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16th Klija Festival Highlights Local Beekeeping and Honey Production in Saudi Arabia
Buraydah's annual event showcases diverse honey varieties and supports local artisans and businesses.
Buraydah, Saudi Arabia - The 16th Klija Festival took place from January 31 to February 9, 2023, at the King Khalid Cultural Center in Buraydah.
The event attracted a large number of visitors and featured ten dedicated sections showcasing beekeeping, honey, and olive oil products, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The festival presented a wide variety of honey types, enabling attendees to sample and purchase products from local beekeepers.
Among them was Walid Al-Faifi, who has over 30 years of experience in the field.
He highlighted the rich tradition of beekeeping that he inherited from his father, offering a selection of honey varieties such as sidr, samar, majra, and talh.
Another participant, Abdulsalam Al-Muqbel, brought his experience of eight years to the festival, where he shared insights into the production of various honey types.
His offerings included wild sidr, fennel, arugula, citrus, shaflah (caper), talh, samar, and alfalfa honey, alongside bee products like pollen, local propolis, and royal jelly.
Beekeeper Mohammed Al-Muhaimid participated in the festival to educate visitors about the health benefits of honey.
He noted its versatility as a natural ingredient, used in numerous dishes—including klija—and as a healthier sugar substitute in beverages such as tea.
Al-Muhaimid emphasized that honey production requires substantial time, effort, and careful management of environmental conditions to ensure quality.
The Klija Festival received strong support from the region's emir and has become a significant platform for promoting financial sustainability.
It provides a venue for productive families and owners of small and startup businesses to showcase their offerings and directly engage with consumers, thereby contributing to the local economy.
The event attracted a large number of visitors and featured ten dedicated sections showcasing beekeeping, honey, and olive oil products, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The festival presented a wide variety of honey types, enabling attendees to sample and purchase products from local beekeepers.
Among them was Walid Al-Faifi, who has over 30 years of experience in the field.
He highlighted the rich tradition of beekeeping that he inherited from his father, offering a selection of honey varieties such as sidr, samar, majra, and talh.
Another participant, Abdulsalam Al-Muqbel, brought his experience of eight years to the festival, where he shared insights into the production of various honey types.
His offerings included wild sidr, fennel, arugula, citrus, shaflah (caper), talh, samar, and alfalfa honey, alongside bee products like pollen, local propolis, and royal jelly.
Beekeeper Mohammed Al-Muhaimid participated in the festival to educate visitors about the health benefits of honey.
He noted its versatility as a natural ingredient, used in numerous dishes—including klija—and as a healthier sugar substitute in beverages such as tea.
Al-Muhaimid emphasized that honey production requires substantial time, effort, and careful management of environmental conditions to ensure quality.
The Klija Festival received strong support from the region's emir and has become a significant platform for promoting financial sustainability.
It provides a venue for productive families and owners of small and startup businesses to showcase their offerings and directly engage with consumers, thereby contributing to the local economy.
