Saudi Arabia marks its 96th National Day this week, and Bahrain is joining in the fervour. The two countries are linked by more than the 25-kilometre causeway between them: family ties, business and a shared history run just as deep, and thousands of Saudi visitors cross into Bahrain most weekends, let alone during a Saudi National Day celebration. That connection is showing up across the island this week, with malls, souqs and hotels marking the occasion with live performances, traditional hospitality, sweet treats and shopping offers running well into early October.
Whether you’re marking the weekend with family, popping into a mall on the way home from work, or looking for something different to do over the weekend, Bahrain has a good spread of celebrations to choose from. For those planning to make more of a weekend of it, we’ve also put together a separate guide to the hotel staycation offers running through the festive period.
Saudi National Day 2026: Where to Celebrate in Bahrain
The Avenues Bahrain
The Avenues is running four days of Saudi Ardha performances, traditional hospitality and flag giveaways across several of its gates.
From Wednesday to Saturday | 23 to 26 September, celebrations are spread across three parts of the mall:
- Saudi Ardha performances: Wednesday and Thursday | 23 and 24 September, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm, at Gate 6
- Traditional hospitality: Wednesday to Saturday | 23 to 26 September, 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm, at Gate 2 (Grand Avenue) and Gate 5 (The Souk entrance)
- Free Saudi flags: Wednesday and Thursday | 23 and 24 September, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, at the information desks by Gates 1, 3 and 5
The Bahrain Mall
The Bahrain Mall is marking the day with discounts of up to 50 per cent.
Offers start from 5 per cent and run until Monday | 5 October, across a range of stores in the mall.
Café Délice at The Gulf Hotel Bahrain
Café Délice has put together a National Day-themed chocolate cake and chocolate collection.
The chocolate cake is priced at BHD 21, and a larger chocolate collection, made for sharing, costs BHD 40. Orders can be placed by calling 17746434.
City Centre Bahrain
City Centre Bahrain is hosting traditional roaming entertainment across two evenings.
The performances take place on Wednesday and Thursday | 23 and 24 September, from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm.
Dragon City Bahrain
Dragon City’s Center Court has family activities running every evening until Saturday | 26 September.
Between 5:00 pm and 10:00 pm daily, the line-up includes Arabic hospitality, a kids’ corner, balloon art and twisting, falcon photography, henna and face painting. Individual activity times can shift through the evening, so it’s best to check the schedule on arrival.
Marassi Galleria
Marassi Galleria is staging a light and music show four times each evening from Wednesday to Saturday | 23 to 26 September.
Shows run at 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:30 pm and 10:30 pm across all four days.
Monsoon Bahrain
Monsoon is marking Saudi National Day with a menu built around Saudi heritage and flavours.
The restaurant is celebrating the occasion with dishes that draw on Saudi heritage and its associated flavours. If you haven’t checked out this award-winning Asian restaurant in Bahrain yet, take this as your sign. Tables can be reserved on 17749222.
Exhibition World Bahrain
Two nights of Khaleeji music are being staged at Terminal 4 by Beyon, Exhibition World Bahrain.
Khalid Abdulrahman performs on Thursday | 24 September, followed by Dr Abadi Al Johar on Friday | 25 September. Tickets are available at beyonaldana.com.bh.
Souq Al Baraha
Souq Al Baraha is holding a one-off evening of music, hospitality and family activities on Friday | 25 September.
From 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm, the evening includes a performance from the Fursan Al Mamlaka Band, traditional hospitality, a kids’ incense-colouring workshop with Sally Art, and face painting.
Between the malls, the souqs and the hotels, there’s no shortage of ways to mark the day on this side of the causeway, whether that’s catching a show, picking up a flag, or simply enjoying the shared spirit of the occasion.
READ MORE: September Staycation: 11 Hotels in Bahrain Offering Getaways for the Whole Family
Subscribe Now
Get the best of Bahrain delivered straight to your inbox.