06 July 2014
Ministry of Culture Launches its 6th Edition of Bahrain’s Summer Festival “Summer of Colors”
There is an old myth that says, “ in Dilmun the sun never sets”. In keeping with this tradition Bahrain is all set to host the sixth annual Bahrain Summer Festival starting on 31 July 2014 and will continue until 30 August 2014. H.E Shaihka Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa was speaking during a press conference, which was held at Bab Al Bahrain Mall (6th July 2014) to announce the line-up of performances in the presence of journalists, intellectuals and various media personalities. Held under the theme “Summer of Colors", the festival is a mélange of art, theatre, music and dance, bringing together talented artists and performers from all over the world. This year the Bahrain Summer Festival coincides with Manama celebrating Asian Tourism City 2014.
Boasting a mix of outstanding universal cultural manifestations, such as music, visual arts, theatre, dance, literature and debates, the Bahrain Summer Festival has become one of Bahrain's best established festivals. H.E Shaihka Mai, stated, “The Bahrain Summer Festival keeps getting bigger and better. Through it, we are engaging with the world through culture in all its forms, and sowing the seeds of joy in everyone it touches." H.E added. “Beauty is a universal language, joy is our slogan and our goal is to change the world through arts, music and interactive dialogue on a global scale”. This year's event continues the long tradition of delivering an ambitious program that makes the most of Bahrain's distinctive atmosphere and exciting cultural diversity. It includes a range of family friendly events and offers outdoor performances throughout the city, including site-specific at some rather unusual and unexpected locations.
The Bahrain Summer Festival promises a lot of fun activities and entertainment for the whole family and will attract all segments of society with circus acts, musicians and theatre companies from around the world. Children can also take part in a variety of workshops with artists from across the globe focusing on entertainment, education and development.
The festival will present, yet again, another outstanding musical talent to his legion of faithful fans. Music lovers get ready for a memorable music experience on 13th & 14th of August with the internationally acclaimed Iraqi singer, musician, and composer Ilham Al-Madfai. Joined by his group, the award-winning Al-Madfai will play his signature style of Oriental Latin and jazz which has made him one of the Arab world’s true crossover artists and won him legions of fans across the world. With his unique blend of Western rhythms and Eastern folk songs, this will surely be a musical experience unlike any other.
On the 26th August get ready for a wild evening with Chico & the Gypsies, the latest project of Jahloul “Chico” Bouchiki, co-founder of the legendary French crossover band The Gipsy Kings which became synonymous with memories of carefree summer days.
The Bahrain Summer Festival is also a family event gathering children and parents under one roof to experience joy and entertainment at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Conference Centre (BIECC). The festival will kick off with a Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy show, which will run from July 31 to August 2 at the BIECC. It is inspired by nature and brought to life by an international cast of aerialists, contortionists, acrobats, jugglers and musicians, with spectacular costumes and visual effects that will bring the jungle setting to life. Special programs for children will be held including Dora the Explorer and her friends in Dora's Pirate Adventure from August 7 to 10. Join Dora and her friends as they embark on an exciting voyage to Treasure Island in search of the ultimate pirate party while avoiding Swiper, a sneaky orange masked thieving fox whose attempts at stealing the possessions of Dora always fail.
On 16th & 17th of August, Bahrain’s audience will have a rendezvous with excitement and fun as they feel the power and energy of the high-voltage international street dance sensation Blaze. Featuring a cast of 16 premiere street dancers from around the world and music from the likes of Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga, Kane, David Guetta, and Snoop Dogg, the show will pop, lock, and break dance its way around the island to entertain fans of dance and music looking for a night of top entertainment . From Blaze to the new UAE produced show Freej: Abood's Dream, from August 21 to 24 at the BIECC. Abood’s Dream is a fun romp featuring the hilarious antics of the hero character, Abood, as he ends up in a fantasy adventure while looking after his grandmother’s pet canary – which lives in a fish bowl.
The Bahrain Summer Festival is a dazzling multi-cultural showcase that speaks many languages yet is understood by all. The month-long event features various cultural, artistic, musical, and intellectual events by performers from around the world that celebrate joy and hope. As always, Nakhool and Nakhoola City will be home to a wide array of family-friendly and interactive cultural activities.
H.E Shaihka Mai Bint Mohammad Al-Khalifa, Minister of Culture, expressed her deep gratitude and appreciation to Bahrain City Centre for its sponsorship and support, as well as to the festival's gold media sponsors: The Information Affairs Authority, Channel TV5 Monde, Your FM, Al Bilad and Al Wasat newspapers as well as Rotana magazine, Food and Travel and the Weekender. Also the silver media sponsors are Al Watan and Khaleej.
