The seventh edition of the highly anticipated annual Date Palm Tree Festival is set to kick off tomorrow.
The three-day event will take place at the Farmers Market in Howrat A’ali and bring local farmers, small businesses, productive families and buyers under one roof.
Diverse varieties of the fruit will be on display, bringing alive the kingdom’s reputation as ‘the land of a million palm trees’. There are close to 3,000 varieties of dates worldwide, with Bahrain being home to more than 100. The season begins with Gharrah, which is the first variety ready to go to the market.
The most popular kind of date in Bahrain, which is also number one in the Gulf coast region, is Khalas. However, many also prefer Khanaizi, which is known to be sweeter. Other popular varieties include Barhi, Shishi and Khawaja.
The festival will showcase Bahraini productive families, who will sell products made from the sweet berry, including pickles, jams, cakes, traditional halwa and other confections. The unique date pit coffee will also be available.
Bahraini halwa expert Sayed Maitham, who is a regular at the Farmers Market in Howrat A’ali, will be adding a fun spin to the traditional Arabic halwa with his bestselling date variety. The confectioner blends the best of Bahraini and Omani styles for his signature creation.
“Our date halwa is quite popular with patrons and quite delicious too,” Mr Maitham told the GDN.
He noted that Khalas dates, a premier variety known for its smooth, sticky texture and rich butterscotch-to-caramel flavour, are used in making halwa. They lend the sweet treat a gooey finish unlike some other types that are more fibrous.
Earlier this year, the Sitra resident sold more than 1,000 boxes of his popular mulberry halwa in less than two weeks.
Ms Ahmed
Also popular at the market is entrepreneur and home cook Noof Ahmed from Muharraq, who will be presenting her date pickles and dips.
“I have participated multiple times over the years, which helped grow the number of customers for me. I create a new product line for every festival,” she added.
The festival will also feature local artisans who will honour Bahrain’s heritage crafts like basket weaving and pottery. A ‘museum’ displaying products made with palm fronds will also feature at the festival, from ropes and furniture to fish traps and more. Traditional pots from A’ali will also be highlighted, and visitors can buy them. The attraction will provide children and enthusiasts with an educational experience, teaching them about the kingdom’s age-old vocations.
The indoor market, which has close to 50 stalls, will also stage a dedicated Bahraini breakfast area for a complete Bahraini experience. Launched by the National Initiative for Agricultural Development as a permanent market for farmers, the space serves as a qualitative platform to encourage and promote local products.
