MAKKAH: The Hira Cultural District in Makkah has launched its Hira Winter Activities to celebrate the mid-year school vacation, offering an enriching experience for visitors until Jan. 10.

The week-long winter season activities feature a range of events, including the Revelation Exhibition on the Holy Qur’an, and a heritage-inspired walk designed to promote Arabic literature, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Visitors can also partake in horse and camel-riding experiences that simulate ancient travel, reflecting an integral part of the Kingdom’s authentic culture.

The Winter Theater is presenting a variety of dramas and offers engaging entertainment games.

In addition, the Challenge Arena provides a variety of fun and exciting games, encouraging participation from those attending.

The Hira District also features a unique shopping experience, showcasing an array of handicrafts and traditional products.

The Hira District is regarded as a cultural monument and is located near to the renowned Cave of Hira and next to the famous landmark of Makkah, Jabal Al-Nour.

The cultural district, which covers an area of about 67,000 sq. meters, provides a uniquely enriching experience on a cultural, historic and entertaining journey to the worlds of the past.

ALULA: The Royal Commission for AlUla launched Citrus Season 2025 on Friday. The event coincides with the peak harvest period, and “underscores the RCU’s commitment to supporting the agricultural sector and establishing AlUla as a premier agritourism destination,” according to a statement.

Rami AlMoallim, the RCU’s vice president of destination management and marketing, told Arab News: “AlUla’s growth as a destination has always been rooted in supporting the local community, with farmers playing a pivotal role in our agritourism endeavor.

“The Citrus Festival is one of several platforms that celebrate AlUla’s farmers, showcasing their expertise and the city’s natural abundance. These farmers, with generations of knowledge and dedication, are also central to our vision for a more sustainable future. Through initiatives such as festivals, marketplaces, training, and ongoing support, we are amplifying their contributions and providing them with broader opportunities to thrive,” he continued.

Underscoring that the changing seasons are fundamental to agriculture, AlMoallim said: “We work closely with farmers to identify the optimal times for events like the Citrus Festival, which harnesses the peak season for the more than 20 citrus variants in AlUla. This thoughtful planning enables us to align complementary events, offering visitors an immersive experience that reflects the rich diversity of AlUla.

“Such initiatives showcase the beauty of our agricultural heritage and position AlUla as a premier agritourism destination in Saudi Arabia, contributing significantly to its economic and cultural development,” he added.

Citrus Season, which runs until Jan. 11, is intended to stimulate economic growth through community-focused initiatives and sustainable development projects. It provides a vital platform for local farmers to market their produce, which yields thousands of tons of fruit annually between November and February, contributing significantly to the region’s agricultural and economic development.

The event showcases the diverse range of citrus fruits cultivated in AlUla, which is home to more than 5,000 farms containing 405,000 trees between them, bearing 29 distinct varieties of fruits including oranges, sweet lemons, bergamot oranges, sugar oranges, mandarins, clementines, grapefruits, and kumquats.

Covering 701 hectares, these farms produce 14,000 tons of citrus fruit annually, accounting for a significant portion of the Kingdom’s total annual production of 160,000 tons.

This demonstrates AlUla’s crucial role in strengthening the national agricultural sector and supporting economic diversification in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

The RCU prioritizes the development of AlUla’s agricultural sector to “expand economic opportunities, increase producer competitiveness, create opportunities for local residents, and offer visitors unique experiences through interactive activities that highlight the importance of agriculture to the region’s present and future,” according to the commission.

This year’s Citrus Season will feature exhibition spaces for local families and farmers, a variety of events for residents and visitors, and a training course on using citrus fruits in cooking.

Along with AlUla’s Dates Season, Citrus Season represents a key economic driver, showcasing AlUla’s rich agricultural heritage. 

Dates and citrus fruits play a vital role in supporting the local economy and advancing the RCU’s sustainable development goals.