Yanbu has been well-seasoned by time and it is now an example of prosperity and development. It is also home to a fair slice of the country's industry as well as some of the Red Sea's most beautiful beaches.
The Third Festival of Flowers is an example of how Yanbu deals with natural beauty.
The festival opened on March 1 and runs until March 11.
An enormous open-air exhibition, it contains more than 350,000 flowers. The flowers were grown in the Yanbu Royal Commission Nursery and include a variety of various flowers of differing colors and shapes, all filling the air with their fragrance.
The Royal Commission's purpose in organizing the event is to educate, increase awareness and to cultivate the taste of the people of Yanbu. In addition the number of visitors also stimulates business and tourism. Perhaps what distinguishes this festival from earlier ones is the largest flower carpet in the Kingdom which measures 25m x 70m.
More than 80,000 natural flowers have been used and the variety of colors forms a breathtaking picture as if drawn by the hand of a very skilled artist.
The festival is attended by specialists in designing and organizing gardens; flowers, fruit-bearing plants, modern irrigation systems and even birds are on sale. It also includes cultural competitions with valuable prizes for the winners, fireworks and recreational activities. There will be a children's festival in locations exclusively for women and children which feature a range of entertainment and activities. Visitors should not miss the exhibition at night where fireworks enhance the pleasure of the exhibition's beauty, splendor, and beauty wrapped in the fragrance of flowers and blossoms. Umm Omar, a resident of Yanbu Industrial City, said, "The Festival of Flowers is very enjoyable and the flowers are magnificent. It is very good for the city. I have never seen so many flowers in one place. It is good that Yanbu should hold its own festival as Jeddah, Madinah and Riyadh do. We need a celebration like this in the city. We live too much in the desert and the sight of flowers relaxes us and our eyes. It is an intelligent idea by the Royal Commission and it will benefit the city economically because of many Saudi and foreign visitors."
Jafar Al-Shibani, a student at Yanbu Industrial College, said, "The festival is really beautiful. It is the first time I have seen so many wonderful flowers in one place. What I liked most about the exhibition is the way the flowers are organized and arranged to make such pretty pictures. We have welcomed many visitors, especially from Madinah, Makkah and Jeddah. The Fireworks display is especially good; it feels like Eid. I think this has had a good impact on residents of Yanbu since many of them are now buying flowers. "
Al-Amin Muhammad, a family man, said, "This place is quiet and beautiful and what I liked most was the flower carpet. Things are very well organized and it is a good place for families to visit. I advise them to bring their children here because the exhibition will teach them a beautiful lesson."
