{{short description|Cultural festival in Saudi Arabia held annually}} thumb|Jenadriyah 27
'''Al-Jenadriyah''' ({{langx|ar|مهرجان الجنادرية|Maharajān al-Janādrīyah}}) was a cultural and heritage festival held in '''Jenadriyah''' (or '''Janadriyah'''<ref name="SS01">Mohammad Nowfal, [http://www.splendidarabia.com/location/riyadh/janadriyah/ Janadriyah, Saudi Arabia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125004733/http://www.splendidarabia.com/location/riyadh/janadriyah/ |date=2010-01-25 }}, ''Splendid Arabia'' website. Retrieved 2010-08-23</ref>) near Riyadh in Saudi Arabia each year, lasting for two weeks. {{blockquote|"King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz was the first to organize this festival. He fostered it and developed it to become the top Arab festival that showcases the local heritage of all Arabian Peninsula regions as well as the Saudi Arabian heritage."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2017/02/10/Jenadriyah-festival-showcases-best-of-Arab-heritage-culture.html|title=Jenadriyah festival showcases best of Arab heritage, culture|website=english.alarabiya.net|language=en|access-date=2018-12-22}}</ref>}}
It was organised by the National Guard, and the first was held in 1985.<ref name="SI01" /> Activities included a camel race, performance of local music and dancing of the Ardah and the Mizmar. The festival drew more than one million visitors every year.<ref name="SI01">{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20000522101405/http://www.saudinf.com/main/h15.htm Jenadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival]}}, SAMIRAD, the Saudi Arabian Market Information Resource.</ref> The festival "normally falls during the month of February or March... Long ago, Janadriyah was known as 'Rowdhat Souwais' and was mentioned by numerous historians and writers."<ref name="SS01" />
The last Jenadriyah festival was the 33rd edition, held from December 20, 2018 to January 9, 2019.<ref name="gazette">https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/578932#:~:text=The%20festival%20witnessed%20visit%20of,4391%20views</ref> In July 2019, the Saudi cabinet transferred the responsibility of organizing the festival to the Ministry of Culture after it was under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Guard.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1526836/saudi-arabia|title=Saudi minister of culture welcomes task of organizing Janadriyah festival|date=2019-07-17|website=Arab News|language=en|access-date=2019-07-18}}</ref> The next festival was set to take place in November 2020;<ref name="gazette"/> however, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia, the festival was postponed<ref>https://www.arabnews.com/node/1704931/%7B%7B#:~:text=The%20popular%20cultural%20event%20was,project%20that%20is%20wholly%20Saudi.</ref> and has not been held since.
== Events and activities == The festival opened with the opening ceremony master; it then proceeded with various events, including:
* Al Janadriya Operetta * Tourism Oasis *Saudi Ardah * Government Pavilions * Provincial Pavilions * Companies and Corporate wings * Poetry Evenings * Heritage Village Activity<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://sauditourism.sa/en/ExploreKSA/Events/Pages/Aljanadriyah.aspx|title=Jenadriyah Heritage and Cultural Festival|website=sauditourism.sa|language=en-us|access-date=2018-12-22|archive-date=2018-12-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223030206/http://sauditourism.sa/en/ExploreKSA/Events/Pages/Aljanadriyah.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> *Camel racing * Horse racing and endurance * Dancing * Folk costumes *Book fair * Centre for documentation and pictures * Host country of the world to participate in the festival. In 2010, the French Republic participated in the Jenadriyah 25. * Display of traditional crafts such as pottery, weaving, woodwork, metalwork, and leatherwork
== Country participation in the festival == Every year Saudi Arabia has hosted a guest of honor such as:
* In 2010, the French Republic participated in the Jenadriyah 25. * In 2011, Japan was the guest of honor country at the Jenadriyah 26.<ref name="Arab News 1424111">[https://www.arabnews.com/node/1424111/saudi-arabia Janadriyah festival celebrates the best of Saudi heritage | Arab News]</ref> * In 2012, South Korea was the guest of honor country at the Jenadriyah 27.<ref name="Arab News 1424111"/> * In 2013, China was the guest of honor country at the Jenadriyah 28.<ref name="Arab News 1424111"/> * In 2014, the United Arab Emirates was the guest of honor country at the Jenadriyah 29.<ref name="Arab News 1424111"/><ref>[https://www.arabnews.com/news/518841 UAE guest of honor at Janadriyah fest | Arab News]</ref>
: ''Jenadriyah 30 was originally scheduled to be held in February 2015, but the festival was cancelled and postponed one year following the death of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz in January 2015.''<ref>[https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/saudi-postpones-biggest-festival-after-king-abdullahs-death-734101 Saudi Postpones Biggest Festival After King Abdullah's Death]</ref>
* In 2016, Germany was the guest of honor country at the Jenadriyah 30.<ref name="Arab News 1424111"/> * In 2017, Egypt was the guest of honor at Janadriyah 31.<ref name="Arab News 1424111"/> * In 2018, India was the guest of honor country at Janadriyah 32.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-01-26 |title=Janadriyah Festival with India as guest of honor |url=http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/526962/World/Asia/Janadriyah-Festival-with-India-as-guest-of-honor |access-date=2018-12-22 |website=Saudi Gazette |language=English}}</ref> * In 2019, Indonesia was the guest of honor country at Janadriyah 33.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/node/1392211/saudi-arabia|title=Honoring Indonesia at Janadriyah 'confirms close ties with Saudi Arabia'|date=2018-10-23|website=Arab News|language=en|access-date=2018-12-22}}</ref>
== See also == {{Portal|Saudi Arabia}}
* Tourism in Saudi Arabia {{Commons category|Jenadriyah}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20101225122351/http://www.janadria.org.sa/ Official website of the Festival] {{in lang|ar}}
Category:Annual events in Saudi Arabia Category:Folk festivals in Saudi Arabia