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AlUla festivals return to Saudi Arabia this December

AlUla festivals return to Saudi Arabia this December

The heritage site will host four festivals, including Winter at Tantora, AlUla Skies, AlUla Arts and AlUla Wellness Festival

This year’s winter season of events at AlUla will offer curated experiences celebrating art, culture, music, nature, wellness, gastronomy and astronomy. The four distinct festivals will commence on 21 December 2021 and run through to 30 March 2022. 

Winter at Tantora
Winter at Tantora, the first music and arts festival in the kingdom, will return in a six-week format. A candlelit symphonic concert at the Unesco World Heritage Site of Hegra will set the tone as the opening event for the festival season.

AlUla Arts
From 13 February 2022 until the end of March, the AlUla Arts festival will bring together exhibitions and encounters created by a diverse array of artistic talents, in celebration of AlUla’s legacy as a cultural crossroads. Championing the ‘art of our time’, an exhibition representing cutting edge contemporary art by some of the leading artists in the kingdom will be hosted at Maraya. 

Al Jedidiah will be a vibrant hub of art activity and performances, with the outdoor Cinema El Housh presenting arthouse Saudi filmmakers and curated art experiences populating the Oasis, and other landscapes within AlUla. 

AlUla Skies
AlUla Skies will allow visitors to view the destination’s geological landscapes and ancient heritage sites from the air. Whether it’s floating over Hegra in a hot air balloon, zooming the length of the Oasis in a vintage plane or taking a helicopter over the rock formations of Madakheel. The festival will also host a high-tech take on AlUla’s popular star-gazing tour called Constellations and Symphony under the Stars aimed at music aficionados. Visitors can book tickets for both performances, which will take place from 27 February to 12 March.

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AlUla Wellness Festival
The AlUla Wellness Festival will run from 17 to 27 March. A Five Senses Sanctuary will offer a full range of mind, body and soul experiences from expert yoga, meditation and mindfulness practitioners. The Eco-Trail and AlUla Oasis Fitness Infusion will offer expert-led group classes. There will also be new adventure experiences, including mountain biking, the Via Ferrata suspension bridge, an extended zip line and some challenging new hikes and canyon experiences at Madakheel.

In terms of dining options, visitors can look forward to the return of Annabel’s and a pop-up of Maraya Social on the rooftop of Maraya.

The events will include free and ticketed experiences, with tickets and information available at www.experiencealula.com

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