Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Colourful neon lights, dazzling performances and an amusement park atmosphere kept families and friends entertained over the weekend at the start of Shop Bahrain’s fun-filled Festival City.
The popular annual affair, which was meant to officially open its doors to the public on Thursday but was delayed one day due to a severe sand storm, is captivating visitors with thrilling rides, carnival games, a food hub, a giant outdoor cinema and a large stage showcasing local and international performances.
The festivities, located in the parking area of the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC), is spread over 22,000sqm with an outdoor market that features more than 30 food vendors and 10 Bahrain-based enterprises that will change weekly throughout the month.
“The Festival City has exceeded my expectations,” said Yousef AlKhan, the director of tourism marketing and promotions of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), organisers of the event.
“It’s much bigger this year and there were a lot of people attending the opening, even though the weather was still not perfect and it was a bit dusty, but there was a great turn out.
“We are extremely happy with how the festival is shaping up. Also, having it in a place like this, next to the BIC where there is plenty of space, means there are no problems with parking. We’re really impressed with the organisation this year.
“What we wanted to do was create a ‘carnival feel’ where children and parents can come and play and enjoy all the activities together.”
Amongst the first VIPs in attendance was Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani, the Minister of Industry, Commerce & Tourism, pictured top right.
A geometric-shaped rainbow-hued gate welcomes visitors into the action-packed fair, setting the mood for all the fun to come.
Harlequin and Venetian-themed stilt walkers and drummers paraded around the festival on Friday, serenading people with funky and tribal beats as other roaming acts, such as the colourful mosaic mirror people, posed for ‘selfies’ with visitors.
Sounds of laughter echoed throughout the venue as parents attempted to win teddy bears, stuffed animals and gloves for their children by throwing balls and knocking down milk bottles.
Friends Reem AlAwadhi, 20, from Tubli, and Dana Al Shaikh, 18, from Jid Ali, walked away with toys after mastering a ring toss challenge. Reem, a business student at Bahrain Polytechnic University, said: “We had so much fun playing the games. There’s always a great atmosphere here and we attend it every year.”
Meanwhile, young children and teenagers alike shrieked in delight on rides such as the swinging pirate ride, swaying on the beautiful carousel and tackling the rock climbing challenge.
Others rested on the grass and settled down on the LED benches to watch family-themed movies screened at the outdoor cinema section or sat on coloured blocks to watch the exciting acts on the main stage, including a dynamic acrobatic duo, a callisthenic show and a great performance from local band Likwid.
Ahmed AlQasim, Likwid’s vocalist and bass guitarist, managed to enjoy the activities too with friends before taking to the stage to entertain an appreciative audience. He said:
“It reminds me of our old high school carnivals and it’s nice to have these kinds of activities bringing people together.”
There was also a children’s tent staging even more activities as well as a special face-painting stand that uses glitter to brighten up appearances. Nasreen Mahmood, 28, from Tubli, founded Glitter Me Bahrain with her sister Sherin Al Wardi, 35, and cousins Samar, 31, and Zahwa, 31, Al Hiddi.
They are adding an extra sparkle to proceedings every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. “We have different colours and create different designs. It’s something for the children to make them look cool and funky. People are used to face paint but we wanted to introduce something more vibrant and also it’s easy to take off with warm water.
“We have been glittering children at schools and carnivals and were super excited to join in at Festival City.”
Savoury scents enticed visitors to the food section which boasted food trucks and a variety of stands serving snacks, meals and tasty desserts.
Mohammad Saiyed, owner and founder of Kools Café on Wheels made brisk business handing out coffee, popcorn and sweet bites. He said: “This is truly one of the most popular events of the year and you can see people thoroughly enjoying the experience. The atmosphere is fantastic.”
Aside from the activities, organisers have added murals and scenic locations for people to capture picture perfect moments as well. There are also giant chess and draughts boards to play the games in style.
Other shows set to delight the crowd include performances by Bahraini talents such as Mo Zowayed, Bahrain Talking Drums and singer Banah. Additionally, there will be three shows of The Smurfs Live on Stage from tomorrow until Saturday.
The festival is held in cooperation with a number of strategic partners including Tamkeen, VIVA Bahrain and Gulf Air, as well as A.A. Bin Hindi Group. The Platinum partners this year include Bin Hindi Informatics and Lulu Group.
The festival runs daily from 4pm to 10pm, Sunday to Wednesday, and until 11pm on weekends until February 2.
Entrance ticket costs BD2 and includes four games. Children under four can enter free of charge with their families. The tickets allow visitors to enjoy the festival and enter Shop Bahrain’s Loyalty System for a chance to win draw prizes.
The fifth edition gifts include 11 cars and more than 73,000 prizes including electronics, discounted airline tickets, instant prizes from VIVA and the festival’s prize partners including Gravity, Adhari, Awal Gas, Hawar Beach Hotel, Kitchen for Life Company, The Ice Cream Shop, Optica and Rahim Holdings.
For more details, visit www.shopbahrain.com or follow @shopbahrain on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, SnapChat, YouTube and Whatsapp. Most recent updates and news about the festival are also available on the Shop Bahrain Application released for iOS and Android.
