Sharjah: As the holy month nears, there’s a festive air everywhere. To add to this the Sharjah Ramadan Festival 2012 started yesterday across the emirate and will run until August 25.
The festival, which is in its 23rd edition, features many cultural, shopping and religious activities and provides entertainment for the entire family across the city of Sharjah, Al Dhaid, Kalba, Khor Fakkan and Dibba Al Hisn.
Venues such as parks and shopping malls have various entertainment programmes with shows, raffle draws, discounts and more, all under the umbrella of the Sharjah Ramadan Festival, Mohammad Ahmad Ameen, the festival’s coordinator and Assistant Director-General for Economic and International Affairs at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), said.
He added that the event tends to stimulate trade and tourism in the emirate.
According to Hussain Mohammad Al Mahmoudi, Director-General of the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the emirate sees higher sales during the festival compared to the rest of the year, adding that it has a strong impact on the retail sector in the emirate.
“The retail sector, wholesale trade and repair services together came in third place in 2010 at a value of about Dh8.5 billion, which is 13 per cent of the total GDP of the emirate in 2010 and had similar rates in 2011. These sectors form a fixed capital to the economic sectors of Sharjah.” Al Mahmoudi said.
Sharjah’s Expo’s Ramadan and Eid 2012 Fair is one of the main highlights of Sharjah’s Ramadan Festival. It is a multi-product consumer product exhibition that also provides entertainment for children. A Heritage Village will also be featured this year.
Weekly draws will take place at a different mall each week. The prizes for each draw — which are given by some of the sponsors — are Dh20,000 cash from the Organising Committee and Adnoc, a Nissan Car and Emirates airlines Economy and Business class air tickets.
