Ramadan Nights Festival Celebrates the Spirit of the Holy Month

Photo: Dubai Government Media Office

The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced the return of its popular ‘Ramadan Nights’ Festival, a special event aimed at celebrating the values, customs, and traditions that shape the local community during Ramadan. The festival offers a variety of activities that allow both residents and visitors to fully experience the spirit of this blessed month. This initiative is part of the Authority’s commitment to social responsibility and supports the ‘Ramadan in Dubai’ campaign, launched by Brand Dubai, in partnership with several government and private organizations. The campaign aims to showcase the wide range of events happening across Dubai during Ramadan.

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The festival’s programme is packed with performances and interactive experiences that highlight Emirati traditions. These activities will take place at different venues managed by Dubai Culture. One of the key locations is the Al Shindagha Museum, which is the largest heritage museum in the UAE. From 14 to 23 March, visitors will have the chance to engage in cultural activities and explore the museum’s exhibits.

At the Al Maktoum Courtyard, there will be several creative workshops, including ‘Jewellery Design’ and ‘Misbaha Making,’ where participants can learn how to create traditional misbahas using beads, wood, and precious stones. There will also be workshops on making unique fragrances in a session called ‘Dukhoon Making.’ In partnership with The Knot, there will be additional workshops, such as ‘Candle Making’ and ‘Lantern Decoration,’ where participants can learn various painting techniques.

The Etihad Museum will host three creative workshops every Friday during the first three weeks of Ramadan. These include ‘Scent and Synesthesia’ in collaboration with Oo La Lab, ‘Tablescaping and Poetry,’ which combines table decoration with Arabic poetry, and ‘Contemporary Henna,’ where regional henna designs are reinterpreted with a modern twist. Guests can also explore permanent and temporary exhibitions at the museum, which focus on the history of the UAE and the formation of the Union.

On 14 March, the Al Safa Art & Design Library will hold a poetry evening, featuring a diverse group of poets such as Ahmed Al Asem, Amal Al Sahlawi, Najat Al Dhaheri, Musab Biroutieh, and Dareen Shubair. The poets will recite from their latest collections, with oud player Yasser Rashad providing musical accompaniment. The library will also host an artistic performance on 15 March, including oud music, puppet theatre, and shadow plays. In addition, there will be interactive workshops covering ancient Filipino script, palm frond weaving, perfumery, and prayer rug-making for children. The library will showcase Emirati fashion design boutiques and food vendors as well.

The festival will also feature a programme at Hatta Heritage Village from 5 to 15 March, celebrating the culture of Hatta. Visitors can attend cultural and religious lectures organized in collaboration with the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department. Dubai Police will present K9 demonstrations, while Dubai Civil Defense will hold awareness sessions. The ‘Salem’ puppet show and ‘Bo Tabela’ performances will also take place, in partnership with the Department of Economy and Tourism in Dubai. A traditional market will feature handcrafted works by local artisans.

For the People of determination, Dubai Culture, in cooperation with the Dubai Club for People of Determination, will offer a special Ramadan programme tailored to the club’s students. This programme will include interactive sessions on handicrafts, perfumery, candle making, the art of dukhoon, and Arabic calligraphy. These sessions will be supervised by Dubai Culture’s team at various venues.

Additionally, Dubai Culture will hold the sixth edition of its humanitarian initiative, ‘Ramadan Heroes,’ in partnership with the Emirates Red Crescent and Talabat UAE. This initiative encourages people to donate Iftar meals, food parcels, Eid clothing, and Zakat Al Fitr through a virtual charity in Talabat UAE. The donations will be distributed to beneficiaries with the help of Emirates Red Crescent teams.

Through all these events and initiatives, the ‘Ramadan Nights Festival offers a unique opportunity to experience the rich culture and traditions of the UAE during Ramadan, while also encouraging community engagement and social responsibility.