Ad-Dafrah – a festival of Bedouin lifestyle in the UAE

Guests of the 15th Ad-Dafra Festival, which will begin in late October, will have many events, such as beauty contests for camels, saluk, falcons, goats, horse races, according to the Bayut website.

The UAE is proud of its distinctive heritage. Countless festivals are held in the country every year, one of the most notable of which is Ad Dhafra in Abu Dhabi , where you can immerse yourself in the real Emirati culture. Visitors will be able to experience many Arab traditional activities such as animal husbandry, falconry, horse racing.

The Ad-Dhafra Festival is an annual event and will run from October 28, 2021 to January 22, 2022, with strict COVID-19 prevention measures being implemented . Since this year the festival coincides with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the UAE, a particularly large-scale scale of events is expected. The prize pool alone will amount to a whopping 110 million dirhams (2,174,000,000 rubles) in 2,937 categories.

The Ad Dhafra Festival is held in the western region of Abu Dhabi, or Al Gharbiya, near the city of Madinat Zayid, about two hours from Abu Dhabi .

The main event of the festival is the camel beauty contest. This year, it is expected to be particularly ambitious. A large number of camel owners from the UAE and the Gulf countries are planned to participate . The beauty of camels is judged by several factors, such as the shape of the head and neck, body length, hump, physical health and the sheen of the coat. Each camel goes through a circle to be judged by experts, and the winner will take home a solid cash prize.

In addition, there will be beauty contests for falcons, Saluki dogs, and goats. A panel of experts carefully selects the winning animal based on different criteria for each category.

Arabian horses are known all over the world for their strength, unique appearance, agility and endurance. Every year, Abu Dhabi’s Ad Dhafra Festival attracts the finest purebred Arabian horses for exciting horse races.

Falconry in the UAE is an important part of the national culture. The falcon is depicted on the country’s coat of arms and symbolizes strength and nobility. As the Ad-Dhafra festival celebrates the culture and heritage of the UAE, it would not be complete without a falconry competition. This is where you can see well-trained birds of prey in action.

Another event that spectators are looking forward to is the 2,500-meter Saluki race. The race usually takes place in separate categories for males and bitches. The owner of the winning dog in each category will receive a cash prize and sometimes a four-wheel drive vehicle.

In addition to these events in Ad-Dhafra in 2021-2022, visitors will be able to watch shooting competitions, get acquainted with traditional Arab crafts and much more. The festival runs until January, so you can look forward to an exciting list of events and activities. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the Bedouins and their way of life.

Islamosphere