Abu Dhabi: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, the 3rd edition of the Al Wathba Date Festival officially opened yesterday evening in Al Wathba, Abu Dhabi.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority as part of the Sheikh Zayed Festival, the event runs until 24 January.

The festival’s opening day featured the inauguration of the Dates Auction, a dedicated platform designed to showcase the excellence of local produce and provide visitors access to premium Emirati varieties. Highlighting the competitive bidding, a single box of Zamli dates secured the day’s highest price of AED800. Overall, the auction saw the sale of 460 kilograms of dates across 160 boxes, generating a total turnover of AED33,550.

The festival aims to support palm farmers, encourage local date production and promote innovation in this vital sector, contributing to food security and sustainable agricultural development. It reflects the UAE’s commitment to the palm tree and its products as a symbol of heritage and national identity.

The event features 14 competitions with 116 prizes valued at over AED2 million, alongside a heritage market, a dates village with 40 retail outlets, and a range of cultural activities and folk performances, offering visitors a rich family-oriented experience that blends knowledge, entertainment and the preservation of the UAE’s agricultural heritage.