Saudi National Day Celebrations Bring the Kingdom’s Regions to Life
Saudi Arabia’s 96th National Day celebrations transformed public spaces across the Kingdom into open-air venues under the slogan “Our Pride Is in Our Nature.” From Riyadh’s Al-Hukm Palace, illuminated in green, to the Dammam waterfront and the mountains of Asir and Al-Baha, squares, parks, waterfronts, and cultural and heritage sites hosted celebrations reflecting the country’s diverse identity.
The nationwide program featured Saudi Ardah, folk performances, national operettas, exhibitions, handicrafts, children’s theater, and cultural and sporting activities. Although each region presented its own heritage and traditions, the green color and Saudi flags created a unified celebratory scene across the Kingdom.
Riyadh: History, Innovation
In the capital, Al-Hukm Palace was illuminated in green, while Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque featured prominently as a landmark linking Riyadh’s present-day celebrations with its historical and architectural identity.
The Riyadh Region Municipality designated 156 celebration sites through 47 municipalities across the region’s governorates and administrative centers. The program includes folk and heritage performances, artistic and cultural activities, children’s programs, interactive experiences, and shopping and dining areas.
The municipality also allocated 15 sites for specialized activities, including AI-assisted photography and agricultural experiences.
At the Sports Boulevard in Hittin, visitors can enjoy Saudi Ardah, oud performances, orchestral shows, and Najdi Samri. The Grove offers children’s activities including drawing, coloring, balloon shaping, and workshops introducing Saudi heritage, in addition to pottery, traditional doll-making, Najdi door-carving, and sports activities.
Dammam: Heritage on Waterfront
King Abdullah Park on the Dammam Corniche is hosting a diverse program featuring Saudi Ardah, folk arts, children’s theater, and A Night in Love With the Nation, along with entertainment activities and gifts for visitors.
Celebrations have also extended across the Eastern Province. In Al-Ahsa, national and heritage programs are being held at King Abdullah Environmental Park and in historic central Hofuf, with the participation of artisans, families, and children.
Makkah, Jeddah: Family, Community Programs
In Makkah, the Holy Capital Municipality distributed events across parks, walking tracks, shopping centers, and heritage sites. The program includes artistic, recreational, heritage, and sporting activities for families and children.
Among the venues are a stage for artistic performances in Al-Naseem, a children’s activity area at Al-Saraya Mall, and events at Bahrah Municipal Park. The city also hosted National Character, a community celebration organized by the Nama Makkah Watering and Hospitality Association with the participation of 22 entities. Residents of Al-Lith Governorate also joined the region’s National Day activities.
In Jeddah, the municipality organized programs at parks, squares, and public sites after decorating roads and public spaces with more than 3,000 Saudi flags. National lighting displays and decorative structures were installed along roads, squares, and city entrances.
Madinah: “Our Kingdom, Our Pride”
Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz, Emir of Madinah Region, patronized the municipality’s celebration at the King Salman International Convention Center.
The program featured Nabati and classical Arabic poetry, national scenes, visual presentations, the traditional Madani Majs, and the Our Kingdom, Our Pride operetta, which included three artistic tableaux. The ceremony concluded with the Saudi Ardah.
Qassim, Hail: Knowledge, Local Heritage
Qassim hosted more than 35 events across 35 sites in the region’s cities and governorates. The program included national evenings, artistic performances, operettas, theater productions, national activities, and patriotic marches.
In Buraidah, the National Exhibition welcomed visitors in the evening with activities highlighting the Kingdom’s history and achievements. The King Khalid Cultural Center was also one of the main venues for the region’s celebrations.
In Hail, activities were distributed across 35 sites and included Saudi Ardah, handicrafts, Saudi hospitality, artistic performances, and recreational programs, placing the region’s heritage at the center of the celebrations.
Tabuk: More Than 50 Events
The Tabuk Region Municipality and affiliated municipalities organized more than 50 events at 17 sites across the region’s governorates and centers, with the participation of 20 government, private-sector, and nonprofit entities.
The central area hosted folk and musical performances, a crafts and handmade-products exhibition, drawing and photography corners, and activities involving productive families. The program also included electronic games, national products, and interactive booths.
In the governorates and centers, the activities extended to patriotic marches, folk and heritage shows, operettas, children’s theater, art exhibitions, competitions, and recreational programs.
Tabuk was decorated with 8,000 flags, more than 40 screens and roadside signs, 250 fixed and mobile green floodlights, and 65,476 linear meters of decorative bands.
Asir, Al-Baha: Green Spaces, Community Participation
Cities, governorates, and centers across Asir were decorated with more than 21,000 Saudi flags. Green lighting was installed at various sites, while digital screens and billboards displayed national content.
The region’s municipality and affiliated municipalities also prepared more than 671 parks and recreational areas, as well as walking tracks, municipal squares, and public facilities to welcome residents and visitors.
In Al-Baha, more than 140 parks and recreational areas were prepared. Authorities installed more than 50,000 flags and 85 structures and features reflecting the national identity, while activating more than 100 digital screens and billboards.
The region’s program includes 65 activities organized in partnership with more than 20 entities. More than 500 volunteers are participating through over 25 volunteer opportunities, with events distributed across Al-Baha city and its governorates.
Arar: 3 Days of Activities
In the Northern Borders Region, Arar launched a three-day celebration at the Prince Faisal bin Khalid Cultural Center. The program includes a main stage, a children’s theater, a circus area, 30 pavilions, and a games zone, along with an operetta, Saudi Ardah, poetry evenings, a documentary screening, and a walking procession.
Preparations also included the installation of more than 4,000 flags, 525 advertising panels, 38 illuminated squares, and 145 decorative structures.
Jazan: “A Story of Pride”
Folk arts and heritage took center stage at Jazan’s celebration at the Prince Sultan Cultural Center. The accompanying exhibition documents the history of the Kingdom’s monarchs and key stages of its founding, development, and growth.
The program also included poetry, the theatrical performance A Story of Pride, the Master of Nations operetta, folk arts, and a closing Saudi Ardah performance.
Schools across Jazan organized national activities featuring student participation, school-radio segments, and interactive educational programs involving families and parents.
Najran and Al-Jouf: Heritage Illuminated in Green
In Najran, government buildings, shopping centers, mud-brick palaces, and heritage landmarks were illuminated in green. The celebrations extended to squares, streets, parks, and recreational areas, blending the region’s architectural and historical character with the national occasion.
In Al-Jouf, the regional emirate building in Sakaka was illuminated in green. Flags and the celebration’s visual identity also appeared across streets, squares, public sites, cities, and governorates throughout the region.
Across the Kingdom, the celebrations became part of everyday life for residents and visitors, extending from historic landmarks to public squares and cultural centers. Each region contributed a distinct expression shaped by its heritage and identity, collectively highlighting Saudi Arabia’s cultural and social diversity.
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