Muscat Nights 2026: 31 days of cultural, entertainment extravaganza ends

Oman Sunday 01/February/2026 14:46 PM
By: Times News Service
Muscat Nights 2026: 31 days of cultural, entertainment extravaganza ends

Muscat: The activities of Muscat Nights 2026 concluded on Saturday evening after a successful 31-day run, during which the festival presented a wide range of cultural, artistic, sporting, and entertainment events.

The festival contributed to enhancing tourism, economic, and cultural activity across Muscat Governorate, attracting large numbers of visitors to parks, public spaces, shopping malls, and major tourist destinations throughout the winter season.

Organised by the Muscat Municipality in a new and innovative format since its launch on January 1, the festival witnessed a notable increase in public turnout. Events were distributed across multiple locations, including Qurum Natural Park, Al Amerat Public Park, the Oman Automobile Association, the Royal Opera House Muscat, Seeb Beach, Wilayat of Qurayyat, Wadi Al Khoudh, and several shopping malls.

Muscat Nights 2026 delivered a high-quality and diverse programme that reflected an integrated vision combining entertainment, culture, sports, and economic engagement, while catering to various segments of society.

The festival established itself as an exceptional winter season event, reinforcing Muscat’s position as a vibrant cultural and tourism destination.

One of the festival’s most prominent features was the symbolic character “Siraj,” depicted as an Omani child made of light roaming Muscat’s skyline. Siraj embodied the festival’s visual and narrative identity and attracted families and visitors from within and outside the Sultanate of Oman.

The fountain and light symphony provided a modern visual experience that blended art and technology, transforming the lake into an open-air stage featuring synchronized water, music, and lighting performances.

Meanwhile, the Muscat Nights Circus, held daily at the Oman Automobile Association venue, showcased international performances including acrobatics, aerial acts, balance routines, and sleight of hand, alongside advanced hologram technology producing three-dimensional visual scenes.

The circus area also featured a dedicated children’s zone offering interactive educational experiences, allowing children to play scientific profession roles and explore simplified concepts related to astronomy and space.

These activities were complemented by creative workshops in drawing, coloring, and handicrafts, within an integrated environment combining education and entertainment.

Drone shows added a distinctive visual dimension to the festival, presenting moving light formations inspired by Muscat Governorate’s cultural identity and the festival’s themes. Family-oriented events, including the Masha and the Bear experience, enabled children to interact with characters in an imaginative setting.

The festival also hosted a wide range of sports activities, including cycling races, endurance challenges, shooting sports, martial arts, friendly football matches, bowling, billiards, snooker, and the local and international Muscat Nights 3×3 Basketball Championship, with teams participating from inside and outside the Sultanate.

Youth-focused activities included professional drifting and advanced driving demonstrations, along with adventure experiences such as zip-lining and interactive outdoor activities, all conducted in a safe and well-organized environment aligned with young people’s interests in dynamic and challenge-based entertainment.

The Heritage Village highlighted the depth of Omani cultural identity through live demonstrations of traditional crafts, folk arts, local cuisine, and representations of traditional architectural environments.

In parallel, Oman Design Week showcased artistic installations and interactive design works reflecting innovation, urban aesthetics, and sustainability, transforming public spaces into open galleries for art and design. Fashion Week events further enriched the program through fashion shows blending cultural identity with contemporary global trends.

Yasser bin Salem Al Amri, Chairman of the Muscat Nights 2026 Events Committee, stated that the activities held at Al Amerat Park achieved a significant social and recreational impact by providing an integrated family-friendly environment combining entertainment, education, and community interaction.

He added that this edition introduced new activities targeting children, youth, and families, including interactive games, theatrical performances, competitions, and sports and artistic programmes, which contributed to strengthening family bonds and creating vibrant atmospheres suitable for all age groups. He also noted that the organising committee allocated dedicated spaces for small and medium enterprises and productive families to showcase their products, enhancing their marketing and economic opportunities.

Al Amri explained that Al Amerat Park attracted more than 400,000 visitors during the festival period, marking a significant increase compared to the previous year.

During peak periods, particularly on weekends, average daily attendance ranged between 22,000 and 27,000 visitors.

He further noted that more than 50 small enterprises and productive families participated at the park, achieving strong sales volumes and promoting local brands through direct engagement with the public.

Commercial booths recorded high turnout, with positive indicators for daily sales and tangible financial returns, particularly in food, handicrafts, and local products within the Heritage Village and Crafts Market.

In conclusion, Al Amri expressed the organisers’ aspiration for future editions of Muscat Nights to expand the range of high-quality events, introduce more interactive experiences and modern technologies, and increase participation opportunities for small enterprises and productive families.

---------- Forwarded message ---------

From: sheikha sqcccrc <[email protected]>

Date: Sun, Feb 1, 2026 at 2:28 PM

Subject: Muscat Nights 2026 Events concluded

To: MMG Editorial <[email protected]>

Times News Service

Muscat: The activities of Muscat Nights 2026 concluded this evening after running for 31 days, during which a wide range of events and activities were held, combining culture, arts, sports, competitions, and cultural and artistic evenings. The festival aimed to enhance tourism, economic, and cultural activity across various locations in the governorate, including parks, gardens, shopping malls, and tourist attractions, providing opportunities to attract large numbers of visitors to enjoy the winter atmosphere and the diverse events.

The promotional efforts implemented by Muscat Municipality for Muscat Nights 2026, presented in a new format since its launch on January 1, contributed to a noticeable increase in public attendance. Events were distributed across multiple locations within Muscat Governorate, including Qurum Natural Park, Al Amerat Public Park, the Oman Automobile Association, the Royal Opera House Muscat, Seeb Beach, the Wilayat of Qurayyat, Wadi Al Khoudh, as well as shopping malls.

The capital, Muscat, witnessed an exceptional season of Muscat Nights 2026, featuring a high-quality program and diverse content that reflected an integrated vision for the winter season, combining entertainment, culture, sports, and economic activity, and engaging various segments of society.

The symbolic character “Siraj,” representing Muscat Nights 2026, stood out as one of the festival’s most prominent attractions. Depicted as an Omani child made of light roaming the city’s skyline, Siraj embodied the narrative and visual dimension of the festival and attracted families and visitors from within and outside the Sultanate of Oman.

The fountain and light symphony delivered a modern visual experience blending art and technology, transforming the lake into an open-air stage featuring artistic water fountain performances synchronized with music and lighting.

Meanwhile, the Muscat Nights Circus, through its daily performances at the Oman Automobile Association venue by international artists, showcased acrobatics, aerial acts, balance performances, and sleight of hand, in addition to incorporating hologram technology as a key element of the show. This advanced lighting technology uses light waves to produce three-dimensional visual scenes.

The circus area also included a dedicated children’s activity designed to offer an interactive educational experience, allowing children to role-play scientific professions and explore simplified presentations from the worlds of astronomy and space. This was complemented by creative artistic activities in drawing, coloring, and handicrafts within an integrated educational and entertainment environment that balances enjoyment with the development of children’s imagination.

Drone shows featured moving light formations simulating artistic and cultural symbols inspired by the identity of Muscat Governorate and the festival’s themes. In addition, the Masha and the Bear event—an imaginative and fun family adventure—enabled children to interact with characters and storylines. The festival was accompanied by sports programs including cycling races, endurance events, shooting, martial arts, friendly football matches, bowling, billiards, and snooker, as well as the local and international Muscat Nights 3×3 basketball championship, which saw participation from teams inside and outside the Sultanate.

Youth-focused activities combining challenge and movement were also featured, including drifting car shows and professional advanced driving demonstrations, alongside adventure activities such as zip-lining and interactive outdoor experiences. These were held within a safe and well-organized environment targeting young people, offering them a contemporary experience aligned with their interests in dynamic, thrill-based entertainment and a spirit of challenge.

The Heritage Village reflected the depth of Omani identity and local cultural heritage through a contemporary vision, featuring live demonstrations of traditional crafts, folk arts, local cuisine, and representations of Oman’s traditional architectural environments.

Meanwhile, Oman Design Week presented artistic installations and interactive design works reflecting concepts of innovation, urban beauty, and sustainability. The event brought together designers, artists, and creatives, aiming to highlight local and international creative talents and transform public spaces into open galleries for art and design. Fashion Week events featured fashion shows combining artistic creativity, cultural identity, and contemporary global trends.

Yasser bin Salem Al Amri, Chairman of the Muscat Nights 2026 Events Committee, said at Al Amerat Park that the activities held at the park achieved a noticeable social and recreational impact, while providing an integrated family-friendly environment that combined entertainment, education, and community interaction.

He added that this edition witnessed the launch of new and diverse activities dedicated to children, youth, and families, such as interactive games, theatrical performances, competitions, and sports and artistic activities. These initiatives helped strengthen family bonds and create vibrant atmospheres suitable for all age groups. He noted that the organizing committee was keen to support small and medium enterprises and productive families by allocating dedicated spaces to showcase their products, thereby enhancing their marketing and economic opportunities.

Al Amri explained that Al Amerat Park attracted more than 400,000 visitors during the event period, representing a significant increase compared to last year and reflecting growing public interest and confidence in the quality of the programs offered. He added that the average daily number of visitors during peak periods, especially on weekends, ranged between 22,000 and 27,000 visitors.

He further stated that more than 50 small enterprises and productive families participated at the park, benefiting from sales volumes and the promotion of local brands, in addition to establishing direct communication channels with the public. Commercial booths recorded strong turnout, with positive indicators for daily sales volumes and tangible financial returns, particularly in food, handicrafts, and local products within the Heritage Village and the Crafts Market.

In conclusion, he expressed the organizers’ aspiration for the next edition of Muscat Nights to expand the scope of high-quality events, introduce more interactive experiences and modern technologies, and increase participation from small enterprises and productive families.

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