Liwa Rutab Festival 2026 to Offer AED8 Million in Prize Money

The 22nd edition of the Liwa Rutab (semi-ripe dates) Festival will be held from 14 to 23 July in the city of Liwa in the Al Dhafra Region under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court.

Organised by the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, this year's festival will feature 23 competitions with 295 prizes valued at more than AED8 million, making it one of the UAE's biggest agricultural and heritage events focused on dates and local farming.

The festival details were announced during a press conference at Mohammed Khalaf Majlis in Abu Dhabi. The event was attended by Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, Acting Director-General of the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority, executive directors of the Authority, along with farmers and enthusiasts of rutab competitions and heritage activities.

Festival Continues a 22-Year Legacy

Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi thanked H.H. Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan for his continued patronage, saying it has helped the Liwa Rutab Festival achieve 22 consecutive years of success and establish itself as one of the UAE's leading festivals dedicated to rutab.

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He said the annual celebration reflects the vision of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who made the palm tree a symbol of generosity, development and national identity. He added that this legacy continues under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, whose community-focused approach supports heritage preservation, encourages the transfer of traditions to future generations, strengthens the agricultural sector and contributes to the UAE's food security goals.

Al Muhairi also reaffirmed the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority's commitment to developing its agricultural festivals to better serve farmers, encourage the use of modern farming practices and promote environmental sustainability while supporting the long-term growth of national agricultural resources.

He added that the Liwa Rutab Festival and the Authority's other heritage programmes help connect younger generations with Emirati traditions while strengthening national identity. He also thanked the festival's partners, supporters and participants for their continued contributions to the event's success.

New Home Harvest Competition Introduced

Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Executive Director of the Festivals and Events Sector, highlighted the directives of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, to introduce the Kharayef Al Bayt (Home Harvest) Competition.

He described the new competition as an initiative designed to strengthen the relationship between families and palm tree cultivation by encouraging households to grow and care for date palms as a symbol of generosity and the deep connection between Emiratis and their land.

23 Competitions and Heritage Activities

Al Mazrouei said the festival will include 23 competitions with 295 prizes worth more than AED8 million. The competitions consist of:

• 11 rutab competitions
• Seven fruit competitions
• Three model farm competitions covering the Eastern and Western Mahadir of Al Dhafra and Al Dhafra cities
• Best Rutab Basket Competition
• Palm Trunk Creativity Competition

In addition to the competitions, visitors can explore a rutab and agricultural products market, a heritage market, a traditional crafts corner, folk arts performances, a family area, educational lectures, workshops, and exhibitions by government entities, private companies and strategic partners.

Fair Competition Standards for Farmers

Mubarak Al Qusaili, Director of Rutab Competitions, said the festival serves as an important national platform that supports farmers by encouraging higher production standards and improving the quality of Emirati rutab and agricultural products. He said these efforts help increase the competitiveness of locally produced goods while supporting the sustainability of the agricultural sector.

He explained that the Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority has established clear judging standards to ensure fairness and transparency. These include evaluating product quality and safety, compliance with technical requirements and assessing farms according to best agricultural practices within each competition category.

Al Qusaili encouraged participants to carefully review the rules for each competition and complete registration and submissions within the specified deadlines to help ensure the festival achieves its objectives.

Online Registration Available

The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority has enabled online registration for all festival competitions through the Falak Al Namoos smart application. The platform allows participants to register, monitor their applications, access competition regulations and schedules, view results, receive announcements and stay updated with the latest festival news.