Why Sharjah's Al Maleh and Fishing Festival is worth a visit this weekend

Sharjah: Before the skyscrapers, highways, and modern ports transformed the UAE’s coastline, there was the sea and generations of Emiratis who built their lives around it. They fished its waters, built boats by hand, preserved their catch with salt, and passed their knowledge from parents to children.

This weekend, that story comes alive again at Al Hisn Island in Dibba Al Hisn.

The 13th edition of the Al Maleh and Fishing Festival has commenced on August 27, bringing together more than 80 exhibitors, including around 20 government and private entities, over 50 productive families, and 10 companies specialising in fishing equipment.

Open from 9am to 9pm until August 3, the festival is not simply a celebration of what once was. It is a reminder of how heritage can continue to form communities, create opportunities, and inspire younger generations.

Walk through the festival and the past has been difficult to miss. Traditional boats that have been used for fishing and shipping are on display, alongside nets, fishing tools, and handicrafts made using skills passed down through generations.

Hessa Alhosani, marketing and communication director of Sharjah International Marine Sports Club, has noted that the group is showcasing different types of boats, traditional handicrafts, and sea creatures.

The aim is not only to preserve these objects but also to help younger visitors understand the people and skills behind them.

“We have competitions that we are hosting including the rowing competition, showing how children learn how to row on land and then move to the sea. We also have workshops such as teaching children first aid and showing diving sites in Sharjah, letting them see Sharjah in a different way,” Alhosani told Gulf News.

For families, heritage is not something kept behind glass. It is something they make, sell, and share with visitors.

Sumaya Mohammed Ahmed Abdulla, owner of Sour Tasty, is participating for the fourth time.

Her products have included achar in mango, garlic, and lemon flavours, Italian spices for pasta, traditional UAE food, Arabic coffee, and mabooj.

Her reason for returning is simple.

“It really helps our family when people buy from us,” shared Abdulla.

The festival's economic role has been just as important as its cultural one. Wesal Sultan Sulaiman Ali Aldhuhoori, from the legal affairs department of the Sharjah Economic Development Authority, has highlighted that events like this give businesses the chance to showcase and market their products directly to the public, increase sales, and promote local businesses and productive families.

“The festival gives participants the platform to build relationships with customers and investors, expand their customer base, and explore new opportunities for business growth and sustainability,” explained Aldhuhoor.

On the other hand, Sheikha Ahmed Aldhouri, head of the trade names section of the Sharjah Economic Development Authority, has bared that the festival helps local businesses and families reach new customers and increase their income.

“It helps promote small and home-based businesses, encourages entrepreneurship, and strengthens the local economy. For families, the festival provides a platform to participate in economic activities while preserving local traditions and heritage,” added Aldhouri.

The sea story has continued into the modern day. At the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment's display, visitors can see tanks containing local fish species, including hamour and sheri.

“This festival is helping the UAE community by raising awareness about local fish, supporting local businesses, and promoting aquaculture,” said Fatima Ali Boharoon, a research assistant at Gulf Aquaculture.

Moreover, traditional foods have filled the festival, while folk groups performed chants and maritime songs once associated with fishing activities aboard sailing vessels.

Poetry recitals and heritage performances have also added to the atmosphere. Elsewhere, visitors can watch net-making and fishing boat construction, explore agricultural produce, and browse products from productive families.

Manar Mohamed, owner of Atiaf Aloud, has been among those returning to the festival.

“I am thrilled to participate in the festival for the second consecutive year, following its incredible success. Because our visitors truly love fine fragrances, we are back with an even wider variety of unique scets to suit every taste,” stated Mohamed.

The range of exhibitors has mirrored the festival's evolution into more than a fishing event. It has become a place where heritage, family enterprise, and community life meet.

The festival's strongest message has been about what happens next. Mohammed Ahmed Al Shehhi, a board member of the SCCI, has pointed out that the festival's 13-year journey has demonstrated the “genuine partnership” between SCCI and Dibba Al Hisn Municipality.

“The festival has moved beyond its seasonal framework to become an integrated event with well-established social, cultural, and heritage dimensions, as well as an economic platform that transfers the knowledge and expertise of fathers and grandfathers to younger generations and supports the people of Dibba Al Hisn and the Eastern Region,” remarked Al Shehhi.

That transfer has been seen throughout the festival, in the traditional tools on display, the food-preservation workshops, the rowing activities, and the demonstrations of crafts that might otherwise disappear with time.

Visitors can go for the traditional food or to see the boats, nets, and handcrafted tools. They can also take the children to learn rowing, discover marine life, or join a heritage competition.

Additionally, they can support a family business, discover local products, or learn about UAE aquaculture. But stay a little longer, and the festival offers something deeper.

It tells the story of a country whose relationship with the sea has helped shape its communities and of families who are ensuring that story does not end with the passing of a generation.

At Al Hisn Island, the past is not being remembered quietly. It is being taught, tasted, crafted, sold, celebrated, and passed on. The ultimate reason to visit this weekend is to leave not only knowing more about the UAE's maritime heritage, but understanding that the traditions of the past can still inspire the people building its future.