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Jeddah: Revitalized Tourist Destination Offers Exceptional Summer Experience

The entertainment season is stronger than ever (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The entertainment season is stronger than ever (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Jeddah: Revitalized Tourist Destination Offers Exceptional Summer Experience

The entertainment season is stronger than ever (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The entertainment season is stronger than ever (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Jeddah Season 2024 kicked off in Saudi Arabia on Friday with the theme “Once again,” offering a variety of activities across multiple key entertainment zones.
The event provides residents and visitors of Jeddah, a coastal city, with a unique summer experience in a rejuvenated tourist destination rich in cultural and historical significance.
Jeddah Season 2024 showcases live arts and cultural performances, innovative recreational and sports activities, as well as interactive adventures and skill-based games.
Additionally, it features numerous dining, café, and shopping options, making it a vibrant hub for all.
Inaugurated under the patronage of Prince Saud bin Mishal, Deputy Emir of Makkah Region and Chairman of the National Calendar Committee for Jeddah Governorate, Jeddah Season 2024 debuted with a spectacular opening at the artsy Jeddah Promenade.
The season’s opening featured drone shows, fireworks, roaming performances, and drew thousands of local residents and international visitors.
The annual festival also features a diverse range of international, cultural, and marine entertainment events.
Among the attractions, “City Walk” stands out with its interactive experiences across 8 themed areas.
At Jeddah Season 2024, “Cairo Nights” presents Egyptian culture with famous products, top restaurants, and live shows. “China Town” offers a unique cultural experience with Chinese traditions, cuisine, and more.
“Art Land” provides diverse family activities with games and shops.
City Walk offers relaxing riverside seating, while nearby “Horror Village” features interactive mazes for thrill-seekers.
“Wonder Wall” offers a distinctive culinary journey with a variety of different dishes, alongside live entertainment and unique restaurant settings set around a charming fountain.
City Walk also features over 30 skill and arcade games, along with three Arabic theatrical performances.
Additionally, the Warner Bros. Discovery: Celebrate Every Story area, being held for the first time in Saudi Arabia, provides visitors and tourists with a variety of games and entertainment shows.
Upcoming days will unveil new entertainment zones with unique experiences, fun games, and activities suitable for all ages and interests, including a closed animal park and the historic Jeddah Al Balad area.

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International Fiesta Fills New Mexico's Sky With Colorful Hot Air Balloons

FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
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International Fiesta Fills New Mexico's Sky With Colorful Hot Air Balloons

FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)
FILE - Nearly 500 balloons begin to take off during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Oct. 7, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. (AP Photo/Roberto E. Rosales, File)

One of the most photographed events in the world is set to kick off Saturday with a mass ascension of color for the 52nd annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.
The nine-day gathering draws hundreds of thousands of spectators and pilots to New Mexico each fall for the rare opportunity to be within arm’s reach as the giant balloons are unpacked and inflated. Propane burners roar and hundreds of the uniquely shaped balloons speckle the sky with vibrant colors.
Everyone usually bundles up in layers to protect against a morning chill that helps pilots stay in the air longer, but this year’s fiesta could be the warmest on record, organizers say.
Morning lows and afternoon highs are expected to be above average for days in a city that on Monday recorded its hottest temperature this late in the year, at 93 degrees Fahrenheit (33.8 Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.
Globally, things have been trending hotter too. It's likely this year will end up as the warmest humanity has measured, the European climate service Copernicus reported in early September.
While past fiestas have had a warm day here or there, spokesman Tom Garrity said the prediction for prolonged heat is rare, The Associated Press reported.
For pilots, it could mean less time aloft or carrying less weight in their baskets.
Typically, when the mornings are cool, less fuel is needed to get the balloons to rise. Fiesta veterans explain it's all about generating lift by heating the air inside the envelope to temperatures greater than what's on the outside.
“With cooler weather, pilots are able to fly for longer duration,” Garrity said. “But when you have warmer temperatures, it just means that you pop up, you go up a little bit and you come back down. So just some shorter flights.”
Still, ballooning happens year-round in many places, including in the Phoenix area, which has seen its share of record-breaking temperatures over recent months.
“These are really non-issues from a spectator’s standpoint," said Troy Bradley, an accomplished balloon pilot who has been flying for decades. “I don’t see any difference other than they won’t be freezing in the pre-dawn hours.”
Even the fiesta's official meteorologist has joked about the possibility of wearing shorts this year.
This year's fiesta also features 106 balloons in special shapes, 16 of which will be making their fiesta debut. That includes Mazu, modeled after the sea goddess of the same name who is deeply rooted in Taiwanese culture and traditions.