The Bahrain Summer Festival 2014 begins today (July 31) with a groundbreaking show at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre.

Held under the theme 'Summer of Colours', the sixth edition of the festival will run until August 30 and brings together talented artists and performers from around the world, said a report in the Gulf Daily News, our sister newspaper.

The festival will start with the Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy show, which will run until Saturday at the Exhibition Centre. The show debuted on Broadway in 2008 and is inspired by nature's exotic creations, featuring an international cast of aerialists, contortionists, acrobats, jugglers and musicians.

The opening ceremony of Nakhool City will also be held today at 5pm.

The Exhibition Centre will host a wide range of entertaining, educational and cultural activities targeting children and youngsters, and will be open to the public from 10am-4pm from tomorrow.

Little festival fans can look forward to a summer of endless fun with six shows of Nickelodeon's interactive musical Dora's Pirate Adventure which will be staged on August 7 at 5pm and extra shows are planned for August 8 and 9 at 10am and 5pm and on August 10 at 5pm.

Four shows of the all-new family theatre experience Freej Abood's Dream will be staged from August 21-24.

Bahrain's audience will feel the power and energy of international street dance sensation 'Blaze' on August 16 and 17 at 7pm. Chico and the Gypsies, the latest project of Jahloul "Chico" Bouchiki, will also be performing on August 26 at 8pm.

A concert by internationally-acclaimed Iraqi singer, musician and composer Ilham Al Madfai will be held at the Cultural Hall on August 13 and 14.

Tickets for the shows are sold at Virgin Megastore's outlet in Bahrain City Centre or online at www.bahrainsummer.bh

This year's summer celebrations are part of Manama being named Capital of Asian Tourism, reported Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

All five and four-star hotels in Bahrain will be offering a 20 oer cent discount until the end of the year in a bid to boost tourism. - TradeArabia News Service