Sharjah Food Festival Whets Appetites with its Return to Al Qasba

Al Qasba, Sharjah’s premier family and leisure destination, is welcoming the return of the Sharjah Food Festival, which takes place this year from March 31-April 9 under the slogan “Many Flavours, One Festival”. The home of the first ever Sharjah Food Festival, Al Qasba will host an array of culinary-related events and performances, which will form part of the 10th edition of the popular gourmet-themed event. 

Organised by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), the Sharjah Food Festival also takes place in other locations across the emirate, including Al Majaz Waterfront, Al Montazah and Heart of Sharjah, where a range of exciting activities will also be taking place. 

Sharjah Food Festival 2016 begins with a cooking competition between Shurooq staff, government and private sector employees. A similar contest between celebrities and social media influencers follows. The 10-day event continues with entertainment shows and professional chef contests, including chocolate, ice and fruit & vegetable carving, three-tier wedding cake creation, mocktail blending, a baked bread showpiece, five course gourmet dinner menu, barbecuing, coffee art and pizza creation.

 The festival will feature workshops on how to create nutritious meals, oral health, dining etiquette and safety. Capping off a packed agenda, there will be a competition between gourmet chefs. 

“The Sharjah Food Festival expanded from Al Qasba to other locations in the emirate, so we are delighted to welcome its returns to its original home - Sharjah’s premier family and leisure destination. I invite all food enthusiasts in Sharjah, the UAE and outside the country to come to Al Qasba to experience great cuisine, top entertainment and the chance to learn new cooking skills,” said Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, Chief Operating Officer of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority ( Shurooq) .

The Sharjah Food Festival will have plenty of activities for children, such as the Sesame Street Cooking Academy that will take place near to the Eye of the Emirates along the Al Qasba walkway. The zone will have a cupcake decoration workshop, vegetable and fruit workshop, an Elmo and Bert sandwich stand and a stall selling the Cookie Monster’s famous cookies.

Since its launch in 2007 up until last year, Sharjah Food Festival’s activities and events were previously held only in Al Qasba. However, because of its remarkable success in its first eight editions and the significant numbers of visitors and tourists attending, Shurooq’s management decided to spread the festival’s range of activities last year to take place in four of Sharjah’s tourism destinations. Along with other supporting bodies and institutions, Shurooq added new activities to the Sharjah Food Festival, with the inclusion of regional and international celebrity chefs demonstrating their culinary arts expertise now an established part of the programme. 

Shurooq is the driving force behind the transformation of Sharjah into an investment, tourist and business destination. The body works tirelessly to promote and evaluate tourism, investment and heritage-related infrastructure projects, as well as contribute to the development of the emirate. Shurooq provides facilities related to investment activity in collaboration with other bodies and organisations through the setting up of a comprehensive information centre that highlights opportunities in the emirate of Sharjah.