Not to mention, it also preserves the UAE’s agricultural heritage and offers a space for farmers from around the world where they can exchange knowledge on modern cultivation techniques, date palm care, and even gain insights into the authentic traditions of the era.
So, if these details sound good to you, you might want to take the time to actually visit the place and check out the festival, especially if you happen to be a date enthusiast.
Cover Image Courtesy: mediaoffice.abudhabi