Muscat – The third edition of Suhar Festival, held from November 19, 2024 to January 4, 2025 attracted over 400,000 visitors, becoming a major event in Oman’s cultural calendar. With a variety of activities celebrating Omani heritage, arts and traditions, the festival highlighted Suhar’s growing importance as a key cultural and tourism destination in the country.

Mohammed Suleiman al Kindi, Governor of North  Batinah and Chairman of the main committee of the festival, expressed his satisfaction with the event’s success, saying it reflected the spirit of community and underscored North Batinah’s emerging status as a tourist destination.

“The festival’s success highlights the growing appeal of cultural tourism in Oman, while underscoring the sultanate’s commitment to preserving its heritage and promoting sustainable tourism,” Kindi said.

“We are proud to have welcomed over 400,000 visitors, which demonstrates the public’s growing interest in heritage, culture, entertainment, sports and tourism. We made every effort to cater to the diverse interests of all our visitors.”

Kindi thanked the contributions of government and private sector institutions, sponsoring companies and all those who supported the festival, adding that Suhar looks forward to hosting more events that highlight Oman’s rich civilisation and heritage.

Running for 45 days, the festival had traditional art shows, handicraft workshops and poetry evenings, alongside sports competitions, including popular local games, and camel and horse races. Additionally, a giant screen was set up to screen  Gulf Cup matches and other key football games, creating a thrilling atmosphere for sports fans.

One of the festival’s key attractions was a consumer exhibition, which saw participation of over 50 government and private entities, as well as 120 artisan  families showcasing their goods.

The festival contributed to the local economy by providing employment opportunities to over 160 jobseekers, further integrating the community into the event.