The eighth edition of the Crown Prince Camel Festival 2026 kicks off Thursday at Taif's historic camel racing track, with prize money exceeding SAR 50 million and wide participation from camel owners across the Kingdom and abroad. Organized by the Saudi Camel Racing Federation, the opening day features 38 races split into two sessions: 21 morning heats dedicated to the 'Saudi Production' category and 17 general evening heats.
The opening races are reserved for the 'Haqa'iq' category, which will compete in 92 heats over three days, each covering 2 kilometers, totaling 184 kilometers. The festival's first edition in 2018 entered the Guinness World Records as the largest gathering of racing camels in history, and the event aims to develop camel racing as a sustainable economic and cultural industry aligned with Vision 2030.
This year's edition introduces several first-time updates, including the addition of 'Mazayen' (beauty pageant) competitions, the expansion of the Taif track with a new 11-kilometer training course, and a complete rehabilitation of the racing surfaces to increase capacity and enhance safety standards for camels and participants. A new ticketing system has also been introduced, along with accompanying activities to boost tourism and economic movement in the Taif region.