Sharjah Festival Brings Dhow Race, Coral Workshops To Al Heera Beach

A 25-nautical-mile dhow race, marine-themed children's workshops, live performances and an exhibition about Sharjah's remote Sir Bu Nair Island are among the events at the festival now underway at Al Heera Beach.

The Sir Bu Nair Festival runs until October 18 and visitors can attend free of charge, with activities scheduled from 4.30pm to 10pm on weekdays and until 11pm on weekends.

One of the main events is the 60-foot Sir Bu Nair Dhow Sailing Race on October 10. Organisers expect 71 dhows and more than 1,000 captains and sailors to take part. The race will start in Al Hamriyah and finish at Al Heera after covering 25 nautical miles, with a prize pool of about Dh3 million.

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The race celebrates traditional sailing and the UAE's maritime heritage. It is being held alongside the Sir Bu Nair Challenge - a team obstacle-course competition for employees of Sharjah government entities - scheduled from October 8 to 10.

Teams of six will tackle running, climbing and floating obstacles in open water. Participants must be able to swim and wear life jackets during the water section. The challenge is for registered government teams, not general festival visitors, and offers Dh70,000 in prizes.

At the beach, visitors can explore the 'Discover Sir Bu Nair Island Reserve' exhibition, which uses photographs, samples and displays to explain the island's history, wildlife, coral reefs and restoration work. This year's festival puts particular focus on coral reefs and their role in supporting marine life.

The programme also includes workshops inspired by the sea and marine life. Children aged five to 12 can take part in activities such as making coral-shaped candles, painting marine designs on bags, creating nautical keychains and joining seaside art sessions. Workshops are scheduled daily from 7.15pm to 8.15pm.

Residents can also find stage shows, competitions and interactive activities, as well as handicraft and local-vendor stalls, food and beverage outlets, and water-based activities at the beach. Organisers say cultural performances and marine talks are also part of the wider festival programme.

Sir Bu Nair Island lies about 110 kilometres west of Sharjah and was declared a protected area in 2000. Its official profile says the island supports around 40 coral species and 70 fish species. More than 300 turtle nests are recorded there each year. The festival brings the island's environmental and cultural story to visitors at Al Heera Beach through the exhibition and activities.

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