Tourism Authority Lists 17 Festivals Held Since January 2023

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Seventeen festivals, from Bahrain Food Festival to New Year’s Eve fireworks, were listed by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority in a reply to MP Basema Mubarak’s question about what the ministry has organised since January 2023 and how organisers are chosen.

The Ministry of Tourism’s written reply to Parliament said the Authority ran events from January 2023 through December 2025. The MP’s question asked for the number of festivals and exhibitions, the budget for each one, the overall funds set aside for events in the period, the rules used to pick organising firms, and the total paid to those firms.

The list for 2023 included Festival City in January, the Bahrain Food Festival in February, Manama Gold in April, and December events under the ‘Celebrate Bahrain’ banner, ending with New Year’s Eve fireworks.

For 2024, the ministry named the Bahrain Food Festival in February, ‘Manama Nights’ during Ramadan from March to April, and the Bahrain Summer Toy Festival from July to August. It also listed December ‘Celebrate Bahrain’ events ending with New Year’s Eve fireworks, as well as Manama Retro.

For 2025, the reply named the Bahrain Food Festival in February, ‘Manama Nights’ in March, Eid celebrations in April, and the Bahrain Summer Toy Festival in July and August. It also listed Royal Bahrain Concours in November, December ‘Celebrate Bahrain’ events ending with New Year’s Eve fireworks, and Hawa Al Manama.

The ministry said the Authority has also backed other events and exhibitions with financial and practical support, including access to its media channels and other resources. Examples named in the reply included Jewellery Arabia, the Autumn Fair, the FIBA 3x3 World Tour season and the Rashid Equestrian and Horse Racing Club season, the Bahrain Coffee Festival, the World Travel Awards ceremony, and the Bahrain International Golf Championship.

On funding, the reply said money put aside for events is linked to yearly goals that can be tracked, with sums decided after reviews of each event’s value and the numbers it is expected to draw, from local visitors and tourists from the Gulf and beyond.

On how organising firms are chosen, the ministry said the process is led by Decree-Law No. 36 of 2002 on tenders, auctions, government purchasing and sales, as amended, and its executive rules, along with related decisions and circulars. It said checks cover the organiser’s status as public or private sector, internal and financial steps, and needed permissions, along with financial and technical scoring. The reply said that scoring looks at quality and delivery standards, the organiser’s record and ability to run the event, reputation, years in the market, main clients, key work in Bahrain, the planned media work, and past editions of the event where relevant. It added that cost work also takes in the event’s length and the size of the intended crowd.