Hatta Honey Festival to return next week

The event is part of Dubai government's ongoing winter tourism campaign

The festival will feature a family market and honey sample inspection corner. Khushnum Bhandari / The National

The UAE's Honey Festival is returning to Hatta next week, with the five-day affair set to showcase products from over 50 Emirati beekeepers.

Taking place from December 27 until 31 at the Hatta Community Centre, the seventh year of the festival aims to put a spotlight on traditional beekeeping, one of the region's older and most popular crafts.

“The festival presents a significant opportunity to promote Hatta’s local industry and provide a platform for beekeepers from around the Emirates to discuss and share their knowledge in honey production,” says Dawoud Al Hajri, director general of Dubai Municipality.

The festival will feature a family market, a children's play area and a honey sample inspection corner. Guests will be able to learn more about beekeeping, and the different varieties of honey available in the UAE.

There are hundreds of apiaries in the Emirates, which is home to two types of bees: native wild honeybees (Apis florea) and imported honeybees (Apis mellifera). In 2017, the UAE Beekeepers Association was established to help support the local industry.

The Honey Festival is part of the Dubai government's ongoing winter tourism campaign, in which Hatta plays a major role.

“The festival embodies our commitment to supporting and promoting Hatta as one of the distinctive tourist destinations of Dubai that offers a variety of attractions,” says Al Hajri.

The area is home to a number of popular attractions due to its geographical characteristics, including Hatta Fort, Hatta Dam, Hatta Heritage Village and Hatta Hill Park. The area is known for its local honey industry.

Hatta Cultural Nights

First launched in 2017, the Honey Festival coincides with the second edition of the Hatta Cultural Nights, which kicked off on Wednesday and will run until January 1.

The 12-day affair, taking place at Hatta Heritage Village, will host various cultural activities highlighting Emirati heritage.

“Hatta Cultural Nights spotlights the nature and rich history of Hatta, like customs, traditions and cultural heritage, to strengthen its position on the cultural tourism map,” says Mariam Al Tamimi, acting director of the heritage sites department at Dubai Culture.

Cultural performances by Emirati bands and poets are on the schedule, while a market showcasing traditional handicrafts is also set up. A special exhibition featuring artworks of people of determination is on the calendar too.

More information is available on dubaiculture.gov.ae

Scroll through the gallery below to see things to do in Hatta