RIYADH — Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Board of Directors of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) announced on Wednesday that Riyadh Season 2022 will have its grand opening on Friday, Oct. 21.

He said that an international concert and a circus show, by the Canadian entertainment giant Cirque du Soleil, will be the major attraction of the opening day of the festival, with the slogan of “Beyond Imagination.” There will be spectacular fireworks that will light up the sky of Riyadh for a total of 65 days.

Al-Sheikh said that activities of the new season would be held in 15 zones, each of which features unique entertainment characteristics. Among the zones, the most prominent will be the ‘Boulevard World,’ which brings together the cultures and cuisines of several countries around the world, such as the United States of America, France, Greece, India, China, Spain, Japan, Morocco, and Mexico in addition to Venice of Italy, where all these countries will showcase their experiences through restaurants, markets, and arts.

The Riyadh Season 2022 will witness the opening of ‘Boulevard World’ zone for the first time, and it will house the largest man-made lake in the world, where visitors can enjoy riding submarines for the first time in the heart of the desert in the capital city. It is also set to captivate visitors with a number of special events such as the Combat Village, and the Super Hero Village, in addition to a cable car that allows transportation between the zone and its neighboring Boulevard Riyadh City zone, with a capacity of 3,000 visitors per hour.

As for Boulevard Riyadh City, it has made many added developments compared to the previous year. Most notable among them is the creation of 12 new restaurants and cafes, in addition to the staging of 25 Arab and international plays, including seven Saudi plays, most notably the plays of philosopher Youssef Al-Thunayan and the ‘Flaming Arrow’ of Majed Abdullah, in addition to a number of weekly events.

According to Al-Sheikh, the ‘Winter Wonderland’ zone will return this year with five new games, as well as various experiences that allow residents and visitors of the capital to explore new and distinctive options, while the historic ‘Murabba’ zone area hosts eight most famous and luxurious restaurants, cafes and stores from around the world and ‘Riyadh Sky’ zone offers cloud-hugging lounges for dining and distinctive varieties of cuisines.

‘Via Riyadh’ zone features a Salmani-style designed area, in a harmony with Riyadh’s local culture. It has one of the most popular five-star hotels, the St Regis Riyadh, as well as seven luxurious cinema halls and several restaurants, cafes and boutiques for the first in the Kingdom.

The season includes a number of exhibitions catering to the taste of all types of visitors, families, children, and individuals, such as a toy fair, workshops, ‘I am an Arab,’ anime, ‘Black Hat,’ as well as for fairs for perfumes and cars.

As part of its activities this year, the Season introduces ‘Riyadh Zoo,’ which represents one of the most prominent international zoos, with more than 1,300 animals of 190 species. There are also several surprises in the areas of ‘Little Riyadh’ and ‘The Groves’ in the Diplomatic Quarter.

The ‘Fan Festival’ will feature three mega screens to give the full atmosphere of the World Cup, featuring live concerts and roaming shows along with e-sport tournaments. It can accommodate more than 20,000World Cup fans for each match and includes an exhibition on world footballer Diego Maradona, and another exhibition on Newcastle Club, the GEA chief said.

Riyadh Imagination Park is a lively entertainment destination for the youth, bringing fun and excitement in the Al-Rehab district, west of Riyadh. It is also a zone dedicated to gaming experiences that simulate the most famous films, their designs, and their live shows.

The season also includes a group of sporting events such as WWE wrestling event, and the Riyadh Season Cup, which brings together the Paris Saint-Germain team with the stars of Al Hilal and Al Nasr.

Al-Sheikh noted that there are a number of zones with free of charge entry during the season, such as ‘Suwaidi Park,’ ‘Qariat Zaman, which takes back visitors to the old days of the 1980s and 90s,’ and ‘Al-Zel’ heritage market, and a number of events that attract all segments of visitors including families, bachelors, children and the elderly.

Spanning over five months, the Riyadh Season is primarily a city-wide celebration in itself and in the larger context, Saudi Arabia and its people. It is one of the many initiatives taken by Saudi Arabia to boost economic and tourist activity, with a focus on non-religious tourism.

The initiative falls in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, as Saudi Arabia moves toward a progressive future. International travelers can now easily visit Saudi Arabia as it has aimed to boost tourism through the quick and simple process of procuring an e-visa.

In the second season held from 20 October 2021, 14 zones were set up for the festivities and multiple events, performances, and concerts were held including those by the renowned international rapper Pitbull, David Guetta, Stray Kids, Amima Taleb & Rashid Al-Faris, Mutref Al-Muttafa, Dalia Mubarak, Assala Nasri & Ayed, Abdulmajeed Abdullah, the Egyptian Orchestra and Cirque du Glace. Last year over 150 artists from around the world performed at the event across eight stages equipped with top-notch sound systems.

This year’s season is characterized by presenting an exclusive mixture of suspense and modernity, making the capital Riyadh a major incubator, a preferred destination, and a stimulating space that exceeds the local and international imagination, with what it provides to residents and visitors. It also aims to contribute to raising the level of the entertainment sector industry and consolidate the Kingdom’s position as one of the most prominent entertainment destinations at the regional and global levels.

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