ALULA: As part of the Winter at Tantora festival, which runs until Jan. 10, families in AlUla can enjoy moonlit fun at the Al-Manshiyah Plaza Winter Carnival.
The open-air celebration welcomes visitors of all ages with games, mini parades, live concerts and hands-on workshops, including hat-making and wool crafts. Guests can also browse and purchase handmade goods from local vendors.
Open on weekends from 6 p.m. until midnight for the duration of the festival, the carnival blends AlUla’s rich heritage with contemporary entertainment.
Arab News spoke to Yorgo Saade, a Lebanese national who has lived in AlUla for the past five years and is manager of Lapain Coffee & Bakery.
On the night of the visit, Saade was serving hot drinks and cakes, sharing his trademark energy as a chilly breeze swept through the plaza.
He told Arab News: “Because it’s winter season now, we have winter drinks — hot chocolate, and we have French hazelnut. In Saudi Arabia, people (also) love the hot coffee of the day.
“This is a great carnival. All the families come here for amusement because there is a clown, entertainment, music, and everything. There’s a lot of seating areas.”
Saade is impressed by the historic and geographic significance of the event.
He added: “This park is next to an old, ancient train station, which is no longer in operation. It’s a heritage area — as you can see with all the old houses.”
The nearby train station, built in the early 20th century, now stands abandoned. It once formed part of the Hejaz Railway, which briefly connected AlUla to a vast regional network of pilgrimage, trade and empire.
Although its use was short-lived, the railway marked AlUla’s first encounter with large-scale modern transportation and industrial architecture.
Decades later, Al-Manshiyah Plaza emerged as the area’s social and administrative center, as residents moved from the Old Town into organized neighborhoods.
While the railway symbolized movement through AlUla, the plaza came to represent the life within it — schools, services, markets and everyday gatherings that shaped a settled community.
Today, Al-Manshiyah Plaza’s atmosphere helps to keep families engaged with activities, and snacks are available throughout the evening.
No ticket is required to enter, and free parking is available. The site is wheelchair accessible, although visitors are advised that the festivities offered include loud noises and flashing lights.
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
For Saade, the carnival has breathed new life into the historic space, and he added: “There’s a lot of food corners here. As you can see, there’s a lot of children and this is an ancient area. It’s new and old — with food.”
