The Muharraq Nights Festival showcases art, music, crafts, heritage tours, and family activities along the Pearling Path/Image: BNA
This December, Muharraq will once again use its historic streets as a stage, bringing art, music, heritage and family-centred activities together for a festival that stretches the length of the Pearling Path. The fourth edition of Muharraq Nights promises a renewed programme, longer hours on weekends, and an experience that blends cultural tradition with the creative energy shaping Bahrain’s contemporary identity.
A cultural season centrepiece
Running from 1 to 30 December 2025, the Muharraq Nights Festival forms a key part of the Celebrate Bahrain season and is positioned as one of the month’s major attractions. The event is organised by the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA), which confirmed that preparations are in their final stages and that this year’s edition has been shaped around a detailed development timeline to ensure a fresh and distinctive visitor experience.
Across the historic city, the festival is designed to transform daily evenings into lively encounters with culture. Streets, alleyways, courtyards and historic homes become open spaces for visitors arriving from across Bahrain and abroad, with Muharraq’s architectural legacy forming the backdrop to every event.
A festival built around the Pearling Path
The Pearling Path, a 3.5-kilometre route inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, anchors the entire programme. Activities unfold throughout the route’s historic houses, public squares and adjoining alleys, many of which are also part of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network. This layout allows visitors to move between multiple stations that highlight the stories, craftsmanship and community memory that define Muharraq’s heritage.The festival’s aim is not only to entertain but also to reaffirm the role of cultural engagement in preserving national identity. By opening up these locations at night, the programme offers an accessible way to explore places that have shaped Muharraq’s social and economic history.
Art, music, food and family activities
The festival’s schedule covers a wide range of experiences:
- Live music staged along the Pearling Path and within historic courtyards
- Artistic showcases, including exhibitions and performances
- Crafts and design installations reflecting local creative talent
- Children’s activities designed for interaction and play
- Food offerings for visitors keen on exploring varied culinary options
- Guided heritage tours, providing stories behind the district’s traditional houses and the people who once lived and worked along the path
Evenings are structured to encourage unhurried exploration, with each stop offering a different way to connect with Muharraq’s past and present.
Visiting the festival
Muharraq Nights will run every day throughout December. Opening times are set as follows:
- Sunday to Wednesday: 5:00pm to 10:00pm
- Thursday to Saturday: 5:00pm to 12:00 midnight
Visitors can follow updates and the daily schedule through:
- The Pearling Path website
- BACA’s official account @CultureBah
- The Pearling Path account @pearlingpath
