Kalba Celebrates Maritime Heritage with Inaugural Jashe and Sahnah Festival
A landmark celebration of the UAE's east coast culinary traditions opens this week, bringing together artisanal producers, government partners and the fishing community to preserve time-honoured methods and support sustainable local enterprise.
The Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in partnership with Kalba City Municipality, is launching a distinctive cultural and commercial initiative that honours the region’s seafaring traditions. The Jashe and Sahnah Festival will welcome visitors from Thursday through to 27th September in the Al Samar neighbourhood, occupying a dedicated exhibition space of 4,800 square metres.
The event celebrates two cornerstone products of Kalba’s heritage: Jashe, a preparation of small Al Ouma fish that are meticulously cleaned and sun-dried, and Sahnah, a flavoured powder created by grinding the preserved fish with spices and dried lemon. More than 85 productive families will showcase their expertise in these traditional preparations, whilst ten government entities and six national companies specialising in fishing equipment and fish processing will demonstrate contemporary practices in the sector.
The festival establishes a marketplace for direct consumer engagement, enabling local fishermen and entrepreneurs to expand their commercial reach whilst maintaining rigorous standards of hygiene, quality and packaging. Three competitive categories—recognising the finest Jashe and Sahnah products, the most innovative family dishes, and the highest-quality children’s preparations—carry substantial cash prizes and celebrate excellence throughout the supply chain.
Beyond commerce, the festival serves a vital cultural mission. The organisers are committed to documenting traditional production methodologies and ensuring their transmission to succeeding generations, safeguarding knowledge that represents centuries of coastal practice. Complementary programming features daily educational workshops addressing marine sustainability, responsible fishing protocols and the protection of fish stocks and marine ecosystems.
The initiative reinforces Kalba’s standing as a distinctive cultural and tourism destination whilst strengthening local food security. By convening government agencies, the private sector and community stakeholders under a unified framework, the festival demonstrates how heritage preservation and economic development can advance in concert. Visitors will encounter displays of modern fishing vessels and innovative technologies, together with family-oriented entertainment and educational spaces.
Source: WAM News Agency