RIYADH: More than 300 family businesses and artisans are showcasing their skills and selling their wares during Al-Baha Summer Festival.

They include craftspeople who are preserving local culture and heritage by preparing traditional food, practicing handicrafts, weaving and embroidery, or making clothes, decorations and items for the home. Others are farmers who grow and sell seasonal fruits from the region.

Ali Al-Sawat, the mayor of Al-Baha Region and chairperson of the festival’s executive committee, told the Saudi Press Agency that regional authorities have established more than 40 incubators as part of their efforts to empower small and family businesses by organizing activities at permanent and mobile marketplaces covering a wide range of products including food, textiles and handicrafts. The outlets are strategically placed in parks and other high-traffic public spaces, he added, and the fees for sellers are affordable to ensure they are accessible to everyone.

Municipal authorities, in particular the Public Health Department of the Services Agency, conduct regular monitoring to ensure sellers meet all health requirements, Al-Sawat said.

This year’s festival, the theme for which is “A Summer in Al-Baha: Embrace Serenity,” is attracting a large turnout of local residents of all ages, organizers told SPA. It began two weeks ago and continues throughout the summer.