A visit to the Manbat Date Festival is the perfect way to spend a balmy Ramadan night. The inaugural event that celebrates the best in Emirati culture is taking place at Nasma Central, part of the popular Nasma Residences community in the Suyoh district of Sharjah. The festival that is dedicated to the nutrition-packed food that is particularly favoured when breaking fast is on from 4p.m. to 7p.m. and then from 9p.m. to 1a.m. every day until the second day of Eid.
Visitors will be able to check out the region’s finest offerings of dates, a flavourful, sought-after desert fruit that contains plenty of natural sugars to provide energy and fibre, as well as minerals like potassium, copper and manganese. Natural, homegrown Emirati dates along with premium varieties from the Levant and the GCC will be displayed for visitors and will be competitively priced and showcased in various forms, from organic to artisanal.
Entertainment offerings at the festival will reflect Emirati hospitality and honour regional traditions, including live Arabic music, Al Ayyala performances, Arabic storytelling, Arabic calligraphy and traditional ceramic painting and henna artistry. In addition, there will be an array of nuts, honey, Arabian desserts, Arabian coffee, sweet luqaimat dumplings, an Emirati favourite, decorative ornaments exquisitely handcrafted from indigenous palm trees and even ‘living statues’ in ornate attire.
Saudi Arabia’s total exports of dates for 2021 is valued at SAR 1.215 billion, a 31% increase compared to 2020. pic.twitter.com/1g7SifivXK
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Another reason to head for the Manbat Date Festival is that is running concurrently with the seasonal Manbat market, noted for its farm-fresh fruit and quality vegetables. The weekend farmers’ markets, made possible thanks to a partnership between Arada and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE), are stocked with produce 100 percent grown in the UAE. Also in its second year is the Arada Foundation’s successful Manbat Ramadan campaign, which provides tens of thousands of boxes of fresh produce towards the needy.
From taking yourself out on a book date to settling down in front of the TV with one of our recommended documentaries: https://t.co/fOKwrsbBLQ
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Families can really make the most out of their outing to Nasma Central as the stylish retail centre, community park and lifestyle hub is connected to a park. With cycling and jogging tracks, as well as child-friendly play areas and a striking hilltop pavilion with a host of leisure and sporting facilities, it’s a must-visit while in the area.
