Awafi Festival 2007 off to a splendid start

The Awafi Festival has over the years become a popular spring festival that celebrates the emirate's ethnic and cultural heritages through performances, cultural displays and outdoor sports events held at the Awafi area of RAK, known for its cool environs and beautiful landscapes.

Sheikh Saud said that the success of the Awafi Festival was a clear indication that the tourist resources in RAK can be effectively utilized to make the emirate a hub for tourism in the region.

"Awafi Festival is a unique event to show the emirates' rich culture and its picturesque landscape and efforts are being made to develop the festival into an international event," he added.

Traditional Arabic song and dance shows, colourful laser displays and fire works added colour to the inaugural event.

Sheikh Faisal bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Chairman of RAK Finance Department and Head of the Higher Organising Committee of the Festival, said that Awafi Festival is expected to run over the entire spring season in the future.

"Construction work is currently underway for tens of hotels, resorts, and other major tourist projects in Ras Al Khaimah. The new projects will be ready in the very near future and Awafi Festival in its coming versions is expected to run over the entire spring season," he said.

The festival showcases a wide range of entertainment, cultural and out-door sports activities. The festival venue at Awafi has a Heritage Village, a bazaar, children's play zone, clinics, police aid post apart from public amenities like food outlets, coffee shops, and games area.

The Awafi Festival, which coincides with the mid-year school vacations, has become a favourite place for family getaways, attracting hundreds of families from across UAE and GCC countries.

Faisal bin Fares, General Coordinator of the Festival Organising Committee, said that the organisers expected over 600,000 visitors to attend the festival which lasts till February 2, 2007.

"This year we have expanded the range of activities to include events like horse racing, shooting, football tournaments, chess competitions, magic shows and much more. The Heritage Village at Awafi has also been expanded to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the country," he added.

The car and bike racing competitions which are the highlight of the festival would be held on January 19 and January 26.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Sheikh Mohammed bin Kayed Al Qasimi, the Vice Chairman of the RAK Economic Department, other sheikhs, Mohammad Hassan Omran, Chairman of Etisalat, and officials of RAK Government departments.