On August 29, the republican shubat festival SHUBAT FEST-2026 took place at the Amphitheater venue in Aktau, gathering over 15,000 guests and city residents. Participants from Mangystau, Atyrau, Kyzylorda, and Turkestan regions attended the event, as well as Deputy Akim of Mangystau Region Tilek Zhetkizgenuly, reports infohub.kz.
As noted by the regional akimat, the main goal of the festival is to popularize shubat as a national product, preserve its preparation traditions, develop camel breeding, and promote domestic products in a modern format.
The central event was the contest for the best shubat. A total of 83 applications were submitted, of which 41 participants passed the preliminary selection. After laboratory tests of the products, 20 participants were admitted to the final stage, among whom the winners in the "Best Shubat" nomination were determined.
Entrepreneurs and peasant farms from four regions presented their products. Festival guests tasted various types of shubat, as well as kurt, balkaymak, desserts, coffee, ice cream, and cocktails based on camel milk. The best products were chosen through popular vote.
Special attention was paid to the quality of the drink, its composition, and preparation traditions. As part of the festival, interviews were held with experienced masters and young specialists who are learning the secrets of making shubat. Experts spoke about the nutritional value and characteristics of camel milk.
Before the award ceremony, Deputy Akim of Mangystau Region Tilek Zhetkizgenuly delivered a welcoming speech. He noted the contribution of peasant farms that preserve ancestral traditions and develop the production of national products, and thanked residents and guests of the region for supporting the domestic product, as well as the organizers and sponsors of the festival.
According to the contest results, in additional nominations, participants who presented the best camel milk kurt, balkaymak, dessert, coffee, ice cream, and cocktail won.
In the main nomination "Best Shubat", third place went to the peasant farm "Nur-Abyl" from Beyneu district of Mangystau region, second place to the peasant farm "Orynbasar" from Zhylyoi district of Atyrau region. First place was won by the peasant farm "Tolkyn" from Aktau. The Grand Prix of the festival was awarded to the peasant farm "Birlik" from Zhanaozen, Mangystau region. The winner received a GWM Poer car from the official sponsor, Astana Motors.
The festive program for guests was presented by artists of the Mangystau Regional Philharmonic, Rakhymzhan Zhakaiym, Zhubanysh Zheksenuly, and the quartet "Zhigits".
The republican festival SHUBAT FEST-2026 became a large-scale platform for popularizing shubat, supporting domestic producers, and developing camel breeding. The participation of representatives from four regions and the interest of more than 15,000 visitors confirmed the high public interest in the national product and its production traditions.