JEDDAH: Eid this year will be more colorful than ever, with 59 activities in 34 cities across the Kingdom catering to all age groups.
Some events will be mixed for families, while others will be men-only and women-only. Fifty-two of the events are free of charge.
Folklore documenting Saudi history and heritage will top celebrations, with Saudi Folklore Nights being held in several cities.
There will be Moroccan-themed family activities for Riyadh residents from June 30 until July 3.
The Hal Helalah festival in Riyadh鈥檚 Al-Bujairi Quarter aims to promote art via interactive activities for families. The festival takes place from June 25-30, from 4 p.m. until midnight.
Sparky鈥檚 Summer Carnival, starting June 29, will be among the festivals aimed at families and children in Riyadh.
Also starting June 29, the Happy Eid Carnival in Riyadh allows visitors to engage in 15 activities and performances, including a musical horse show, a robotic show, a Chinese band and a group of clowns from Russia.
In the Eastern Province, the Water and Light Festival will light up the Dammam corniche from June 25-27.
Every half an hour there is a four-minute show with 3D lasers, a dancing fountain, dancing flames and fireworks.
Jeddah will host the Jeddah Eid Festival and Eidna Bahri. The former will have activities for children such as games, competitions, theater and shows.
Eidna Bahri is a five-day family-oriented festival held in the northern lake of Jeddah鈥檚 Durrata Al-Arous tourist village.
Guests can enjoy marine activities, beach entertainment, food trucks and other services at discounted prices. A 3D laser show lighting up the Red Sea is expected to draw a massive audience.
An Eid greeting billboard will be placed on Jeddah鈥檚 pedestrian bridge on Madinah Road, part of which will be lit with every tweet containing the hashtag 鈥渟hare Eid with us,鈥� launched by the General Entertainment Authority鈥檚 (GEA) Twitter account. The billboard will be fully lit once the hashtag reaches 10,000 tweets.
The Jeddah-based Alcomedy Club will take part in a major men-only event called Fawrha from June 28-30.
Activities will include a car show, exhibitions, football matches, theater, comedy, and concerts by prominent Gulf singers Ayed, Mohammed Al-Shehi and Zayed Al-Saleh.
Madinah residents can take part in the colorful Eid Kites event from June 27-29. It will include body painting, hamster ball, jumping castles, video games, food trucks, theater, stand-up comedy, light shows and a kite area.
Taif is celebrating Eid with a helium balloon floating over Al-Karr Mount from June 25-26 starting at 6 p.m., with 鈥淓id Mubarak鈥� written on it.
Hail鈥檚 popular Summer Festival, from June 25 until Aug. 10, will include live performances, games, arts and crafts.
In the three-day Jazan Eid Festival, children can engage in interactive games such as Breakout, in which they play with friends and figure out how to break out of the room. The Mad Science event allows youngsters to mix entertainment with learning and science.
The cities on the GEA鈥檚 Eid calendar include Al-Wajh, Najran, Abha, Yanbu, Jubail, Dareen, Skaka, Al-Baha, Buraidah, Tabuk, Huraimela, Al-Ahsa, Al-Dalam, Khamis Mshait, Shagra, Wadi Al-Dawaser, Sabia, Al-Namas, Hafr Al-Batin, Rabegh, Quraiyat and Al-Ghat.
鈥� All photos from GEA.