Ajman, United Arab Emirates: The 10th edition of the Liwa Ajman Date and Honey Festival kicks off tomorrow, Wednesday, July 30, 2025. Organized annually by the Ajman Tourism Development Department, the festival celebrates palm trees and agricultural production, promotes local agriculture, and contributes to supporting the local community and promoting sustainable tourism.
This year’s festival is witnessing wide participation from across the UAE, as well as from Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, Jordan, and Egypt. It features a variety of competitions across several categories, including those from Ajman, the Northern Emirates, and other emirates, as well as citrus and fruit competitions, and a honey beauty contest. Date competitions cover the most popular varieties, such as Khalas, Barhi, Lulu, and Khunaizi, as well as Ajman palm trees. Honey competitions include Samr, Mutabbal, Sidr, and Wax Comb varieties, among others. Fruits include lemons, mangoes, almonds, figs, and citrus fruits. The festival also features dozens of exhibitors from small and medium-sized enterprises.
His Excellency Mahmoud Khalil Al Hashimi, Director General of the Ajman Tourism Development Department, said: “The Liwa Ajman Date and Honey Festival provides a unique platform to highlight the importance of palm trees and dates in Emirati society, and the importance of this product as a symbol of the nation’s identity and heritage. Based on our vision at the Ajman Tourism Development Department, that dates and honey are an integral part of the Emirati cultural fabric that reflects our history and rich heritage, we seek through this festival to highlight and support these products and promote their cultivation in Emirati society, in line with national goals and the vision of our wise leadership to achieve environmental and economic sustainability in this vital sector.”
This year’s festival features a rich agenda of activities and events, distinguished by an additional diversity in competitions to include more categories and a wider age range than the previous edition. The festival also features a host of new artistic performances, including music and folk arts such as Al Ayala and police folklore bands on the main stage. This year’s festival will also feature a photography competition, which will be announced during the festival.
The festival also offers a variety of educational sessions on palm cultivation and beekeeping, as well as a wide range of workshops, most notably palm trunk painting, palm frond medal making, diamond painting, Sarood fan decoration, and Juffair bag painting, among many others. In addition, there are daily auctions for dates and honey, with a portion of the proceeds going to charity. Popular festivals that highlight Emirati culture are also held, as well as a children’s corner offering artistic events, interactive competitions, and educational activities on various topics, such as palm trees, their parts, and how to benefit from them.
The festival attracts large numbers of visitors each year, and includes coordination with government and private entities, as well as folklore groups sponsored by the Abu Dhabi Police, among others. This comes as part of the department’s efforts to provide a comprehensive cultural experience that highlights the emirate’s pioneering status and promotes sustainable economic development.
It is worth noting that the Ajman Tourism Development Department has raised the prize ceiling this year to encourage and motivate farmers, beekeepers, and craftsmen, and has expanded the scope of the festival to include 61 exhibitions.
The Ajman Tourism Development Department recommends following the official Ajman Tourism Department channels or social media accounts to find out the official festival date and other information when it is officially announced.
