Bahrain Summer Festival 2011 is set to kick off with a bang in a grand opening ceremony open to the general public near the Arad Fort this Friday (July 1) at 5 pm.

Patronized by Shaikha Mai bint Mohammed Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture, the festival will hold its inaugural performance featuring Lebanese vocalist Samar Kammouj at 8 pm at the Cultural Hall for a tribute to the most celebrated works of legendary Egyptian composer Riyadh Al-Sonbati.

Lovers of all things cultural will be treated to a wide-ranging selection of musical, cultural and family activities during the popular month-long festival, now in its third edition.

Held under the slogan “A Victory of Joy”, the activities will take place throughout the month of July at the Cultural Hall and Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Center (BIECC).

Accompanying these performances is the “Nakhool Tent”, which will be a daily fixture in which festival mascot “Nakhool” hosts daily a variety of free family-oriented educational and entertaining cultural activities designed to disseminate the spirit of cultural unity from 5 pm to 10 pm, including art, cinema, music, literature, sports, live games and competitions, as well as a food court.

This year the tent will also host a weekly event by Atyaf Musical Group every Thursday and Friday from 7 to 10 pm.

Joining Samar Kammouj in the first week lineup of shows is another one-night-only performance featuring the Cuban-flavored act “Fuerza Y Compas” by Lizt Alfonoso’s Dance Cuba, a mesmerizing choreographed dance routine which features a flamenco and ballet fusion set to Afro-Cuban rhythms.

Capping off the week is all-time kid favorite Barney the Dinosaur who returns again this year to perform his Space Adventures show twice daily from the July 6 to 10 at 11am and 5pm at the BIECC.

Tickets for the third annual Bahrain Summer festival are on sale exclusively through the festival kiosk in Bahrain City Center until the end of the festival. Tickets will also be made available at the venues on the day of the performance, space permitting. Events held at the Cultural Hall are free, while tickets for shows held at the BIECC start from BD1 ($2.65) up to BD10 depending on the seating.

The Ministry of Culture also coordinated with various hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, and public theme parks to offer a wide variety of promotional packages in tandem with the festival. – TradeArabia News Service