Jordan’s history, culture and natural splendour are all in display in the annual Jerash Festival.
The popular cultural gathering is in full swing in Jordan’s ancient city of Jerash, north of the capital Amman.
Running from July 18 to July 27, the festival already hosted a string of concerts by popular Arabic music acts. The names include Lebanese stars Nancy Ajram and Wael Kfoury, in addition to Tunisian folk artist Loutfi Bouchnak.
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The festival is bigger than pop music
The event, however, is more than the big name draw cards. The dynamic programme is also home to plenty of cultural events, ranging from readings by some of the region’s esteemed poets and traditional dance programmes.
When it comes to the latter, Jordan's very own Al Jeel Al Jadeed (The New Generation) put on a powerful display at venue's main stage, a breathtaking Greco-Roman architecture.
The Amman based troupe are trained in the art of Circassian dance. Stemming from The Circassian people, an ethnic group hailing from the North Caucuses on the coast of the Black Sea, the traditional dances have similarities to ballet.
Men dance on toes, while women move gracefully while keeping their upper bodies and head stationary.
An eclectic program
Now in its 34rd year, Jerash Festival remains one of Jordan’s biggest cultural draws. The concerts, most of which are outdoors, are performed on stages surrounded by ancient ruins, thus guaranteeing a feast for the eyes and ears.
The festival continues with more than 20 eclectic events to come. They range from Palestinian crooner Mohammed Assaf (July 25) and Lebanese poet and oud virtuoso Marcelle Khalife to the festival finale on July 27 featuring Egyptian pop legend Mohammed Mounir and Jordanian singer Caroline Mady.
How do I get there?
Flight time to Amman, Jordan, is three hours and five minutes, with a further hour's drive from Amman Airport to Jerash. For details, go to www.jerashfestival.jo