World’s biggest camel fest to attract about 2 million visitors

A group of camels parading at the festival in Rumah. (AN photo)

RIYADH: Sunny weather on Tuesday attracted more visitors to the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival in Rumah, 120 kilometers northeast of Riyadh.
The total number of visitors to the 28-day camel festival is expected to exceed 2 million, according to the festival organizers.
“The festival has emerged as a grand event with about 1,390 owners of camels participating from different Gulf countries,” said Dr. Talal bin Khalid Al-Torify, spokesman of the festival.
He said this year’s festival seeks “to connect the new generations to the old heritage, while it also serves as an inspiration and reflection of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.”
The slogan for the festival is “Camels are Civilization.”
A total of 270 prizes will be given for camels judged in five different categories, including breed and color, said Al-Torify, adding that the closing ceremony will be held on April 15.
A jury of Bedouins, who are considered experts in camel-rearing, will judge the camels.
Mohammed Al-Shaple, a member of the festival’s media panel, said that programs include how to ride camels.
“The camels are beautifully bedecked and form a colorful spectacle that is a must for everyone to watch,” said Al-Shaple.
He said that arrangements have been made to ensure a comfortable stay for tourists. There are plenty of opportunities for eating, souvenir-shopping and photography at the festival site.
The festival has been organized under the aegis of the Riyadh-based King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (KAFRA). The KAFRA was founded in 1972 by a royal decree with a mandate to promote the history and heritage of the Kingdom, the Arabian Peninsula and the Arab and Islamic world.