The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival is currently underway and will be wrapping up in just a couple of days on January 15th. Held in Al Dahna desert , the festival receives thousands of participants and has Saudi buzzing.
Unlike the often snarky western media coverage of this event, we thought we would share some history about this rich and truly impressive event during which camels can fetch upwards of ONE MILLION SAUDI RIYAL (over $250,000) in auction for being prize specimen, and over 100 million SR in total prizes.
The month long festival operates as a fun cultural, sporting, and social event featuring races, sales, and other festivities. Since camel breeding is a massive industry in the Kingdom, the Camel Festival seeks to preserve the camel’s role as a symbol in our traditions and Bedouin heritage.
This year’s festival also featured a classic car show, an event that turned heads with some show-stopping vehicles.
With participants gathering from corners of the world and all across the Arab region, the Camel Festival has cemented itself a celebration of true Saudi and Arab culture—one that has withstood the test of time.