A Palestinian Folkloric Wedding Fills the Old City of Nablus
Yalla led a traditional wedding celebration that moved through the Old City's streets, from the hammam to Khan Al-Wakaleh.
On 3 October 2026, the Yalla Project was the main organiser of the Palestinian Folkloric Wedding in the Old City of Nablus. The event was initiated by Sharek Youth Forum and held in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Jabal Al-Nar Club, Budour Association for Development and Culture, Al-Orjuwan for Fashion and Embroidery, and the Yalla ‘a Nablus Initiative.
The event set out to strengthen the cultural and historical identity of Nablus and to celebrate its rich heritage, as part of youth and community efforts to bring life back to the Old City.
The day followed the rituals of a traditional Nablus wedding. The groom was prepared at Hammam Al-Shifa, the city’s historic Turkish bath, while the bride was prepared at the Turquoise Hostel. Two parades then set off through the Old City: first the groom’s procession, then the bride’s, each winding through the streets to Khan Al-Wakaleh, the restored Ottoman caravanserai. Along the way, crowds of residents and visitors who had come to Nablus especially for the occasion joined in.
At the Khan, the celebration continued with traditional songs, folk poetry and dabke, turning the historic courtyard into a festive gathering for the whole city.
For us at Yalla, events like this show what the Old City can be: not only a heritage site to preserve, but a living place where traditions are practised, shared and passed on.
