10 things to do at Sharjah Heritage Days: performances, historical experiences and food to try

Sharjah Heritage Days is now in the final week of its programme. The cultural festival welcomed more than 63,000 visitors in the two weeks since it began on March 20.

Bringing together the traditions and customs of 29 countries, the event, taking place at the creekside Heart of Sharjah, offers a globetrotting adventure for anyone looking to satisfy feelings of wanderlust.

If you have yet to make it to the event, you still have time before it wraps up on Saturday, April 10.

There’s plenty to do in terms of activities and performances. But to make things easier, here's a round-up of some of the most exciting things to do at Sharjah Heritage Days.

Try your hand at Al Damah

Where: Al Damah Pavilion

Al Damah is a chess-like board game and a regional favourite. Learn how to defeat your opponent by removing all their hatba (wooden pieces) from the board to get sheikh points. Easy to learn in a matter of minutes, the game is also quick – all you need is about 15 minutes to half an hour (if playing for the first time) to get the hang of it.

Eat delicious Omani halwa

Where: Al Omani Sweet Factory stall

You're not only savouring the gelatinous sweet but also getting a slice of Omani history at the halwa stall, as the recipe has not changed since 1961.

Try the traditional black and yellow varieties topped with figs, olives and nuts.

Among the must-try dishes is the Omani halwa, made in a large steaming pot with almonds, farina, caramelised sugar, rose water, saffron and cardamom. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Get spooked

Where: Horror House opposite the Main Stage

The Horror House takes guests on a family-friendly spooky tour through a traditional palm frond house "inhabited" by djinns, ghouls and other macabre characters famous in Emirati folktales such as Umm Al Duwais, Baba Daryah and Abu Salasel.

Enjoy live folk dances

Where: Main Stage, Community Theatre and various locations around the venue

Belarusian dancers Anastasiya and Natallia are part of the 76-year-old Kryzhachok Dance Ensemble. Chris Whiteoak / The National

The festival is a feast for the senses in more ways than one. Watch folk dances and performances from countries such as Belarus, Tajikistan, Syria, Spain, Kazakhstan, India, Montenegro and others. With their colourful costumes and energetic moves, they make for the perfect entertainment as well as a mini culture and history lesson.

Watch traditional Emirati crafts in action

Where: throughout the venue

The main idea of visiting the festival is to get an insight into the traditional Emirati way of life and culture.

A lady creates baskets and plates using palm leaves at the Heart of Sharjah for Sharjah Heritage Days. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Try your hand at making traditional Emirati pottery from Ras Al Khaimah at the Pottery in the UAE exhibition. At the Heritage Crafts Village, you can see biryani being cooked for hours, Emirati women making their own perfumes and kohl, and more.

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Pose with a falcon

Where: near Sharjah Sports Council pavilion

No UAE festival is complete without an appearance from the country's national bird. Take souvenir photos with the falcon on your arm and also learn about the 4,000-year history of falconry as practised by the Bedouins in the Arabian Peninsula.

Watch a weapon smith at work

Where: Kazakhstan Pavilion

Had enough of battle royale video games and virtual war games? Watch a real weapons master from Kazakhstan at work as he fashions swords, clubs, shields, axes, spears and more, which showcase the country's famous military history.

Go down memory lane

Where: Districts and Villages Authority Pavilion

Nothing brings nostalgia to the fore more than collectibles and household items that now look like museum pieces. At Emirati collector Saeed Ahmad Al Kashri's recreated Areesh "home", you can check out decades-old transistors and TV sets, record players, rotary dial phones, old notebooks, currency notes, vintage soda bottles, kitchen and lifestyle curiosities that will be familiar to UAE citizens and residents who recall the latter decades of the 20th century.

Treat your children to a games night

Where: Main Stage and Children’s Village Pavilion

People arrive at the Heart of Sharjah for Sharjah Heritage Days, which will take place until April 10. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Wondering where to take your children this weekend? Look no further than the children's competitions at the festival to entertain and challenge them with prizes. In addition, the Children's Village pavilion offers a number of games and activities for them to learn and play.

Spot the roaming Syrian juice seller

Where: various locations around the venue

Berry juice is offered by Khamis Altoubi at the Heart of Sharjah for Sharjah Heritage Days. Chris Whiteoak / The National

You can make a game out of this: find the man dressed in a traditional outfit, red hat and carrying a large copper briyak that pours out sham berry juice to visitors to quench their thirst, offering a touch of Arab hospitality to one and all.

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Tips to stay safe during hot weather

Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.

How Filipinos in the UAE invest

A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.

Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).

Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.