Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in Al Dhafra Region, the seventh Historic Dalma Race Festival, organised by Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority and Abu Dhabi Marine Sports Club, is set to take place from 26 April until 5 May 2024 at Dalma Island in Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi.
The Historic Dalma Race Festival endeavours to revitalise the local maritime heritage, preserve the national identity and promote awareness among the public about the significance of both the marine heritage and the heritage of the UAE. The festival aims to empower the local producing families, stimulate the island’s economy and establish itself as a prominent tourist and sporting destination.
The festival features the Dalma 60-foot dhow race, renowned as the longest race in terms of distance. Spanning a total of 68 nautical miles (125km), the race starts from the historic island of Dalma and winds its way through eight islands, including Sir Bani Yas, Ghasha, Umm Al Kurkum, Al Fatayer, Al Bazm, Al Fayy, Marawah, and Janana, before finishing at Al Mugheirah Corniche beach in Al Dhafra.
The festival showcases a variety of heritage marine and beach competitions, including the Dalma Fishing Shaari Competition, Dalma heritage rowing race (40-foot), Dalma Stand-Up paddling race, and Domino and Carrom competitions for both men and women. The festival offers running, swimming and cycling races, as well as a diverse range of recreational, educational events and traditional games for visitors to enjoy.
The festival's traditional souk, located on the shores of Dalma Island, features various stalls offering heritage products, traditional crafts, foods, perfumes, and more. The souk provides dedicated spaces for children's activities, live performances, competitions and daily quizzes. Visitors can also enjoy heritage and folk competitions, observe traditional handicraft demonstrations and partake in other distinctive events that showcase the rich cultural heritage of the region.
