Riyadh: The Beit Hail Festival 2025 at Aja Park has showcased a vibrant array of traditional folk arts. Performances included the Saudi Ardah (sword dance) and Samri (poetry sung to the beat of a drum), attracting a diverse audience of visitors and tourists who appreciated these cultural expressions. Spectators watched as swords swayed with the performers, the chants resonating throughout the venue.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the festival also featured folk arts from Aseer Region, notably Al-Khatwa folk dance of the south. This authentic dance is accompanied by traditional folk chants and emphasizes the harmony of voice and rhythm, with participants stomping their feet in unison. Al-Khatwa incorporates various creative melodies, with variations in rhythm and tempo.
Running for 30 days, the Beit Hail Festival introduces visitors to ancestral ways of life, including food, clothing, housing, and daily activities from ancient times, while presenting folk performances and arts from the region and beyond.