The ongoing Jazan winter festival has proved to be a roaring success with over 500,000 visitors not only from the region but also elsewhere enjoying the festive atmosphere, reflecting the deep-rooted customs and culture of the region.
One of the objectives of the festival is to create awareness in the community about the importance of tourism activities and the job opportunities for the region’s residents by encouraging and promoting sale of their home products.
A number of fun-filled activities are lined up, including traditional operetta, light and sound shows, fireworks, popular art troupe, jet-skiing, beach volleyball, car shows, animals shows, literary and cultural programs, sailing races, paragliding, cruising, horse racing and marathon runs.
“We visited several countries to choose the theme for the festival, and we finally zeroed in on to the Spain carnival which is similar to Jazan’s rich cultural style, which is the main attraction this year,” Rustom Magboul Al-Kubaisiof the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiques (SCTA) told Arab News on Monday.
The carnival is being held on the shores and waterfront of the Red Sea and it has attracted over 20,000 people, he said, adding that playing beach volleyball on the beachfront is one of the unique experiences that most visitors seem to enjoy.
“We have also set up an exclusive zoo that has tigers and lions among other animals,” he said.
Stating that it was heartening to see the younger generation of Saudi citizens evincing keen interest in traditional practices, Rustom said that enterprising families have been preparing traditional food items with fish and meat, hulba and sweets, which is a hit with the visitors.
The festival also features a number of craftsmen displaying their skills and experience in making daggers and clay pots, he said.
“The Jazan festival is a kind of live show reflecting its customs and traditions, and displaying them to the present generation through craftsmen and customs, including marriage rituals.
The festival has an exclusive pavilion where old marriage customs are showcased, and this has attracted many visitors from within the area and elsewhere, especially young people,” Rustom said.
He was particularly happy that some families in Jazan continue to stick to these customs and traditions, despite the modern lifestyle with its quick tempo invading all walks of life following rapid urbanization.
“We also held special programs on Islam, public health, such as awareness about diabetes and other issues, at the festival,” he said.
Jazan province’s folk art is unique compared to the rest of the provinces in the Kingdom. The most popular dances include Al-Saif (a sword dance with fast movements to the rhythm of drums) and Al-Azawi (which is a unique dance for youngsters), besides popular types of singing like Al-Kasir, a colorful sea lyric, which is performed in a group.
Jazan is called as the nature’s treasure, the Pearl of the South and a place of generosity, kindness and finest hospitality.
It has high mountain peaks with perennial green cover, and tucked within them are spectacular waterfalls that create beautiful lakes which are no less splendorous than the pristine beaches in the islands nearby.