Thousands turned up on Mirfa's Beach As Al Gharbia Watersports Festival returned with Spectacular Shows

It was a lively, upbeat, colourful and pretty loud weekend for the otherwise peaceful town on Mirfa in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi Emirate. Some drove over 600 kilometres, all the way from Dubai, Sharjah, even Ras Al Khaimah for Al Gharbia Watersports Festival, which began on Thursday, April 21st, in Mirfa, and, evaluating by their feedback - and their smiles - they weren't disappointed.

Organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee-- Abu Dhabi (CPHFC), in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Sailing and Yacht Club and the Abu Dhabi Sports Council, the celebration will go on for 10 days, up until April 30th.

Spreading across 20,000 square meters of sandy beach, Al Gharbia Watersports Festival will have this year the participation of countless sportsmen and women from 20 nations. They will compete in different types of rowing and sailing races, as well as in stand up paddle surfing, kite surfing and kayak boats races, in parachute sailing, swimming and beach sport competitions.

A minimum of 60,000 individuals are expected to visit the festival this year and numerous thousands currently filled Mirfa's sandy beach over the weekend.

The festival is excellent! We sampled so many regional meals and Arabic coffee from the beach souk and the evening shows were outstanding.

The festival started off with kite browsing and boarding competitors, an incredible watersport, where man, board, wind and waves come together, the outcome being a great show of balancings, speed and endurance.

This year, the kite surfing competitors consists of an area for Emiratis and among them, Rashed Salem, was no stranger to Al Gharbia Watersports Festival.

"I took part in the celebration for the past six years. I choose totally free style because of the imagination and the stunts. My favourite step is changing the kite from one hand to another, from the back, while jumping," said Rashed, who resides in Dubai.

While the kite browsing competitors was going on, dozens of Mirfa's girls were showing up with freshly house cooked food and all sort of handcrafts that they were offering in the specifically established beach souk. Some were preparing conventional Emirati sweets and Arabic coffee on the spot.

Others, like Mariam Al Hamadi, spend hours in the kitchen area to get prepared for the festival.

"Since last night we were cooking these pastries to be prepared for today. It was a great deal of work, however I enjoy it, and I believe it's fantastic to have opportunities like this one, which truly assists the people of Mirfa," said Mariam.

The Heritage Village was added for the first time in 2014 to Al Gharbia Watersports Festival, not only to enhance the celebration, however also to boost the income of the regional population.

"One of the primary aims of the festival is to assist the communities in al Gharbia. During the 10 days of the festival, Mirfa will get financial advantages. The hotel is currently fully reserved, the local stores are really hectic and people make extra income by selling their items in the festival's souk," explained Obaid Khalfan Al Mazrouei, Director of the celebration and Director of Heritage Competitions at the CPHFC.

The Heritage Village likewise consists of a small outdoors museum, mostly displaying "sea" things of ages gone by, tools utilised by seaside guys for fishing and pearl diving. There are workshops too, where Emirati ladies show and describe to visitors the best ways to ensure conventional items, such as palm leaves baskets.

Little ones too get to find out ways to make standard crafts and arts in the specifically established Kids Village, under the supervision of expert staff.

Beyond the town, beach football and volley ball "courts" have been set up and online games take place daily from 12 midday till 6 pm

As soon as the sun is down, the attention shifts from the watersports and heritage activities to the beach outdoors stage. After the winners of the day are awarded and praised here, it is time for the nighttime programs to start.

Children's theatre, puppet shows, folklore are all in the program every night of the celebration, until 10 pm.