Sharjah Chamber will launch the 8th Al Dhaid Date Festival on July 25th.

The 8th edition of the "Al Dhaid Date Festival 2024" will be held from 25th to 28th July at Expo Al Dhaid, announced by the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). The festival will bring together numerous palm farmers from across the UAE.

During a press conference on Monday at Expo Al Dhaid, the Chamber revealed that the total value of the prize pool for the 8th edition's competitions exceeds AED800,000 and will be awarded to 130 winners.

The conference was attended by key figures including Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of SCCI, Saeed bin Fadel Al Ketbi, Director of Al Wusta TV Channel, Mohammed Musabeh Al Tunaiji, General Coordinator of Al Dhaid Date Festival, and Rashid Mohair Al Ketbi, Chairman of the Festival's Screening and Evaluation Committee. Also present were Mohammed Al Mansouri, Director of Expo Khor Fakkan, and Jamal Saeed Bouzanjal, Director of the Corporate Communication Department at SCCI, along with various officials and representatives of the local media.

The Organising Committee unveiled that the 8th edition of the festival will feature a new date competition exclusively for children, called "Ratb Al Kharaif Beauty", making its debut in the UAE.

Additionally, the festival's main competitions for participating farmers will include "Al Ratab Beauty", "Best Lemons", "Fig Contest", and the Most Beautiful Home-grown Dates (only for women), with awards ranging from AED1,000 to AED20,000 for each winner.

The conference also revealed the economic, commercial, cultural, and heritage activities and events agenda for the 8th edition of the festival.

Mohammed Ahmed Amin Al Awadi emphasized that Al Dhaid Date Festival has become a crucial economic, heritage, and social event in the UAE and the region. He highlighted its role in supporting and developing the palm cultivation sector and preserving the social and cultural heritage value of the palm tree.

He noted that the festival serves as a platform for knowledge exchange on palm resources among farmers, investors, and the younger generations.

Saeed bin Fadel Al Ketbi mentioned that Al Wusta Channel is a strategic partner of the festival and will provide media support for the new edition.

Mohammed Musabeh Al Tunaiji stressed the efforts to expand the scope of cultural, heritage, and educational activities to include diverse societal segments, such as women and children. The new "Ratb Al Kharaif Beauty" competition is introduced to engage children in preserving and cultivating date palm trees.
The 8th edition of the Al Dhaid Date Festival will feature five main competitions: "Al Ratab Beauty", "Best Lemons", "Fig Contest", "the Most Beautiful Home-grown Dates" (only for women), and "Ratb Al Kharaif Beauty" (only for children).

Participants in these competitions must adhere to specific terms and conditions, including using locally produced dates from the 2024 season that are grown only on their own farms. Applicants must provide specific documents proving ownership of agricultural land when they register and visit the selected farms as outlined in the application form.

Contestants can only take part in up to two categories of dates’ Individual Varieties in the festival’s competitions, but they are allowed to participate in the “General Elite Dates” and “Rare Dates” categories.

The festival will kick off on 25th July with the “Khneizi Dates Beauty Contest” and the “Women's Makhrafa Dates Beauty Contest”, followed by the “Al-Khalas Dates Beauty Contest” and the “Red Fig” Competition the next day. On 27th July, the festival will host the “Shishi Dates” and “Local Lemon” Beauty Contests, along with the “Ratb Al Kharaif Beauty” Contest for children, while the last day will feature the “General Elite Dates Beauty Contest” and “Rare Dates” competitions.

The festival’s organizing committee has established specific standards and criteria for the dates’ competitions. Participants must present dates that are locally produced in the 2024 season, at an optimal ripeness stage, with moisture content not exceeding 50 percent.