A festival to experience UAE's rich history

A traditional performance during Al Marmoom Heritage Festival last year. This year's festival will take place from March 29 to April 12.

One of the key attractions is expected to be the camel race festival.

By Staff Reporter

Published: Mon 26 Mar 2018, 9:00 PM

Last updated: Mon 26 Mar 2018, 11:29 PM

Camel race, Emirati traditional market and an exhibition giving an insight into the visionary life of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan are just a few things one can experience at Al Marmoom Heritage Village festival this year.
Banking on the success of last year's attendance that saw thousands of visitors, organisers of Al Marmoom Heritage Village, located on Dubai-Al Ain road, are preparing to welcome residents and tourists from March 29 to April 12.
One of the key attractions of the festival is expected to be the camel race festival. Camel racing is an integral part of the Khaleeji (Gulf) culture and there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists to these races. Visitors will also have the chance to explore the Emirati way of life through handicrafts, cuisines, mock weddings and music. Around a hundred shops and kiosks will be created for a carnival-like setting in addition to traditional dance shows from Oman, India, and Africa.
Another highlight of this year's festival is the Year of Zayed exhibition - a tribute to the founding father of the UAE, giving visitors an insight into the visionary life and times of the late Sheikh Zayed.
Abdullah Faraj, member of the supreme committee and head of marketing and events at Al Marmoom Camel Race Festival, said the festival has been witnessing a steady growth of visitors over the past couple of years.
"The experience at Al Marmoom Heritage Festival will be enriching as visitors will get a first-hand account of Emirati culture through various events. It is a window that allows visitors to have a broader cultural experience. We aim to enhance visitors' experience through retail offerings across a hundred kiosks," he said.
"Dubai is a multicultural city and we hope to attract all nationalities by creating a festive atmosphere, and we are grateful for our partners at Dubai Culture for preparing a rich and diverse calendar of events," said Faraj.
"The concept of markets is extremely popular among Dubai's residents and we've incorporated numerous elements to make the experience enjoyable. As organisers, we took feedback from visitors and participating retailers of previous editions to ensure that each element of the markets is enhanced to meet expectations of all audiences," Faraj added.
Retailers are also looking forward to the festival as the month-long markets mean increased footfall and sales. Al Faraj said the aim this year is to make the kiosks available to all retailers thereby creating more choices for shoppers.

About the festival

Al Marmoom Heritage Village, located on Dubai-Al Ain road, are preparing to welcome residents and tourists from March 29 to April 12 for their annual festival.
One of the key attractions of the festival is expected to be the camel race festival. Camel racing is an integral part of the Khaleeji (Gulf) culture and there has been a significant increase in the number of tourists to these races.
Visitors will also have the chance to explore the Emirati way of life through handicrafts, cuisine, mock weddings, and music. Around a hundred shops and kiosks will be recreated for a carnival-like setting in addition to traditional dance shows from Oman, India, and Africa.
Another highlight of this year's festival is the Year of Zayed exhibition - a tribute to the founding father of the UAE, giving visitors an insight into the visionary life and times of the late Sheikh Zayed.
saman@khaleejtimes.com