Dubai: The three-day Liwa Ajman Date Festival is promising to offer visitors a peep into Emirati culture and heritage, while also providing an opportunity to local farmers to promote their produce.

Beginning on August 2, the fourth edition of the festival not only provides visitors with an opportunity to learn more about the importance of date palm trees, the farming industry and types of produce grown in the country, but it will also be a fun-filled event with lots of activities for the whole family to enjoy.

According to Saud Al Jasmi, head of Events at the Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD), the festival is expected to have more than 60 farmers participating who will also display fruits other than different types of dates.

“This will be a great opportunity for local farmers to promote their produce, not just dates, but also fruits like locally grown mangoes, guavas and citrus fruits,” said Al Jasmi.

The festival will also hold daily workshops and lectures for farmers explaining best agricultural practices.

“We will introduce farmers to the latest practices and technology that are in use and they can benefit by the exchange of ideas with each other as well,” added Al Jasmi.

He added that more than 15,000 people are expected to visit the festival which will be held at Emirates Hospitality Centre near Ajman City Centre.

To further sweeten the experience for the visitors, a number of exciting, date-inspired competitions have been launched in advance, for participants to be judged and honoured during the event, with some of Ajman’s renowned hotels competing in a cooking contest in the morning of the opening day.

There will also be a Photography and Video competition [with a total prize money of Dh17,000] and a Dates and Citrus Fruits Contest (Mazayna), which will include seven varieties of half-ripe dates namely Elite, Al Farth, Al Khallas, Al Kunaizi, Al Barhi, Al Sheshe and Lulu, as well as citrus and other fruits, such as mangoes and guavas.

For the first time since introducing the yearly festival, there will also be a Dessert competition, inviting participants to prepare contemporary or traditional, homemade Emirati desserts, with dates being the main ingredient.

Prizes worth Dh500,000 will be up for grabs for participants.