The Taif rose is processed by cooking and distilling it, a complex process that takes about 12 hours to turn the flower into a fragrance. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
- Host of events planned for annual celebration of region’s beloved blooms
- Taif produces rose oil for some of world’s most famous perfumes
RIYADH: A host of floral and fragrant events and attractions are set to welcome visitors to this year’s Taif Rose Festival.
Organized by the Ministry of Culture, the event runs from April 21 to May 5.
Taif is regarded as the leading producer of rose fragrances in the Middle East, with about 900 farms producing more than 300 million blooms from March to April every year.
A worker at the Bin Salman farm sits amidst freshly picked Damascena (Damask) roses in the air, used to produce rose water and oil, in the western Saudi city of Taif. (AFP)
These are distilled and processed into fine rose oils, which are used in some of the world’s very best perfumes, including creations by Jimmy Choo and Givenchy.
This year’s festival will feature a parade of roses through the streets of Taif to Al-Raddaf Park, where there will be many activities and events to enjoy, including a light show, market and a children’s zone.
There will also lots of culinary treats, with local chefs conjuring up fabulous dishes that incorporate the Taif rose.
Last year’s festival attracted almost 1 million visitors and featured more than 50 events. It even achieved a world record for the largest flower basket. The impressive display was more than 12 meters long, almost 8 meters wide and stood 1.3 meters tall.
Comprising 84,450 roses, it took 190 people more than 168 hours to create.
— Reprinted with permission of Arab News.