MUSCAT : Held from July 15 to August 29 in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, the festival featured a packed programme of cultural, entertainment, sporting and family activities, alongside adventure experiences showcasing the distinctive natural environment of Al Jabal Al Akhdar. The 45-day duration and festival dates are consistent with details announced ahead of the event.

Visitors were spread across the festival grounds, surrounding villages and tourist attractions throughout the wilayat, with activities refreshed across the different weeks to encourage repeat visits and sustain tourism throughout the season.

Among the major attractions were the Family Oasis, Youth Square, Games Square, Children’s World, Cinema Dome, Mountain Bazaar and Passion for Taste area. The programme also included theatrical performances, entertainment shows, competitions, youth activities and several experiences introduced for the first time.

The festival also provided an important platform for small and medium enterprises, productive families, farmers and local entrepreneurs. Sales and exhibition outlets allowed businesses to market their products directly to visitors, while restaurants, cafés, accommodation facilities and other commercial establishments recorded increased activity during the season. Earlier in the festival, organisers reported participation from 95 SMEs, productive families, farmers, restaurants, cafés and other local businesses.

Ahmed bin Salem Al-Toubi, Director General of Administrative and Financial Affairs in Al Dakhiliyah Governorate, said the turnout of more than 300,000 visitors reflected the strong interest generated by this year’s festival.

He said spreading programmes and events across the full 45 days helped maintain visitor momentum while giving tourists a wider range of experiences throughout the summer season.

Al-Toubi added that the festival focused on offering content for different age groups while linking activities to the natural and tourism attractions of Al Jabal Al Akhdar.

He noted that expanding the participation of SMEs, productive families, farmers and local businesses also enabled more members of the community to benefit from the increased visitor numbers and associated economic activity.

According to Al-Toubi, the festival’s impact extended beyond the event venues to hotels, accommodation facilities, restaurants, cafés, retail businesses and producers of agricultural and local products.

The governorate will use the indicators and outcomes from the 2026 edition to support the development of future tourism programmes and events, he added.

The festival also coincided with the operation of new tourism and development projects and upgrades to public facilities and services in Al Jabal Al Akhdar.

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