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ABU DHABI / WAM
The Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee – Abu Dhabi and the Emirates Heritage Club have jointly organised the Al Wathba Dates Festival and Auction until December 22 at the Sheikh Zayed Festival in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi. The date palm beauty contest attracted many farmers and collected 2.5 tonnes of dates from the country’s farms, which were harvested in 2023. The date auction square saw a huge crowd and fierce rivalry among those who wanted to buy lavish Emirati dates. The auction of the competing dates starts every day at 17:00, after a public examination, with the bidding following soon after.
The auction offers the finest and most luxurious types of Emirati dates. The organising committee receives the dates packed in boxes from the farmers, determines the quality and quantity, examines them, and prepares them for auction daily from 08:00 to 12:00. Participation in the auctions is open to the public attending the festival, including citizens, residents, and visitors.
The festival features nine contests with 83 awards worth over AED2.5 million. These contests involve date varieties such as Elite, Dabbas, Khalis, Shishi, Fardh, Bouman, date packaging (with or without additives), and date cuisine. Through 56 shops, the popular market at the auction offers a variety of date products, agricultural products, and pavilions of exhibitors from participants, sponsors, and supporters. The market also displays dates in the competition and various heritage events for visitors. The market opens its doors to visitors from 16:00 to 22:00.