AlUla Moments Reveals 2025-2026 Calendar: A Year of Culture, Music, and Discovery in Arabia's Timeless Oasis
Celebrating AlUla's timeless landscapes, deep heritage, and flourishing creative scene, the calendar offers a thoughtfully curated blend of heritage, music, art, wellness, sport, gastronomy, and community experiences, reinforcing AlUla's emergence as one of the region's most inspiring year-round destinations.
Rami AlMoallim, Vice President of Destination Management and Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: 'Each year, AlUla Moments evolves to offer an even more diverse and enriching array of experiences. The 2025-2026 calendar is a testament to our commitment to creating unique and authentic events that resonate with visitors from around the world. Whether it's through heritage, music, art, adventure, or wellness, AlUla continues to inspire and captivate.'
The AlUla Moments 2025-2026 launches in September with the return of AZIMUTH the annual music event to mark the Saudi National Day weekend, uniting global and regional music talent with immersive performances, and cutting-edge visuals in a celebration of culture and creativity beneath AlUla's vast open skies.
October brings a renewed focus on wellness, movement, and heritage with the return of AlUla Wellness Festival, a week-long celebration of balance and transformation. Alongside daily yoga sessions, guided meditations, and live performances, the programme introduces for the first time high-energy challenges including the AlUla Half Marathon Road Race, AlUla 24-Hour Endurance Race, AlUla Duathlon, and Ashar Valley Triathlon, alongside iconic fitness sessions with Les Mills, all inviting participants to push their limits amid breathtaking desert landscapes.
Launching in November, The Ancient Kingdoms Festival invites visitors to 'journey through time' and experience AlUla's spectacular ancient sites and stories, brought to life in exciting new ways. From day-time discoveries to after-dark encounters, visitors can step into the world's largest living museum to explore the extraordinary landscapes shaped by nature, history, and human legacy at the heart of the Incense Road. Highlights include Hegra After Dark , The Incense Road Experience, the epic Hegra Drone Show 'Stories from the Sky', Ikmah After Dark and Hegra Candlelit Classics concerts, featuring world-renowned international artists. An unmissable opportunity for visitors to enjoy close encounters on the sites where history was made, celebrating AlUla's cultural legacy.
In December, Winter at Tantora returns with its beloved blend of music, gastronomy, and heritage celebration. Opening with a tribute to the Saudi Year of Handicrafts and a performance by acclaimed artist Ahlam, this year's edition features highlights including Shorofat Tantora, Old Town Culinary Voyage, Tantora Old Town Nights, and exclusive fine dining restaurants with the return of Ducasse and Annabel's, all set against the enchanting backdrop of AlUla's historic oasis.
The start of 2026 is marked by world-class sporting events that spotlight equestrian excellence and endurance racing. In January, AlUla Desert Polo returns to the purpose-built sand track near AlUla's sandstone cliffs, drawing elite players and international attention. Later that month, the AlUla Tour brings top international cyclists to the region for a multi-stage UCI Asia Tour race, showcasing AlUla's dramatic landscapes and rising status in global sport. In February, AlFursan Endurance AlUla challenges the world's top riders in one of the sport's most prestigious competitions, while the AlUla Trail Race welcomes athletes from around the globe to tackle one of the region's most scenic—and demanding—trail courses.
Returning for its fifth edition in January, AlUla Arts Festival celebrates creative expression across disciplines, transforming the landscape into a living gallery. The festival features the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla, a landmark open-air exhibition placing visionary contemporary artworks by Saudi and international artists in the dramatic desert landscape, and a major new exhibition curated by AlUla's contemporary art museum in collaboration with the renowned Pompidou Centre, Paris. AlJadidah Arts District will again be animated by performances and programming and will feature an exhibition of contemporary AlUla-inspired design.
The AlUla Moments 2025-2026 calendar reflects the destination's evolution into a global stage for creative expression, human connection, and extraordinary experiences. It celebrates what makes AlUla truly unique – its culture, nature, and community – and extends a bold invitation for the world to be part of its revitalizing story.
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From ancient ruins lit by candlelight to desert dance floors—AlUla's 2025–2026 season is a journey through time, rhythm, and renewal in one of Saudi's most iconic destinations. Framed by sandstone cliffs and stories carved into stone, AlUla is no longer just a place to visit—it's a destination to return to, again and again. Each year, AlUla transforms into the backdrop for 'AlUla Moments'—a curated, six-month season of festivals, concerts, wellness retreats, outdoor adventures, and cultural experiences set in one of Saudi Arabia's most storied landscapes. Running from September 2025 to February 2026, the upcoming season weaves together everything from electronic sets in the desert to candlelit heritage tours, sound baths in ancient valleys to cycling races across timeless terrain. So, whether you're here for rhythm or reflection, performance or pilgrimage—this is your map to everything unfolding in the 2025–2026 AlUla Moments season. September – AZIMUTH The season opens with a sonic desert storm—AZIMUTH, AlUla's signature music and digital art festival, merges global beats with immersive visuals under star-studded skies. October – AlUla Wellness Festival From sound healing and meditation in Ashar Valley to Les Mills pop-ups, a half marathon, duathlon, and triathlon—this is where stillness meets stamina. November – Ancient Kingdoms Festival AlUla becomes a living museum—you can wander The Incense Road, experience Hegra After Dark, or look up for the drone show above ancient tombs. December – Winter at Tantora Winter at Tantora blends gastronomy, music, and heritage—featuring performances by Ahlam, pop-ups from Ducasse and Annabel's, Tantora Nights, and a celebration of Saudi craft. January – Sport and Art Collide From AlUla Desert Polo and the AlUla Tour cycling race to AlUla Arts Festival, January delivers a dynamic blend of sport and culture—featuring Desert X, Centre Pompidou exhibitions, and design showcases across the AlJadidah Arts District. February – Endurance and Adventure AlFursan Endurance returns with top-tier equestrian competition, while the AlUla Trail Race challenges athletes across some of the region's most dramatic natural terrain.
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AlUla Moments Reveals 2025-2026 Calendar: A Year of Culture, Music, and Discovery in Arabia's Timeless Oasis
AlUla Moments has unveiled its eagerly awaited 2025-2026 calendar, inviting visitors from across the Kingdom and around the world to experience a year of extraordinary festivals and events. Celebrating AlUla's timeless landscapes, deep heritage, and flourishing creative scene, the calendar offers a thoughtfully curated blend of heritage, music, art, wellness, sport, gastronomy, and community experiences, reinforcing AlUla's emergence as one of the region's most inspiring year-round destinations. Rami AlMoallim, Vice President of Destination Management and Marketing at the Royal Commission for AlUla, said: 'Each year, AlUla Moments evolves to offer an even more diverse and enriching array of experiences. The 2025-2026 calendar is a testament to our commitment to creating unique and authentic events that resonate with visitors from around the world. Whether it's through heritage, music, art, adventure, or wellness, AlUla continues to inspire and captivate.' The AlUla Moments 2025-2026 launches in September with the return of AZIMUTH the annual music event to mark the Saudi National Day weekend, uniting global and regional music talent with immersive performances, and cutting-edge visuals in a celebration of culture and creativity beneath AlUla's vast open skies. October brings a renewed focus on wellness, movement, and heritage with the return of AlUla Wellness Festival, a week-long celebration of balance and transformation. Alongside daily yoga sessions, guided meditations, and live performances, the programme introduces for the first time high-energy challenges including the AlUla Half Marathon Road Race, AlUla 24-Hour Endurance Race, AlUla Duathlon, and Ashar Valley Triathlon, alongside iconic fitness sessions with Les Mills, all inviting participants to push their limits amid breathtaking desert landscapes. Launching in November, The Ancient Kingdoms Festival invites visitors to 'journey through time' and experience AlUla's spectacular ancient sites and stories, brought to life in exciting new ways. From day-time discoveries to after-dark encounters, visitors can step into the world's largest living museum to explore the extraordinary landscapes shaped by nature, history, and human legacy at the heart of the Incense Road. Highlights include Hegra After Dark , The Incense Road Experience, the epic Hegra Drone Show 'Stories from the Sky', Ikmah After Dark and Hegra Candlelit Classics concerts, featuring world-renowned international artists. An unmissable opportunity for visitors to enjoy close encounters on the sites where history was made, celebrating AlUla's cultural legacy. In December, Winter at Tantora returns with its beloved blend of music, gastronomy, and heritage celebration. Opening with a tribute to the Saudi Year of Handicrafts and a performance by acclaimed artist Ahlam, this year's edition features highlights including Shorofat Tantora, Old Town Culinary Voyage, Tantora Old Town Nights, and exclusive fine dining restaurants with the return of Ducasse and Annabel's, all set against the enchanting backdrop of AlUla's historic oasis. The start of 2026 is marked by world-class sporting events that spotlight equestrian excellence and endurance racing. In January, AlUla Desert Polo returns to the purpose-built sand track near AlUla's sandstone cliffs, drawing elite players and international attention. Later that month, the AlUla Tour brings top international cyclists to the region for a multi-stage UCI Asia Tour race, showcasing AlUla's dramatic landscapes and rising status in global sport. In February, AlFursan Endurance AlUla challenges the world's top riders in one of the sport's most prestigious competitions, while the AlUla Trail Race welcomes athletes from around the globe to tackle one of the region's most scenic—and demanding—trail courses. Returning for its fifth edition in January, AlUla Arts Festival celebrates creative expression across disciplines, transforming the landscape into a living gallery. The festival features the fourth edition of Desert X AlUla, a landmark open-air exhibition placing visionary contemporary artworks by Saudi and international artists in the dramatic desert landscape, and a major new exhibition curated by AlUla's contemporary art museum in collaboration with the renowned Pompidou Centre, Paris. AlJadidah Arts District will again be animated by performances and programming and will feature an exhibition of contemporary AlUla-inspired design. The AlUla Moments 2025-2026 calendar reflects the destination's evolution into a global stage for creative expression, human connection, and extraordinary experiences. It celebrates what makes AlUla truly unique – its culture, nature, and community – and extends a bold invitation for the world to be part of its revitalizing story.
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AlUla Desert Blaze Returns for 2025, Offering Fiery Test of Endurance in Ancient Landscapes
AlUla, Saudi Arabia – June 2025: The heat is on once more as AlUla Desert Blaze returns for its 3rd edition to the ancient oasis on 15 and 16 August, with 500 endurance runners and thrill-seekers from across the globe are expected to sign up to take on one of the fiercest races in the region. Set against the breathtaking backdrop of AlUla's rugged terrain, the event offers participants an unforgettable journey through a land of dramatic desert canyons, windswept dunes, lush palm-filled valleys and storied monuments carved by time. With distances of 5km, 10km, 21.1km, and 42.2km, the race is open to all – from experienced marathoners to first-time runners looking to challenge themselves in a truly unique setting. The event routes showcase some of AlUla's most iconic landmarks. Runners tackling the 5km, 10km, and 21.1km distances will begin their race at Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. The full marathon – 42.2km of grit and glory – begins in Hegra and passes by Maraya, the world's largest mirrored building and a symbol of AlUla's contemporary vision. AlUla Desert Blaze will offer race kits, refreshments zones and finish-line celebrations, that make every step of the race an unforgettable journey of triumph. The event is a cornerstone of the AlUla Moments calendar, part of an ever-evolving lineup of sports, arts, culture, sports and adventure events that offer visitors rare opportunities to connect deeply with themselves and their surroundings.
