Muscat Municipality has completed all preparations for this annual event. This year’s festival will have many new entertainment, cultural and sports activities, in addition to science and arts competitions.
Hundreds of tourists are expected to throng the festival venues over the 24-day period. This will be followed by Tour of Oman cycling event that will be held from February 13-18.
Festival activities will be held at Amerat Park and Naseem Gardens, in addition to the Oman Automobile Association premises, cultural halls and clubs. Musical, theatrical and art activities will be held at the Al Madinah Theatre and Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Khalid bin Mohammed Bahram, assistant chairman for Services in Muscat Municipality and assistant head of Muscat Festival’s organising committee, said, “Naseem Gardens will host a range of educational, creative and recreational activities and programmes for children. The venue will have the Family Village and the Children’s Theatre, which will host a variety of activities. The Entertainment and Arts Park will bring together a variety of electronic games and fun rides.”
He said that there will be a trade exhibition, a heritage village displaying various traditional art forms, cultural programmes as well as fireworks display on a daily basis.
About activities at Amerat Park, Bahram said, “It will have the Omani Heritage Village, in addition to a traditional market for promoting Omani heritage. There will be theatre performances by the folklore teams, a special amusement park, theatre shows and various other events. Besides, a number of government agencies will have their stalls in several parts of the park.”
The timings at Amerat Park and Naseem Gardens will be from 4-11pm and from 4pm until midnight on weekends.
The festival concludes on February 10.