AlUla Moments bid Winter at Tantora’s latest edition a fond farewell this past weekend, concluding its incredible fifth version in fitting fashion by welcoming large crowds throughout the final few days.
The region’s favorite culture, art, and music festival, Winter at Tantora, presented a six-week-long extravaganza of premium celebrations this time around, living up to its billing as the ‘biggest, best, and most memorable yet.’ From December 21 through to January 27, visitors explored a world-class activities and events program, enjoying a plethora of immersive experiences and diverse performances that showcased the very best of AlUla.
Met with audience acclaim from start to finish, this latest edition of Winter at Tantora emulated the success of its predecessors, going above and beyond to set a new benchmark for those that follow.
From cultural explorers, entertainment enthusiasts, and fashion admirers to music fans, sports fans, and nature lovers, Winter at Tantora catered to audiences of every preference, transforming into a vibrant winter destination against the backdrop of stunning desert and oasis landscapes. At the heart of this year’s programming were six themed weekends, each with unique attractions that enabled audiences to explore the culture, heritage, history, and wonders within AlUla.
Live entertainment came to the fore with Tantora Celebration, Shorfat AlJadidah musical performances and ‘Jamil and Bouthayna’ shows. All three returned following their immense success in recent years, provided more dazzling performances and cultural celebrations. Additionnaly, the festival offered musical concerts such as Hegra Candlelit Classics, Majida El Roumi, Abadi Al Johar, Nancy Ajram, Swiss Orchestra and Andrea Bocelli.
The festival also featured performances by Saudi singers: Zeina Emad, who performed the opening act at the Jamil and Bouthayna musical, and presented a song written exclusively for AlUla; and Sawsan AlBahiti, the Saudi opera singer who performed the opening act for the Bocelli’s concert at Maraya, and performed with him on his famous song “Con Te Partiro.”
Arabic culture, poetry, and customs were also celebrated with activations like Word of AlUla, Poets Parade and Poets Night events. Meanwhile, the ancient city’s emergence as a sporting destination was on full display as large crowds and celebrity audiences participated at the AlUla Trail Race and attended the Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo, with the AlUla Citrus Festival being another outstanding event that showcased the fresh fruits of AlUla’s winter season.
While Winter at Tantora is officially over, there’s so much more still to come in the AlUla Moments journey. Next up is the revamped AlUla Tour, as the biggest names from the world of professional cycling compete in the stunning five-stage event from January 30 – February 3.
The internationally coveted AlUla Arts Festival also returns with its third successive edition from February 9 until March 2, presenting flagship events, immersive exhibitions, and creative initiatives for a city-wide celebration of all things art.
Elsewhere over the coming weeks, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Endurance Cup returns with two epic competitions on February 10 and 11, with Tough Mudder Infinity AlUla locked in for February 24 alongside many other activations and events.
