Summer vacation is around the corner. While some people are preparing to fly to various destinations around the world, many visitors from around the Kingdom and some from abroad will spend their holidays here and visit different parts of the country. That is why everyone in the Kingdom is preparing for the summer. Hotels will offer world class cuisines and facilities to entertain their guests and malls will present the latest fashions from around the world. The Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) will organize summer festivals in all parts of the Kingdom. The SCTA plans several events for visitors throughout the year with special festivals being arranged for summer vacation, and this year the holy month of Ramadan comes during the vacation which makes this summer really special. Saudi Gazette contacted the SCTA and presents below a preview of the activities being prepared for the summer holidays around the Kingdom. Jeddah According to the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI), more than five million people visit Jeddah every year. The 30th Jeddah Festival will be held from July 15 until August 20. International companies will present goods from around the world and different competitions will be held in malls and community centers. The Jeddah Festival will have something for everyone, from games to art and a taste of Saudi heritage from yesteryear to the present. Shopping, religious, social and sports events are also planned, and most of the large malls have prepared programs to entertain visitors while they are shopping. Jeddah will hold the Gulf's first karate competition which will be organized by the Saudi Karate Federation and held from Aug. 3 to 6. From Aug. 22 until Sept. 16 a special Ramadan Festival will be organized by the JCCI at the Jeddah Center for Forums and Events. Taif From July 14 to 27 one can enjoy the Souk Okaz Shopping Festival in Taif, organized by the Tourism Development Council. This festival is organized every year to entertain visitors and to introduce them to Saudi Arabian heritage and culture. The cultural program includes several poetry evenings and lectures featuring poets and scholars from the Kingdom and abroad. There will also be a display of cultural and historical material and an exhibition of art and photography. Riyadh The King Abdul Aziz Public Library will present a forum on the book “Globalization” by Dr. Abdul Karim Bakkar and published by Iman Aqel on July 5 and another program on the book “Ten positive reasons for the love of God” by Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim Rahmatullah prepared and edited by Abdul Aziz Mustafa and Dr. Nadia Al-Sheikh. The Riyadh festival of shopping and entertainment will run from July 8 until Aug. 6. The festival is organized by the tourism administration of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The shopping festival features discounts by commercial and recreational centers in Riyadh. The entertainment program is being organized by the tourism authority and the secretariat of Riyadh region. The Festival of Dates will be held from Sept. 21 to 25 at the Heritage Village – Algat by the Tourism Development of Riyadh. The Saudi Economic Exhibition will be held at the International Exhibition Center by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Riyadh from Sept. 27 to 29 to mark the Kingdom's 79th National Day. For more information about summer events in Riyadh one can log on to www.riyadhchamber.com Dammam and Dhahran The third annual car show will be held at the Dhahran International Exhibition Center from July 14 to 17 while in Dammam a shopping and entertainment festival with the participation of international companies will run from July 1 to July 22. Madina The 30th Tayba Summer Festival will be held in Madina from July 3 to Aug. 1. Families can enjoy a number of events and competitions, view exhibitions of Saudi handicrafts and take advantage of many other entertainment programs. The festival will be organized by the promotional Tourism Council of Madina. Al-Khobar The Al-Khobar Summer Festival will start on July 9 and run until Aug. 14. The festival is organized by the Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Center for Science and Technology and will be held at Al-Khobar Center. This year's summer festival will feature many entertaining educational activities and events. There will be exhibitions on topics, such as, smoking and cancer, security and safety, health and nutrition, home safety, and environment and energy. For further details, log on to www.scitech.com.sa The Al-Khobar sailing festival will be held from July 4 to 9. The Kingdom's Open League Sailing Championship and many other water sports competitions will be held at Half Moon Beach under the patronage of Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd, Governor of the eastern region. The festival will be organized by Ra'al sports organization under the auspices of the Saudi Marine Sports Federation. For more information, contact www.sa-sailing.com Al-Qassim The summer tourism festival in Al-Qassim will run from July 2 to Sept. 26 and will feature a variety of activities organized by the Al-Qassim promotional Council of Tourism. The Festival of Dates will be held from Aug. 16 until Sept. 15 at the vegetable market in Buraidah in Al-Qassim region. Buraidah's 30th summer festival can be enjoyed from July 1 to 30 at King Khalid Cultural Center Buraidah organized by the Al-Qassim promotional Council of Tourism and the Committee of Festivals of Buraidah. The festival will include many cultural and sports events and theatrical performances. The Ramadan Nights Festival will be held from Aug. 22 until Sept. 19 in Buraidah. Abha and Asir A literary program sponsored by the Gulf Literary Forum will be held from Aug. 10 to 12 at the Abha Literary Club and organized by the Ministry of Culture and Information, Asir. During the three-day forum, five members from each Gulf state in addition to a number of critics and scholars from the countries of the region will discuss a number of topics. The Najran Summer Festival will be held from July 4 to Sept.1. Organized by the Najran promotional Tourism Council, the festival will feature art and heritage exhibitions, competitions, games, shopping and a variety of entertainment programs. Unaizah The Unaizah Summer Tourism Festival will be held from July 8 to Aug. 6 and will feature a number of entertainment and sports activities organized by the Unaizah promotional Tourism Council. The Unaizah Festival of Dates will be held from Aug. 19 to Sept. 18 at the Unaizah vegetable market and organized by the Unaizah Council of Agriculture. The Unaizah Shopping Festival, organized by the Unaizah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, will run from Aug. 6 to Sept. 5. For more information about festivals and other activities during the summer vacation, you can visit the website of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (www.scta.gov.sa) or call their toll free number (8007550000). Call center personnel are ready to s __
