The Islamic festivals are part and parcel of Ras al Khaimah Festivals. Besides this, the Awafi Festival is quite popular.

Islamic Festivals

During the holy month of Ramadan, the people of Fujairah wake up before dawn to eat and then fast throughout the day. At the end of the day, they will enjoy sit down together with their family and friends to enjoy their meal.

After the month long fast is over, a 3-day holiday is enjoyed. This is called ‘Id-ul-Fitr’. The dates of Ramadan and Id are determined on the basis of the lunar calendar, i.e. the phases of the moon.

After this, comes ‘Id-al-adha’ or the Festival of Sacrifice. During this period, people remember Abraham’s sacrifice by slaughtering an animal, e.g. sheep, goat or camel. Abraham was commanded by God to kill his only son. When Abraham was preparing to do this, Allah showed him that the sacrifice had already been done. Abraham had shown that his love for Allah was much more than his love for family even. And he was willing to sacrifice his loved ones also.  This festival lasts for 3 to 4 days.

Awafi Festival

The Awafi Festival is held in the beautiful and cool Awafi area of Ras al Khaimah every spring. It is considered to be a ground-breaking and authentic Emarati annual event. This is a major event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) cultural calendar. It attracts a lot of foreign tourists and goes on for 3 weeks.

The most popular item in the festival is the sand dune motor racing competition. People get specially designed 4-wheel drives that are driven over the steep sand dunes at full throttle.

A lot of outdoor sports activities and cultural events are organized among the colorful red sand dunes of the Awafi area in Ras al Khaimah. The festival celebrates United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) rich heritage by holding performances and cultural displays. People have access to food stalls, coffee shops as well as internet cafes. There is a separate children’s play zone, also. A souk (marketplace) is also there where different traditional items are available.

It is a great festival for families to spend some quality time together. They can also hire ‘tented’ accommodation. The festival is free and most of the events are planned for the evening.

The festival has the backing of the government and the government heavily promotes the festival as a means of presenting the peoples' heritage and traditional customs. The festival is also geared towards family entertainment.

Visit the Awafi Festival and have fun!