The Ministry of Culture has announced that it will kick start the fourth edition of the annual Bahrain Summer Festival at 2pm on June 15, at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre (BIECC)

The opening ceremony will be held under the patronage of HE Sheikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, the Culture Minister, and will see the launch of Nakhool City activities, in which Nakhool, the festival mascot, will welcome guests.

It will be followed by the festival's inaugural event, Slava's SnowShow, scheduled to take place at 7pm, a statement from an official said.

“Slava's SnowShow is a visual masterpiece, seen by over three million people in over 30 countries and 120 cities. It is a fusion of traditional and contemporary theatrical clowning arts within a beautifully crafted visual spectacle, creating a world of wonderment and fantasy that transports the audience to a joyous dream-like place,” the statement said

Nakhool will receive visitors throughout the duration of the festival from 2pm to 7pm on a daily basis.

Visitors can participate in free cultural, educational, and fun activities for children such as electronic games, technical colouring and painting workshops, a professional photography camp, and a puppet camp amongst other interactive daily programmes.

The event will be held under the theme ‘Manama, City of Joy’, and will feature a wide variety of exciting and elegant artistic, cultural performances by international artists at the BIECC from June 14 to July 15.

The festival features a line-up of spectacular shows and fun activities including the Wooden Circus by Karramoto, in which artists from the Czech Republic, Hungary and Spain share their acrobatic skills with secret special effects stemming from the traditions of the classic 19th century European marionette theatre.

Eastern music lovers can enjoy the music of Omar Faruk Tekbilek, winner of the Turkish Writers Association's Best Artist Award in the 2003 Turkish Music Awards.

The audience can also enjoy shows with Saudi rapper Qusai, aka Don Legend the Kamelion, in collaboration with DJ Outlaw and Flipperachi as part of this year’s varied and multicultural festivities.

Local talents will also feature in the festival with young Bahraini singer Hala Al Turk presenting some of her popular songs in an evening concert for children, the statement said.

Classic movie lovers will have an opportunity to see a direct reproduction of The Sound of Music, one of the most successful musical films in history, through a theatrical production featuring lavish costumes and a group of the best stars and orchestra from London’s West End, directed by John Payton and produced by both Payton and Lucy Magee for Popular Productions. 

Tickets for the Bahrain Summer Festival are available at the Virgin Megastore at Bahrain City Center or electronically through its website virgin megastore.me. Tickets will also be sold at the venues in which the events are due to take place, if seats are still available.

Nakhool City shows will be free of charge while tickets for other shows range from BD2 to BD10, depending on individual seating preference, it said.

The Ministry of Culture has also obtained special rates and promotional offers with a number of leading Bahrain hotels for visitors and tourists during the month-long festival.

The festival’s sponsors include Sheraton Hotel, Intercontinental Regency Hotel, Crowne Plaza, Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel, Gulf Hotel, Ritz Carlton Bahrain, Gulf Air, Seef Mall, Al Ayam newspaper, Al Watan newspaper and Saudi newspaper, Okaz. – TradeArabia News Service