Al-Baha | 14 Safar 1447H, corresponding to 8 August 2025. Folk arts in Al-Baha region are thriving, carrying a rich history that tells the stories of ancestors and reflects the diversity of environments and cultures in the south of the Kingdom. These arts are distinguished by their multiple forms and styles, which vary from one governorate to another, creating a diverse artistic scene that caters to visitors' and residents' tastes and embodies authenticity passed down through generations.

The director of the Al-Baha branch of the Saudi Society for Culture and Arts, Ali Khamis Al-Baidani, explained that the region has 12 folk troupes with more than 350 members and participants from various governorates, and that the society works to document and revive fading arts such as Al-Harmouj, Al-Mahshoush, Al-Samer, Al-La'ib, Al-Mashabani, Turuq Al-Jabal and Al-Majalsi, through dedicated festivals as well as national, social and tourism occasions.

Al-Baidani noted that these efforts align with Vision 2030's support for culture and the arts, turning local heritage from an archival legacy into a contemporary cultural product reflecting the diversity and richness of Al-Baha's people, noting that folk arts have been included in the region's encyclopedia of oral literature and folk medicine.

Society member Mohammed bin Rabea Al-Ghamdi explained that performing arts in Al-Baha are divided into two main categories: Al-Ardah, a practical folk art blending artistic beauty with a functional purpose, once used to display tribal strength and train for maneuvers, relying on rhythm, instruments and body movement; and Al-La'ib, an art for art's sake including Al-Harmouj, Al-Mashabani, Al-Samer and Al-Maksour, performed using instruments such as the zeer, halla and daf drums, alongside folk wind instruments.

These arts shine at festivals and national occasions, where Al-Ardah and Al-Madqal are renowned for their striking scenes blending horsemen's costumes with gunpowder smoke, their arenas resounding with rousing poetry, alongside other dances such as Al-Khatwa, Al-Zahfa, Al-Qaz'awa, Al-Zamil, Al-Masira and Al-Ra'ih.

This artistic diversity is a major tourism and cultural draw for Al-Baha region, making it a prominent destination for heritage and folk-art enthusiasts in the Kingdom.