JEDDAH: The sites where Jeddah Season is held have attracted thousands of visitors with more than 150 events and activities highlighting development opportunities in Saudi Arabia.
Sites include King Abdullah Sports City (KASC), Al-Hamra Corniche, the Jeddah Waterfront, Obhur and Historic Jeddah (Al-Balad), which is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
The festival, which began on June 8 and runs until July 18, sheds light on the city’s special characteristics. These make it an international tourist destination and strengthen its position as the Kingdom’s capital of tourism through the restructuring, operation and management of the events sector, one of the most important industries for the national economy.
The season’s events, most of which are being held for the first time in the Kingdom, are suitable for different age groups, including families and children, and comprise water activities, sea adventures, concerts, theater performances and international entertainment and cultural events.
Jeddah Season hosts international bands and teams that offer exciting shows. It boasts restaurant areas, creative exercises, recreational activities, tourist attractions and folk dances.
Historic Jeddah will host on June 27 the Kingdom’s first charity auction, organized by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with Christie’s at Nasseef House, which displays more than 40 works by contemporary Arab artists from Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries.
Hotels along Al-Hamra Corniche have seen the highest occupancy rates in Jeddah, and the corniche continues to attract visitors who wish to see what it has to offer, including the Glow Garden, where art, technology and innovation merge in an outdoor light festival with pieces that capture the underwater world of the Red Sea. There is also the Las Fallas event, which continues throughout the season and presents sculptures that explain the different cultures and backgrounds of several countries.
During Jeddah Season children will also have their share of fun through the entertainment facilities located in two areas. Some of the fun-filled activities include jumping games and wall climbing. There are also two nurseries established for lost children.
Jeddah Season presents a perfect blend of past and present
Jeddah Season presents a perfect blend of past and present
- Jeddah Season hosts international bands and teams that offer exciting shows
‘Cake not hate’ campaign becomes ‘Dates not hate’ in Madinah
- Dan said he was very impressed by Saudi hospitality and that his family was warmly welcomed
- He said being in Madinah exposed him to the true diversity of Islam
LONDON: A British autistic and non-verbal boy who has been visiting UK mosques and distributing cakes to promote solidarity amid an increase in far-right support in the country has taken his message of love to Madinah.
Joshua Harris, or “The Joshie-Man” as the 12-year-old is known to his social media fans, has handed out hundreds of his baked goods to worshipers at mosques in major British cities over the last few months.
The “Cake not hate” campaign came about after an Islamophobic attack on a mosque in his home city of Peterborough in October 2025.
Harris and his father visited Masjid Darassalaam, the mosque that was targeted, with cakes that the boy had baked and distributed them to the congregation soon after the attack. Since then, Harris has visited dozens of mosques in the UK.
On a recent trip to the Middle East, he and his father visited Madinah. In a local twist that pays tribute to the holy city’s famous date varieties including ajwa and ambar, Harris handed out dates to people in the courtyard of the Prophet’s Mosque. The “Cake not hate” campaign became “Dates not hate” for Saudi Arabia.
“He was greeted really, really warmly. There were some really touching moments where people were kissing his hands and his head. It was really lovely,” his father, Dan Harris, said.
Dan, the founder of global charity Neurodiversity in Business, said being in Madinah exposed him to the true diversity of Islam.
“We met people from all around the world. It was amazing. It’s like the United Nations there, you get people from different countries and it just goes to show you that the Muslim community, or the Ummah more generally, is not a homogeneous group,” he said.
“We saw people from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and it was really interesting for us.”
Dan said his visit to Madinah, considered the second holiest city in Islam after Makkah for Muslims, was “profound and life-changing.”
He added: “I would say it’s my favourite city in the world due to the peace and tranquillity I felt there.”
Dan added that he was very impressed by Saudi hospitality: “Everywhere we went, people were taking down my number and insisting that we come for dinner, insisting they pick us up from the location. They were extremely attentive to Joshie as well, making sure his needs were met. We felt a great sense of welcome, something Saudi Arabia is known for.”
