Gulf News: The 22nd edition of the Liwa Date Festival opened with a strong turnout, receiving nearly three tonnes of rutab (fresh dates) on its first day as farmers from across the UAE competed in one of the country’s biggest agricultural and heritage events.

Held in Liwa City in the Al Dhafra Region, the festival welcomed large numbers of farmers, productive families and visitors, reflecting its growing role in supporting local agriculture while celebrating the UAE’s long-standing connection with the date palm.

Judging committees received entries across several competitions, with participants presenting some of their best rutab varieties. The dates were assessed based on quality, size, colour, ripeness and overall condition.

The festival has grown into an important annual platform for farmers to showcase their produce, exchange knowledge and encourage the use of modern farming practices that improve productivity and crop quality.

Alongside the agricultural competitions, visitors enjoyed a range of heritage and cultural activities, including traditional crafts, family entertainment, exhibitions of local products and pavilions run by productive families selling traditional food and handmade products.

The opening day also saw the announcement of winners in the Largest Date Bunch competition. The first-place winning bunch weighed 113.2kg, while the second-place entry weighed 106.1kg. The third-place winner recorded 97.3kg.

Competitions will continue throughout the festival, with winners to be announced in categories covering fresh dates, fruits and model farms.

This year’s festival features 23 competitions and 295 prizes worth more than Dh8 million. Categories include date beauty contests, fruit competitions, model farm awards and creative competitions inspired by the date palm.

Since its launch more than two decades ago, the Liwa Date Festival has become one of the UAE’s leading heritage events. It plays an important role in preserving agricultural traditions, supporting farmers and encouraging sustainable farming practices while promoting the date palm as a symbol of Emirati identity and food security.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, the festival also features a traditional market, a date and palm offshoot market, agricultural equipment displays, traditional crafts, children’s workshops, folk performances and educational activities.

The event continues to attract thousands of visitors each year, contributing to tourism and economic activity across the Al Dhafra Region while helping pass agricultural knowledge and heritage on to future generations.