Today, the final competitions and events of the 19th edition of the Al Dhafra Festival kicked off in Al Dhafra city, organized by the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage in strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and sponsored by the Miral Group. The festival will run until January 22. The Al Dhafra Festival is a prominent cultural event that celebrates the status of camels in Emirati culture, embodying the leadership's vision for preserving and passing on heritage to future generations. The festival brings together elite camel owners from the UAE and Gulf countries through a variety of traditional competitions and races, forming a cultural and tourist meeting point that enhances national identity and supports the local economy. It also reinforces the position of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi as a leading destination for camel races and a regional and global platform for heritage. The festival's final stage features numerous competitions and events with 2,655 prizes totaling over 59 million dirhams. Key events include camel races, the Mhalb (stick-handling) competition, falconry displays, Arabian horse races, greyhound races, Arabian greyhound displays, date competitions and packaging, the Al Dhafra Arabian horse beauty pageant, the Al Dhafra Na'im sheep pageant, archery, yogurt-making competitions, and other activities at the Al Dhafra Heritage Market and the accompanying events venue. Camel races will be held over the festival's days in 118 heats for purebred camel breeds: local, Majahim, Wadh, and crossbred Arabians. These races have 1,135 prizes valued at 53 million and 797 thousand dirhams. In the Mhalb competition, the organizing committee has scheduled six heats: four for local breeds (Arabi Tilad, Khawayer Tilad, Arabi Shraya, Khawayer Shraya) and two for Majahim (Majahim 1 and Open Majahim), with 60 prizes distributed among the top 10 places in each heat, totaling 1 million and 800 thousand dirhams. The Al Dhafra Heritage Market offers diverse activities and programs for festival visitors and guests of Al Dhafra city. The market includes heritage shops and pavilions, participating organization booths, mobile food carts, and an events stage. It also hosts various heritage competitions, children's contests, and folk art performances, alongside offerings from participating and supporting organizations. The 'Al Dhafra Mukashat Camp' allows festival visitors to taste Emirati traditional cuisine and learn about its preparation methods. Daily folk cooking programs are held in the camp, located opposite the festival, along with many performances in a unique heritage atmosphere. The camp also showcases the stages of Arabic coffee preparation, introduces the 'Sana al Kahwa' (coffee ritual), explains how to serve it, and covers the customs and traditions of receiving and welcoming guests.
