The 27th Hama Spring Festival is continuing around Hama’s historic citadel, with hundreds of participants and activities covering more than 25,000 square metres. The 15-day programme brings together commercial, economic, educational, cultural and health-related events.
Record participation exceeds 560 events
Hadeel Suleiman, one of the festival’s organisers, said the number of participants had exceeded 560 commercial and economic events for the first time in its history. She added that expanding participation to include educational, cultural and health sectors distinguishes this edition from previous ones, which were limited to commercial activities.
Hotel bookings support tourism activity
He expected visitor numbers to rise during the festival, noting that hotels in the city had recorded full bookings during the summer of 2026. Mohammed al-Sharif, Hama Governorate’s public relations officer, described the festival as an extension of an old local tradition and an opportunity to stimulate the governorate’s economy and tourism, while introducing visitors to the area’s tourist sites and culture.
Nader al-Qadi, a member of the organising committee, said this was the first edition in which the activities had been organised locally in an integrated manner, noting the participation of more than 550 shops in one area. The opening ceremony included a presentation on episodes from the governorate’s military and political history, as well as introductions to several of its scholars in the fields of religion, natural sciences, geography and engineering.
Government directorates took part through field units at the festival site to engage with citizens, explain how they operate and receive suggestions and complaints, according to festival spokesperson Abdul Rahman Farhoud. Local organisations and volunteer teams also helped organise visitor traffic and provided activities focused on cleanliness and community and cultural awareness.
Farhoud expected attendance to exceed the level recorded at the previous edition, which drew between 200,000 and 300,000 visitors. According to the organisers, the Hama Spring Festival tradition dates back to 1935.
