AJMAN // Visitors flocked to the third Liwa Ajman Date Festival on Wednesday, an event to showcase the best dates and citrus fruit grown by Emirati farmers.
The festival sets out to educate and entertain families and focuses on the significance of the date palm tree to the UAE’s culture and heritage.
Ashraf Khalil, a Jordanian resident of Ajman, visited the first day of the festival at Emirates Hospitality Centre with his wife and daughters.
“It is a beautiful and well-organised festival that presents Emirati culture and traditions as well as promoting the UAE as a country that sticks to its customs, culture and identity despite its development and growth,” the 35-year-old said.
Abdulaziz Al Azmi, 30, a tourist, came from Kuwait to visit the festival and buy dates.
“The UAE is known for its palms and the quality and numerous varieties of its dates, and the festival is famous. I knew about it through social media,” said the engineer, who is staying for the whole festival.
“I came to buy Al Kunaizi because it’s the best kind of UAE date.”
Faisal Al Nuaimi, general manager of Ajman Tourism Development, said: “The festival has exceeded all expectations from visitors and sponsors, and the agency will strive to make the festival an annual event.”
Farmers took part in the Mazayna contest, which included date varieties such as Al Nokhba, Al Khallas, Al Kunaizi, Al Barhi, Al Sheshe and Lulu and offered cash prizes for the winner of best date, judged on taste, shape, size, weight and colour.
An auction will take place each day when the dates and citrus fruit entered in the competition will be sold, with proceeds going to the Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Charity Foundation.
Entry to the festival is free. It is open on Thursday from 10am to 10pm and on Friday, the final day, from 4pm until midnight.
roueiti@thenational.ae
