King Abdulaziz Camel Festival

The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival is a yearly event that combines cultural, economic, sports, and entertainment aspects. The beauty standards of camels are evaluated by judging committees, and camels from both within and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia can participate. Additionally, there are stages for camel racing at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack. Since 2000, the camel beauty contests in the Kingdom have been known as the King Abdulaziz Mazayen al-Ibl Award until the decision of the Council of Ministers in 2017 to improve the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival by implementing conditions and mechanisms that will enhance its goals.

The festival continues for thirty to forty-five days in the southern village of al-Sayahid, located between Rumah and al-Rumahiyah, 120 km northeast of Riyadh, covering an area of over 225 km2. It hosts various competitions, notably camel beauty contests, racing, falconry, and traditional battles.

King Abdulaziz Foundation (Darah) began organizing the first two editions of the King Abdulaziz Festival between 2016 and 2017. Starting from the third edition in 2018, the Saudi Camel Club sponsored the organization and launch of the new identity of the Festival.

Every year, thousands of spectators and approximately 38,000 camels travel to al-Dahna Desert to attend the festival. In the previous editions of the festival, the number of attendees has never been below one thousand. On average, each stadium has hosted around three thousand spectators, except for the stands reserved for camel owners.

During the festival, hundreds of camels are paraded in front of the judges, seeking to highlight their most beautiful features, such as their long necks, the shape of their noses, their height, color, body size, gait, and the size of their ears. The most impressive ones are those with the fullest and drooping lips.

The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival has seen an increase in award value in its sixth edition of 2021, reaching SAR250 million. The festival's organizer has allocated SAR300 million for the awards in its seventh edition in 2022, including the prestigious King Abdulaziz Camel Festival Awards. This makes it the highest award value in the world for this specific field.

At the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, there are six categories and ten crowned positions up for competition. Camels, locally known as "Mariyya," are now identified using digital tagging instead of traditional marking. This method involves the use of an electronic chip provided by the Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture to determine ownership. The electronic chip is the only recognized document at the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival. Furthermore, veterinarians examine the camels for any signs of tampering, cheating, or diseases.

The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival recently held its seventh edition, running from December 2022 to mid-January 2023. During the festival, several important decisions were made to improve the event. One of the most significant changes was the introduction of the royal categories, which included "Bayraq al-Muassis" with eighty camels, "Saif al-Malik" with fifty camels, and "Shalfa Wali al-Ahd" with twenty camels. Additionally, organizers introduced a new category called the "Badawah Category," which featured the Badawah Race with forty camels and was open to all camel colors, subject to specific conditions. These changes were made as part of ongoing efforts to develop the camel racing industry and increase competition to meet the festival's goals.

The seventh edition of the festival witnessed million-dollar deals from the participants, aiming to enhance their chances of winning. Additionally, the camel market auctions have exported over eight thousand camels, with a total value of nearly SAR100 million.

King Abdulaziz Camel Festival includes a diverse range of activities. On the cultural side related to camels and heritage, there are various activities such as poetry, traditional songs (Shailah), painting, photography, and other art forms. Additionally, there is a significant commercial aspect to the festival, with numerous markets across vast areas directly related to the camel environment and its necessities. Furthermore, there are markets that specialize in providing food and beauty products specifically for camels.

The official logo of King Abdulaziz Camel Festival reflects a close association with the founding king, Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al-Saud, as it represents the iconic image of one of his campaigns to unify the country on the back of camels. The names of the categories in the festival competitions are also attributed to the warfare instruments of King Abdulaziz such as "Bayraq al-Muassis", "Saif al-Malik" and "Shalfa Wali al-Ahd". The official logo is colored in modern colors according to international standards and includes the club's official name in Arabic and English.