BURAIDAH, Saudi Arabia – The Buraidah Dates Carnival shows strong business in its first two weeks. Sales hit 106.6 million Saudi riyals as buyers from across Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries visit the event.
Record Numbers in First Half of Festival
The carnival brought in impressive numbers during August:
- 20,783 cars arrived at the festival
- Workers packed 3.5 million boxes of dates
- Total weight reached 13,905 tons of dates
- Average daily sales: 7.1 million riyals
The festival runs from August 15 to October 9, 2025. This makes it one of the world’s biggest farm trade events.
Why These Numbers Matter
The current pace suggests this year will break records. Last year’s carnival made 3.2 billion riyals in total sales and brought 800,000 visitors to Buraidah.
The festival holds a Guinness World Record as the planet’s largest date festival. This status draws date traders and buyers from neighboring Gulf countries.
More Than Just Business
The carnival offers cultural shows and community events alongside date trading. This mix of business and culture makes Buraidah the global center for date trade during harvest season.
Workers process an average of 927 tons of dates every day. With 1,386 vehicles arriving daily, the festival shows the strong demand for Saudi dates in regional markets.
The event continues through October, giving traders and visitors more time to buy premium Saudi dates directly from Qassim Province farms.