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From Ronaldo experience to Disney castle: Saudi Arabia announces amazing line-up of events, celebrity appearances

The festival will run under the theme 'Big Time', reflecting the scale of entertainment visitors can enjoy

Published: Wed 20 Sep 2023, 12:41 PM

Updated: Thu 21 Sep 2023, 9:52 AM

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Saudi Arabia has announced that the 4th edition of the Riyadh Season will begin on October 28, 2023. Turki Al Sheikh, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA), in a video posted on X recently, made sure to let audiences know that they are in for a whirlwind of unique events and experiences.

The festival will run under the theme 'Big Time', reflecting the scale of entertainment visitors can enjoy.

The video takes us through all that the festival will have to offer, right from AR and VR experiences and museums to celebrity concerts.

New attractions

Calling all Disney fans! As part of the centenary celebrations of the iconic brand, a Disney Castle will be erected in Riyadh, making it the first in the region. The location will put on shows featuring famous animations from the media company.

The Riyadh Season this year will include a 'Barbie' world, which aims to "revive the history of the brand." The video shows fans of the iconic doll enjoying themselves among pink exhibits.

This year's edition includes a new zone called 'Boulevard Hall'. This space has a unique feature - it was built in just 60 days. Spread over an area of 200,000 square meters, it can accommodate more than 40,000 visitors at a time.

Audiences can also immerse themselves in AR and VR worlds, with 'House of Hype' - a unique experience connecting the real world with virtual reality.

Cat-lovers can enjoy time with their feline friends at Riyadh Season's first ever cat café. Children, meanwhile, have an area all to themselves with Blippi Wonders, which is an educational and interactive experience for kids.

Haven for sports fans

Football fans can rejoice, as this edition of the Riyadh Season has more than ever to offer enthusiasts of the game.

The 'Riyadh Season Cup' will feature matches with Al Hilal and Al Nassr clubs, along with another international club.

The Legend Museum is "the first and largest museum for football legends," with more than 30,000 rare artifacts on display. Ronaldo fans can immerse themselves in the CR7 Experience, which is dedicated to the football legend, showcasing his experiences and life story, as well as his trophies and personal memorabilia. It will also feature interactive experiences.

The La Liga Café has also been announced. It is all set to "combine gastronomy, entertainment, football and sports at a new facility based on innovation and technology," according to the video.

"The Riyadh Season Belt Fight, which is the first and largest event of its kind, and one of the largest heavyweight boxing fights," according to Turki Al Sheikh, will be held during the Season as well.

A boxing club will be established in collaboration with champion Mike Tyson, "to discover and train talents in boxing around the world."

The largest wrestling festival in the world, ‘Crown Jewel’, will come to Riyadh as well. World Champion John Cena is set to participate. The ‘Riyadh Tennis Season Cup’ tournament will be held with the participation of the world’s top ranked champions.

Shops, restaurants, entertainment

The 'Boulevard World' area, which has been present in previous editions, will be expanded with 1,180 stores, 120 restaurants and cafes, various artistic performances and various entertainment games.

Visitors will be treated to largest mobile amusement park on an area of half a million square meters, with an integrated entertainment area called ‘Wonder Garden'.

Hundred of the world's most famous food trucks are set to congregate in one area, offering a range of delectable cuisines.

Celebrities, both from the movie world and online, will be spotted at two award shows - one called the Influencer and Content Creators Awards Exhibition and Ceremony (Concon), and the Joy Awards for movies.

The Square (Al Murabba), which was earlier a temporary zone, will now be a permanent one, complete with a new set of dining spots.

Three new zones have been announced this year - the Souk Al Awalain, which will feature the largest weekly auction and the largest area of heritage markets, the Riyadh Zoo , and the Al Suwaidi Park. The ‘Treasure’ competition will give away prizes worth SR6 million.

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