4-day Eid festival planned

The Jeddah Municipality, the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) will organize an entertainment festival for four days during Eid Al-Fitr following the success of the Ramadan festival in old Jeddah, which attracted 800,000 visitors throughout the holy month, said Yasser Maddah, the festival’s director and head of public relations for the initiative.
The festivals are organized under the aegis of Makkah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Abdullah and Jeddah Gov. Prince Mishaal bin Majed.
The Eid festival will be held under the slogan “Eidna kida” (This is how we celebrate Eid) a traditional and entertaining way of Eid celebrations.
Jeddah’s downtown historic area, slated to enter into UNESCO’s list of world heritage sites, was decorated with lights and abuzz with shops, games and entertainment venues throughout Ramadan.
The organizers of this year’s festivals are planning to set up a comedy theater during Eid.
Saudi artists came up with these plays to give audiences a glimpse of the old days and to educate the city’s residents about the issues faced by different segments of society today.
The comedy show will run from the second day of Eid and will have four shows between 5 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. every day for a period of four days.
One of these shows will last at least an hour and a half and will entertain children and families alike, said the organizers.
Festival-goers will also be able to enjoy musical programs for children, along with children’s theatrical performances, traditional Hijazi dances, folk songs and poetry.
Zaki Hassanein from Benchmark, one of the festival’s main organizers, said that the event provides a pivotal opportunity for the younger generation to understand their culture and traditions.
Stand-up comedians from Jeddah’s comedy club are also slated to give performances during the festival.
The theatrical performance for families and children will run at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., while stand-up comedians, targeting young Saudi men, will perform between 9:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. every day for four days during the program.
“The street theater will be equipped with the latest equipment and facilities and will have seating arrangements for 500,” he said.
Tickets for the theater performance are available in front of the Faris restaurant in the old area, at Panda supermarkets and at major malls, such as the Roshan, Andalus, Arab and Aziz malls in Jeddah, in addition to Munch bakery branches throughout the city and at the gate of the downtown area theater.