Saudi falconry festival set to open on Jan. 25

Thousands of enthusiasts from throughout the Middle East and around the world are expected to flock to the event. (File/Reuters)
  • King Abdul Aziz Falconry Festival will take place in Riyadh from Jan. 25 to Feb. 3

JEDDAH: Final preparations are being made for the opening of one of Saudi Arabia’s biggest falconry events.

Organized by the Saudi Falcons Club, the King Abdul Aziz Falconry Festival will take place in Riyadh from Jan. 25 to Feb. 3.

Thousands of enthusiasts from throughout the Middle East and around the world are expected to flock to the event, which will include competitions, exhibitions, theater entertainment and residential camps.

Falcon races will be held in the main festival arena throughout the gathering and a heritage museum will use interactive displays to explain the history of falconry in Saudi and the Arabian Gulf and traditional training and hunting techniques. A contemporary art exhibition on falconry hunting and breeding through the ages, will also be housed in the museum.

A cultural village, inspired by the city of Riyadh in the 1950s, will be one of the other attractions for visitors to the festival.