Liwa Date Festival celebrates Emirati heritage with over Dh8.7 million in prizes

The 21st Liwa Date Festival, organized by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, kicks off today (Monday) and continues until July 27 in the city of Liwa in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi. The festival is a platform that brings together farmers, factory owners, companies, and investment institutions associated with the palm tree, allowing them to exchange experiences and knowledge. The festival highlights the latest agricultural practices, encourages sustainability in the agricultural sector, and supports owners of farms producing palm trees, fruits, and local agricultural products.

The 21st edition of the Liwa Date Festival has officially commenced in Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi, in conjunction with the date harvesting season in the UAE. The festival aims to highlight the cultural and historical significance of the palm tree and its fruit within Emirati society, recognizing them as integral elements of national identity. It also contributes to the sustainability of the heritage and agricultural sectors, raises awareness about the importance of agriculture in the country, supports local farmers producing dates, fruits, and agricultural goods, reinforces the food security ecosystem, and showcases Abu Dhabi’s efforts in promoting modern agricultural practices.

This year’s festival features 24 competitions, including 12 contests for date varieties, such as Dabbas, Khalas, Fardh, Khneizi, Buma’an, Shishi, Zaml, Largest Date Bunch, as well as elite date competitions for Liwa and Al Dhafra, and Al Ain’s Fardh and Khalas categories.

Additionally, there are 7 fruit competitions, covering categories like local and mixed lemons, local and mixed mangoes, red and yellow figs, and the Home Fruit Basket. The event also includes 3 model farm competitions across the regions of Western Villages, Eastern Villages, and Al Dhafra Cities, along with a competition for the Most Beautiful Date Harvest Basket (Mukhrafa) and a Creative Palm Trunk Art contest.

The total prize pool for the festival exceeds Dh8.735 million.

The 2025 edition features 24 competitions, including 12 date mazayna contests covering categories such as Dabbas, Khalas, Fard, Khenaizi, Buma’an, Shishi, Zamli, the Largest Date Bunch, the Al Dhafra and Liwa Elite Dates competitions, and the Al Ain Fard and Khalas contests. It also includes seven fruit competitions for various local and mixed varieties of lemons, mangoes, red and yellow figs, and the Local Fruits Basket contest. The festival further features three Model Farm competitions across the Western and Eastern Mahadir (agricultural farms) and Al Dhafra cities, as well as contests for the Most Beautiful Palm Frond Basket and artistic creations made from palm trunks. The total prize value for this year’s festival exceeds Dh8.7 million.

Liwa Date FestivalThe festival’s organising committee has allocated 25 prizes each for the Dabbas and Khalas Date Mazayna competitions, with a total prize pool of Dh446,000 per competition. The first-place winner in each will receive Dh100,000, the second Dh75,000, and the third Dh40,000.

For the Shishi, Buma’an, Khenaizi, Fard, and Zamli categories, 15 prizes are offered in each, with Dh367,000 in total prize money per contest and the same top-tier awards of Dh100,000, Dh75,000, and Dh40,000. Specific to Al Ain farms, the Fard Dates competition offers 15 prizes, with its top three winners receiving Dh100,000, Dh75,000, and Dh40,000, respectively.

Similarly, the Khalas Dates Competition for Al Ain farms features 25 prizes, with the same prize amounts awarded to its top three winners.The Liwa and Al Dhafra Elite Dates competitions each feature 15 prizes. In the Al Dhafra Elite Dates competition, the first-place winner will receive Dh200,000, the second Dh150,000, and the third Dh100,000, with the total prize pool exceeding Dh700,000.

In the Liwa Elite Dates competition, the top three prizes are Dh125,000, Dh100,000, and Dh60,000, respectively, bringing the total prize value to more than Dh500,000.

The Largest Bunch of Dates competition has a prize pool of Dh234,000 distributed among 15 winners, with Dh50,000 for first place, Dh40,000 for second, and Dh30,000 for third.

In the fruit category, the Mango competition features two subcategories: local and mixed varieties. Each subcategory offers ten prizes, with a combined prize pool of Dh234,000.

In the Lemon competition (local and mixed varieties) and the Fig competition (red and yellow varieties), the festival has allocated 10 prizes for each category, with a total value of Dh117,000 per category.

Complementing these is the Local Fruit Basket competition, which offers a prize pool of Dh400,000, with Dh200,000 awarded to the first-place winner, Dh120,000 to the second, and Dh80,000 to the third.

For the Model Farm competition, which covers the Liwa Western Farms, Liwa Eastern Farms, and Al Dhafra Cities categories, each category carries a prize pool of Dh750,000. The first-place winner in each will receive Dh300,000, second place Dh180,000, and third Dh120,000.

The festival has also allocated 10 prizes for the Most Beautiful Date Basket competition, which aims to revive traditional handicrafts using eco-friendly natural materials. Additionally, 10 prizes have been designated for the Palm Trunk Creativity competition, which encourages the recycling of palm trunks into artistic creations.

Beyond the competitions, the festival presents a diverse programme of heritage events, daily activities, and cultural initiatives that preserve the legacy of the date palm as a symbol of the UAE’s rich heritage and ongoing prosperity. It also promotes family and community ties, encourages intergenerational engagement, and reinforces values of cooperation and belonging, reflecting the spirit of the UAE’s Year of the Community.

The festival also serves as a key platform for supporting the local community and productive families in the region through its traditional market, which includes stalls selling fresh dates and date-based products, mobile cafés, agricultural factories, plant nurseries, and pavilions representing sponsoring and participating organizations. Daily stage activities include interactive quizzes with prizes, live folkloric performances, lectures, seminars, and a variety of cultural evenings.

Bringing together farmers, experts, industry leaders, companies, and research centres, the festival serves as a collaborative hub to support the agricultural sector and promote its long-term sustainability. It also plays a key role in boosting the Al Dhafra Region’s economy through a diverse programme that draws thousands of visitors each year.