TAIF: The annual Taif Rose Festival opens Saturday with organizers promising a bigger and better event than ever before. The official opening will be conducted by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Emir of Makkah, at King Faisal Gardens. “Everything is in place for the grand opening,” said Fahd Bin Mu'ammar, head of the Tourism Development Council. “We have designated areas for farmers and producers to put on their displays rose-related products, sites offering the typical food and handicraft products of the region, and we also have this year the Great Flower Carpet.” The 900 sq. meter bed of flowers, created by the Taif Mayoralty, consists of over 100,000 offshoots of 10 different varieties of flower. The mayoralty's zone at the festival further highlights its efforts to bring flowers and greenery to public places in Taif and the surrounding regions and promote their beautification among the public. Other attractions include an open theater staging productions for the family and children and a wide range of cultural competitions. An enclosed theater hall will hold symposiums and lectures as well as folkloric displays celebrating the culture of Taif.
