Winter at Tantora festival opens in AlUla, runs through Jan. 10

SPA

ALULA, Saudi Arabia, December 21, 2025 (SABN) – The Winter at Tantora Festival opened on Friday in AlUla Governorate and will run until Jan. 10, 2026, organisers said, launching a winter-season programme built around the region’s agricultural traditions and historical heritage.

The festival takes its name from the Tantora, a mudbrick sundial in AlUla’s Old Town that residents historically used as a seasonal marker, including for timekeeping, water-sharing arrangements and the start of winter planting.

Programming for the 2025–2026 season includes “Old Town Nights,” which organisers describe as an evening heritage experience paired with dining at AlUla Fort, and the “AlManshiyah Carnival,” featuring family activities such as traditional games and parades.

Music is also a main component of the schedule. The “Shorfat Tantora (Tantora Balconies)” series is set in the AlJadidah Arts District, while larger concerts are planned at Maraya and at the Thanaya open-air amphitheater, organisers said.

The events form part of the broader AlUla Moments calendar, which aligns with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives to promote the Kingdom’s heritage and strengthen AlUla’s profile as an international tourism destination.