Sharjah / Emirates Business
Heart of Sharjah – one of the largest heritage-focussed project in the region – has announced that it has extended its ‘Al Basta’ market at Souq AI Shanasiyah to March 31. Initially scheduled to end on January 7, the new extension reflects on the growing turnout from the public and tourists, enjoying an authentic experience in the midst of the vibrant winter season. The new extension of the cultural souq event also introduced its new weekend timings, the event will now take place each Friday from 4pm to 11pm instead of each Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
Al Basta is providing visitors to Souq AI Shanasiyah a rich selection of unique heritage-related products and services, including tasty foodstuffs, Emirati handicrafts, traditional clothing and numerous other offerings. Each week new items are introduced to reflect the diversity of the early souqs whose offerings reflected the different goods arriving from trade routes throughout the year.
“Al Basta has progressively proven that activities inspired by folk heritage, which highlight the beauty and authenticity of the past, enjoy particularly strong popularity among residents and tourists. The extension will allow the largest possible number of visitors to enjoy Al Basta and its associated activities,†said Yousif Al Mutawa, Manager of Heart of Sharjah.
Al Mutawa urged residents and tourists to visit Souq Al Shanasiyah before the end of March and enjoy the array of activities and products on offer at Al Basta. He highlighted that the experience of a genuine traditional weekly market evokes the way the nation’s ancestors used to shop and trade goods, helping visitors to immerse themselves in living history.
Souq Al Shanasiyah, one of the oldest and most vibrant souqs in the region, stands out as a heritage and trading landmark. The monument connects the past with the present, telling the rich history of Sharjah and extending cultural bridges between generations. The market serves to introduce visitors to the emirate’s authentic trading, social and cultural history.