RIYADH: This year’s Buraidah Date Festival continues apace in Qassim, with more than 50 family-based growers taking part alongside a host of craftswomen and female entrepreneurs. The event, which runs until Aug. 25, aims to support local producers of foods and handicrafts in recognition of the contribution they make to promoting the Kingdom’s products and preserving its culture. The festival is organized by the local branch of the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and seeks to facilitate the exchange of expertise related to date cultivation and the production of derivative products. As well as serving up a host of displays, exhibitions and other activities, the festival creates more than 4,000 seasonal job opportunities, reflecting the government’s efforts to boost employment at the local level across the Kingdom.