Long queues, cool weather, great food: Ras Al Khaimah's new night market is a hit
RAK’s newest weekend destination officially opened on Friday evening with a celebratory launch of the RAK Night Market, which is set to offer families an eclectic mix of food, crafts and entertainment over weekends.
Visitors were greeted with a range of handmade crafts, as well as traditional sweets and popular street food stalls, with families dining on hot meals together and queuing for sweet treats, while children looked forward to activities and fun food options, and adults discovered a range of unique products from local businesses, many making their debut at the market.
Hosted on the plaza of the Ras Al Khaimah Exhibition Center, the outdoor market was soon buzzing with families, entrepreneurs, shoppers and curious passersby, all attracted by the festive atmosphere and long rows of over 80 stalls, offering a variety of food, products and entertainment.
The RAK Night Market first opened on Friday, 14 November, and will be open on Friday to Sunday from 4:30 pm to 10:30 pm every weekend, with over 10,000 people reported to have attended during its first weekend, including residents and visitors from outside the emirate.
Katrina Alvarez, a Ras Al Khaimah resident from the Philippines, attended the RAK Night Market with her family, which she said provided a nice weekend option, especially with cooler weather now. “The ambience is great this evening,” she told WambyNews. “The food choices are really good, and the prices are really affordable, especially for families. You can have a nice meal here without breaking the bank.” Katrina was also pleased to find some options from her home country, with Filipino flavours represented at the market.
Young Emirati cousins took the market by storm as they presented their home-grown brands side by side and wowed visitors with their creativity and go-getter attitude.
Mariam Jassem, owner of Kunst, first got into making handmade resin pieces and candles during her school years and says that the business grew from a “need to be independent” and a wish to make her parents proud.
After early hiccups that saw her go through a two-year creative drought, the 18-year-old bounced back this year and now balances both school and her creative business. Juggling her time, she said she only produces “one or two pieces a day depending on her class schedule and inspiration.” The RAK Night Market was extra special for her, she added, with visitors and especially young girls coming up to her stall to show their support and encouragement after learning how she balanced her studies with her business. “If you love business, even at a young age, go for it,” she said.
Sharing the stall with her cousin Mariam Rashid Al Shemeili, owner of Pastel Vibe, was her first-ever public participation in an exhibition since the three-year-old business’ start. “Balancing school with university, it never worked out for me to attend any exhibition, but now that I’m done with school and settled in the university, I am ready to take this first step in my journey,” she said.
The cousins balanced each other out in the perfect way, with Al Shemeili focusing on cookies, brownies, and other pastries. Her brother took care of the tiramisu, which was on exclusive offer at the market. Hot chocolate, cookies, and other bites quickly got the families and visitors at the market at the new stall, with the sweet smells and colourful display drawing crowds wanting to try the new products.
“Our family and visitors have given us immense support that made this possible and gave us the platform to show off our business. It feels amazing to see people happy with what we make,” Al Shemeili added.
Jamal Rashid Hamdoun, owner of Raghuh Honey, drew visitors to his range of Emirati honey with its wide range of side, samar, and mangrove honey, with the mangrove particularly standing out among international visitors for its intense sweet, salty taste and low natural sugar content.
Hamdoun has also experimented with honey blended with Gum Arabic, beetroot, and matcha, which also found a warm reception from visitors to his stall. Hamdoun’s packaging in gift-style boxes, and two interactive hive displays at his stall show visitors the entire honey production process and are both educational and a big hit with both adults and children. “It’s perfect for people who want to see up close how honey is produced,” Hamdoun said.
“We show all the stages, from the hive to the consumer. People see how much care and attention goes into each and every jar we make.” The process, he said, is seasonal and can take months from the time the bees are first cared for and until the jars are ready to sell.
“Depending on the season, it can take us between three to four months to complete. The bees need continuous care and attention, and the environment and timing is all key to the success,” he added.
Mohamed Ali Musabbeh Al Nuaimi, Chairman, RAK Chamber of Commerce & Industry, said one of the main goals of the market was to build and support the community. He said the event was set up to take place every weekend so small and medium enterprises, students, home-based producers, and even future entrepreneurs who may not have their commercial licenses or brick and mortar stores yet can test their business ideas, get feedback and build their customer base, he told Khaleej Times. “It’s an opportunity for them to take the first step,” he added.
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