Souq Okaz

Souq Okaz was a market and gathering held in the months of truce before Islam, at which tribes traded and poets competed, and the poems judged best are said to have been hung at the Kaaba; the fair is a foundational reference point for Arabic literature. It lapsed in the early Islamic period. The site outside Taif was revived from 2007 as an annual festival, with a purpose-built venue holding poetry competitions, theatre, craft markets, falconry displays, horse events and reconstructions of the historical fair, running for a few weeks in the season. Outside the festival the grounds are largely empty and there is little to see.

What you actually see

• The poetry competitions - the revived contests that define the fair.
• Craft and heritage markets - the stalls and demonstrations on the grounds.
• Horse and falconry displays - the performance programme.
• The festival venue - the purpose-built grounds outside Taif.

When to go

The festival usually runs in the late summer months, with dates announced each year, and that is the only time the site is worth visiting. Evenings are when the programme runs and the heat drops.

Honest expectations

Outside the festival weeks the grounds are empty. The event is a modern reconstruction rather than a continuation. Programming is in Arabic and much of it depends on language. Accommodation in Taif fills during the festival.

Nearby

Taif lies west; Al Hada road climbs the escarpment beyond it.