AlUla: The 4th AlUla Dates Festival opened on Friday under the slogan “Taste Our Pride.” Organized by the Royal Commission for AlUla, the annual celebration offers a cultural experience for visitors while boosting the local and national economy. Events will take place every Friday and Saturday through Nov. 11. One of its main aims is to make AlUla dates more popular and competitive on local, regional and international markets. That is in line with the goals of Vision 2030, which seeks to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as the world’s largest date producer. The festival is divided into two parts. From 6-9 a.m. each Friday and Saturday — between Sept. 8 and Oct. 28 — there will be a date auction in Al-Aziziyah district. Then, from 5-11 p.m. — between Oct. 13 and Nov. 11 — there will be a souq at Manshiya Market. These gatherings allow visitors to meet farmers, producers and artisans, as well as sample the many date-based culinary treats on offer. During the two months of the festival, the commission also stages various courses and workshops to allow producers and other interested parties to learn new skills and share their expertise. Farmers can also register for the Saudi Dates Mark platform, which is a trademark granted to the owners of farms, factories and other related businesses that meet the global market standards on food safety. During the event, some AlUla farmers will be selected to take part in the 4th International Dates Conference & Exhibition, which will be held in Riyadh at the end of the year. AlUla is home to more than 2 million palm trees dotted across 10,000 hectares of dedicated farmland. The date market has seen a resurgence in recent years and the region now produces over 90,000 tons of the fruit annually. It is home to many varieties, including the Mabroom, Barni, Al-Helwa and Medjool.