The line-up includes art, music and wellness festivals.
AlUla in Saudi Arabia is fast becoming a must-visit cultural destination. The ancient city has announced the line-up for its AlUla Moments 2024, and it’s set to be packed with festivals. Lots of festivals.
Azimuth
Azimuth is the kingdom’s first musical festival – it’s back and this time it’s personal. The three-day festival is a celebration of music, art and food. The event includes sunrise and sunset performances in a spectacular canyon setting. Azimuth takes place on Saudi National Day weekend from 19 to 21 September, and the lineup includes James Blake, Ben Böhmer, Cosmicat, Ghostly Kisses, Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones and Amine K.
AlUla Wellness Festival
AlUla Wellness Festival will take place from 17 October to 2 November, bringing together the world’s best yoga and meditation practitioners alongside local talent to create a holistic wellness experience. Visitors can take advantage of art therapy, Ayurveda, and sound healing from world-class experts, as well as inspirational talks with leading experts in their fields.
Ancient Kingdoms Festival
From 7 to 30 November, the Ancient Kingdoms Festival will return for its second edition, presenting journeys of wonder and discovery inspired by the ancient world. This rich mix of events will present a journey through time informed by history and designed to delight, ranging from after-dark experiential immersions to family-friendly activities. In this coming edition, Hegra – the archaeological site at the heart of the Incense Road – will act as the epicentre of festivities, as the Nabataean masterpiece celebrates its status as Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. This historic heartland will host special performances, innovative tours, and imaginative discovery programmes.
Winter at Tantora
Combining music, art, sport and cultural festivities, Winter at Tantora – the festival that started it all – will also return. Authentic AlUla celebrations will run from 19 December to 9 January, allowing visitors to experience the wonders of AlUla over four themed weekends that will span fashion, art and geological wonders. Among the highlights is the Citrus Festival, which will take place during the peak of the harvest season, alongside sporting events such as the epic AlUla Trail Race and the annual Richard Mille AlUla Desert Polo.
AlUla Arts Festival
Soon after is the AlUla Arts Festival, held from 16 to 22 February. It will once again welcome art aficionados from around the world to interact with the dynamic creative spirit of AlUla that has its roots in antiquity and carries on today. The festival will immerse visitors in a vibrant celebration of contemporary visual and public art, design, curated cinema, art tours, and artist residencies.
Desert X AlUla will also return next year, this time for its third edition. The renowned international art in the landscape exhibition will captivate visitors with its large-scale site-responsive installations set against AlUla’s dramatic backdrop.
AlUla Skies Festival
Continuing the winter season, the AlUla Skies Festival allows visitors to experience the beautiful scenery of AlUla from a one-of-a-kind perspective. Fans can explore the skies of Saudi Arabia’s ancient city through activities such as hot air balloon rides, helicopter tours, drone shows, stargazing and more.
AlUla Camel Cup
AlUla Camel Cup set a new standard for camel racing in the region, taking place over four days in April 2025. Now known as the pinnacle of the Saudi Arabian camel racing season – with a specially built venue offering authentic entertainment, retail and dining. Elsewhere, the AlUla Trail Race is AlUla’s ultimate winter running challenge, taking place in January 2025.
GO: Visit www.experiencealula.com for more information.
