Summer festivals drawing children, families to Riyadh’s shopping malls

FESTIVE AIR: Shopping malls are drawing huge turnouts of children accompanied by their families with events for kids this summer under summer festivals. (SPA)

RIYADH: Shopping malls in the capital, hosting distinguished events for kids this summer under summer festivals, are drawing huge turnouts, with children accompanied by their families enjoying the school break.
Popular shopping malls including Riyadh Avenue Mall which houses LuLu Hypermarket, Sahara Mall, Riyadh Gallery and Al-Othaim Mall have made arrangements for children to enjoy the long summer break.
Notably, Riyadh Gov. Prince Faisal bin Bandar inaugurated the month-long Riyadh Shopping and Entertainment Festival at the Al-Othaim Mall last week which is witnessing a huge turnout.
Organized by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the 12th consecutive year, in coordination with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage, the Riyadh Tourism Development Board, and Riyadh Municipality, the festival includes a children’s zone with entertainment activities, shows, plays and competitions, with gifts and prizes being given to the winning participants of various contests.
Al-Othaim Mall at Rabwa has also come up with the indoor snow theme park, the Kingdom’s first snow city inaugurated by the Riyadh governor, with the shopping festival giving children and families a beautiful gift this summer.
This latest addition to the tourist destinations in the capital is described as a new chapter and a huge leap in the local leisure and tourism industry.
Moreover, Riyadh Avenue Mall is running a children’s summer festival at Murabba in association with the LuLu Hypermarket.
“This more-than-a-month-long colorful festival will be a new experience for the families and children,” said a Lulu official.
He stated that the programs at the children’s zone is planned every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. till the end of August.
He further revealed that the children’s events include educational and entertainment activities where children can participate in contests like storytelling, book reading, clay modeling, art and craft training, and other recreational and fun-based activities.
“We have made arrangements for gifts for the participants of each activity to make it more interesting for kids,” he said.
Summer festivals are organized and carried out by SCTNH in collaboration with tourism development councils, and it is witnessing new changes with events that have successfully drawn visitors this year across the Kingdom.
Entertainment and culture forms an important part of Vision 2030 spearheaded by the Council of Economic and Development Affairs, chaired by Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. As the ambitious plan asserted that the two aspects represent the main pillars of a quality life, the government pledges to provide rich experiences and reach the citizens’ expectations for quality life.