SHARJAH, 28th September, 2026 (WAM) — The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Kalba City Municipality have concluded the inaugural Kalba Jashe and Sahnah Festival, which attracted more than 45,000 visitors and generated AED1 million in sales over four days.
Held at Al Samar Neighbourhood Park in Kalba’s Al Ghail Suburb, the festival significantly exceeded its initial target of around 10,000 visitors from across the UAE.
The 4,800-square-metre event brought together more than 85 productive families specialising in traditional seafood products, alongside 10 government entities and six national companies and factories specialising in fishing supplies and fish processing.
The closing ceremony announced the winners of three main competitions covering the best Jashe and Sahnah products for adults, the best innovative Jashe or Sahnah dish for families, and the best Jashe or Sahnah products for children aged seven to 15. The competitions aimed to preserve coastal communities’ knowledge and traditional preparation methods and pass them on to younger generations.
Mohammad Ahmed Amin Al Awadi, Director-General of SCCI, said the success of the festival represents a significant milestone in the Chamber’s efforts to stimulate commercial and tourism activity across Sharjah, particularly in the eastern region.
He thanked the UAE leadership for its continued support for the fishing sector and traditional crafts, saying SCCI aims to further develop the festival as a platform for empowering productive families and entrepreneurs, supporting national food security through local marine resources and strengthening Kalba’s position in heritage food industries.
Ahmed Saeed Al Mazrouei, Director of Kalba City Municipality, highlighted the partnership with SCCI, saying the strong turnout reflected the Kalba community’s pride in its maritime heritage and demonstrated the city’s readiness to host distinctive tourism and cultural events.
He said the municipality aims to establish the festival as an annual event that strengthens Kalba’s position as a tourism destination while giving productive families greater opportunities to market their products and expand their customer base.
Traditional craftspeople showcased handmade models of historic wooden vessels, including the Boom, Sanbook, Shu’i and Jalboot, alongside traditional fishing and pearl-diving equipment.
The festival also featured daily educational workshops, discussions on responsible fishing, modern fish-drying methods and marine environmental protection in cooperation with the Sharjah Fish Resources Authority (SFRA), as well as live folkloric performances.
Source: Emirates News Agency
