Jeddah Spring Festival to showcase Saudi customs

In this file photo, visitors are seen at Jeddah's old district of Balad during the city's Heritage Festival early this year. (SPA file photo)
Updated 29 December 2016
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Jeddah Spring Festival to showcase Saudi customs

JEDDAH: The Jeddah Spring Festival, starting in January, will showcase Saudi Arabia’s customs and traditions through programs for families and visitors to the Kingdom.
The spring festival is being organized by the Association of Neighborhood Centers in Jeddah, on King’s Road in front of the Red Sea Mall for a month, and will provide jobs to youths and occupy young people and the community with recreational programs, competitions and exhibitions.
Hassan Al-Zahrani, secretary-general of the council of the Association of Neighborhood Centers in Jeddah, said Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal approved the organization of the spring festival.
He thanked Prince Khaled and Prince Mishaal bin Majed, governor of Jeddah and chairman of the association in Jeddah, for their constant support for tourism, cultural and traditional programs in the city of Jeddah.
Al-Zahrani said Jeddah Spring Festival is one of the most important festivals of Jeddah that targets patrons and visitors during spring break, giving an atmosphere of fun and entertainment through programs and cultural activities. He also said that the association formed committees to prepare for the festival. He called on all sectors to participate in this festival, which is seeking to contribute to the development of the country’s economy.
He explained that the association is working to form a positive relationship between the people and their surroundings, strengthen ties between neighbors, provide them with better services and develop a sense of loyalty to the country’s efforts.
The association aims to spread proper awareness among the members of society and the communities, contribute to solving social problems, take advantage of people with different abilities to increase their effectiveness and capabilities in the community, as well as raise the spirit of citizenship and social solidarity, love and brotherhood among different segments of society. 


‘Masterpieces of Saudi Orchestra’ shine at Maraya in AlUla

The “Masterpieces of Saudi Orchestra” concert opened at Maraya Concert Hall in AlUla on Thursday. (Supplied)
Updated 23 January 2026
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‘Masterpieces of Saudi Orchestra’ shine at Maraya in AlUla

  • The concert on its opening night presented a seamless artistic journey, where orchestral works met Saudi musical identity
  • It underlined the Music Commission’s aim to present Saudi artistry at a high professional level

RIYADH: The “Masterpieces of Saudi Orchestra” concert opened at Maraya Concert Hall in AlUla on Thursday under the patronage of the Kingdom’s Minister of Culture and Chairman of the board of the Music Commission Prince Bader bin Abdullah.

Organized by the Music Commission, the concert on its opening night presented a seamless artistic journey, where orchestral works met Saudi musical identity.

The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir, conducted by Maestro Hani Farhat, led audiences through carefully curated pieces reflecting heritage and modern creativity.

The repertoire combined traditional influences with orchestral scoring, offering listeners heritage-based compositions alongside recent arrangements.

Regional rhythms and layered musical textures were used to echo the Kingdom’s history, while pieces rooted in Saudi classical music tradition connected audiences with familiar cultural references in a fresh format.

The concert underlined the Music Commission’s aim to present Saudi artistry at a high professional level.

The series seeks to honor national heritage while encouraging contemporary artistic engagement, and its growing local and international presence was highlighted throughout the evening.

The program also featured a visual dimension led by the Theater and Performing Arts Commission, which staged live performances of Saudi folk arts. 

Audiences saw presentations of Samri, Dahha, Rafeihi, Yanbawi, Zair and Khabeeti, synchronized with the orchestra to create one integrated artistic experience.

These folk elements were arranged to complement the orchestral sound, reinforcing the richness and variety of Saudi cultural identity. The combination of music and movement aimed to show how traditional forms can engage with large-scale concert settings while retaining their historical character and community roots.

This performance is an extension of the series of successes achieved by the Saudi Orchestra’s masterpieces both locally and internationally, and reaffirms the Music Commission’s commitment to showcasing Saudi music in its finest form.