The statistics of the Al-Ahsa Manufactured Dates Marketing Festival, “Oh, the Sweetest Dates 2023,” in its eighth edition, which closed the curtain on its activities on Saturday, March 11 (53 days after its organization), recorded a high sales indicator, with an increase of 44% over the sales of the previous edition, while the number of visitors to the festival exceeded one million and 800. One thousand visitors from inside and outside the Kingdom and a number of foreign delegations, according to what was explained by the Secretary of Al-Ahsa, Engineer Issam bin Abdul Latif Al-Mulla, who indicated that this confirms the achievement of the progressive goals of the festival in terms of quality and marketing innovation of Al-Ahsa dates and the spread of its geography at the level of the Kingdom and the sisterly Gulf countries. Al-Mulla stressed that the sponsorship and support of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Nayef bin Abdulaziz - Governor of the Eastern Province - and the follow-up and directives of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Talal bin Bader - Governor of Al-Ahsa - are considered an icon of success for the festival towards achieving the goals of its organization by transforming dates from an agricultural product. To an economic, investment and tourism product, in addition to the diversity of programs and events accompanying it, which supports the economic and marketing fields and enriches the tourism sector in Al-Ahsa, in exchange for the global and regional files it carries, after its registration among the creative cities that are members of UNESCO in the field of handicrafts and folk arts in 2015, and registration Al-Ahsa Oasis as a World Heritage Site 2018. Al-Mulla expressed his thanks and appreciation to everyone who contributed to the success of the festival from the governmental and private sectors. In addition, on its closing day, the festival celebrated Saudi Flag Day with a festive march at its site in the Al-Ahsa Municipality’s heritage castle, with colors from the Saudi Ardha folklore presented. The interactive screens inside the festival also turned into an artistic painting decorated with the Saudi flag, while visitors were keen to carry Saudi flags and interact with the national songs. Which was presented on stage, as well as interaction with the “Saudi Flag Day” corner, which was held at the Abeer Al-Ahsa Fine Arts Exhibition with the participation of a group of fine artists. It is worth mentioning that the festival, in its eighth edition, witnessed the participation of more than 40 handicrafts for which Al-Ahsa is known, in addition to holding multiple activities that simulate the areas of interest in palm trees and dates in purposeful, exciting, awareness-raising and educational methods, and interacting with national occasions and international events, in addition to presenting the folklore of popular arts, and allocating points. For food trucks at the festival site, and providing parking lots that accommodate more than 8,000 vehicles in a number of locations surrounding the festival headquarters.