The Kingdom is preparing for the Eid with a range of activities and events around the nation. Of the the two main cities, Jeddah intends to welcome the holidays in with a bang, as some 10,000 fireworks will splash the skies with color every evening for four days, starting from 11 p.m. Displays will take place at three sites: north Obhur, opposite the Hilton Hotel on the Corniche, and opposite Abraq Al-Raghama. The Red Sea port will celebrate Eid with diving competitions, water-bike races and fishing contests, as well as circus acts and more traditional events drawn from the region's cultural heritage. In Riyadh some 30 folklore dance displays will be on view at the Hukm Palace, performed by five groups of dancers from different regions. The traditional “Ardha” dance will be in evidence, while groups from Jizan, Al-Jauf and Madina will show their regions' dances. The performances will take place over the first three days of the Eid holiday, after the Isha prayer until 10.30 p.m. There will also, of course, be competitions and prizes around the city at different times, and the fortunate may get their hands on prizes worth a few thousand Riyals. In Imam Mohammed Bin Saud Square, the city's finest restaurants will put out their stalls and offer take-away food, all of which will contribute to the festival atmosphere that will reign over the capital's most prominent sites, Hukm Palace, Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Mosque, Musmak Museum, and surrounding areas. __
