Fun-filled activities on offer at Liwa dates festival
ajman — The annual Liwa Ajman Dates Festival will be held at the Emirates Hospitality Centre here from August 2 to 4, announced a senior official on Monday.
The festival is being organised by the Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Ajman.
Saleh Mohamed Al Jasmi, director-general of ATDD, said that the Liwa Ajman Dates Festival is a major tourism event, which celebrates the country’s rich heritage and traditions.
The event will provide residents and visitors with an opportunity to learn more about the importance of date palm trees, the farming industry and types of produce grown in the country, he said, adding that it will also host many fun-filled activities for the whole family.
“Set to attract more than 10,000 visitors this year, the event is a unique way of supporting and boosting tourism, in line with our strategic objective of promoting Ajman as a safe family, business and tourist destination.” Discussions and interactions on the significance and varieties of dates will also be held as part of the three-day festival.
In addition to the above, a number of exciting, date-inspired competitions have been launched in advance, the winners of which will be honoured during the event.
Some of the major hotels in the emirate will be competing in an extraordinary cooking contest in the morning of the opening day.
Photography and video competition (with a total cash prize of Dh17,000) and a dates and citrus fruits contest (Mazayna), which will include seven varieties of half-ripe dates — Elite, Al Farth, Al Khallas, Al Kunaizi, Al Barhi, Al Sheshe and Lulu — will also be part of the festival.
For the first time since the launch of the festival, there will also be a dessert competition, inviting participants to prepare contemporary or traditional, homemade Emirati desserts with dates being the main ingredient.
The cultural festival will include a traditional market where visitors can explore the different elements of the traditional bedouin lifestyle.
With a number of handmade products made from date palm leaves, visitors will have an opportunity to acquire authentic local heritage products. The traditional majlis will also allow visitors to indulge in authentic culinary delights while experiencing truly genuine Emirati hospitality.
The culinary corner will offer visitors the possibility to enjoy dates in a great diversity, with samples of a wide variety of innovative date-inspired dishes prepared by some of Ajman’s finest chefs. The Kids’ Corner will host several activities for children, including cultural competitions and art workshops, highlighting the health benefits of dates and the significance of palm trees.
afkarali@khaleejtimes.com