TAIF: There are 450 actors and 35 horsemen wandering throughout Souq Okaz wearing traditional garb, telling the story of trade in the area in the olden days.
Visitors can experience thousands of years of history in one location at the festival in Taif, under the supervision of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH).
At Souq Okaz, you can experience Arab history from before Islam until today. As visitors enter the market, they will find hundreds of historical personalities in their traditional garments welcoming visitors with traditional Arab customs. Some will be wearing the burda, while others wear turbans. One-third will be in guard uniforms and others in the garments of horsemen.
There are mixed costumes with the Saudi aqal, the Moroccan jalabiya, the Omani anf, Emirati thobes and Egyptian and Jordanian garb, as well as many other colorful traditional costumes from different participating countries.
Photos can be taken of Arab horsemen fighting in the field and those moving about the market.
Souq Okaz wasn’t only limited to poetry and challenging heroes; it was a place of commercial exchange visited by Arabs.
A number of craftsmen and women are participating in the market, presenting their handicrafts which used to be a source of livelihood in previous times.
Some craftsmen carve stones; a woman sews textiles; one paints on wood; a woman weaves carpets; another bakes.
A number of craftsmen from Islamic countries participate in the market which witnesses fierce bargaining.
Visitors will experience the present-day Kingdom reflected in various shows, and can attend performances of popular bands from all over Saudi Arabia.