RIYADH: Riyadh Season 2024, which begins on Oct. 12, will feature 14 entertainment zones, 11 world championships and 10 exhibitions and festivals.
Full details of the attractions and events during the fifth season were revealed on Wednesday at the St. Regis in VIA Riyadh by Turki Alalshikh, chairperson of the General Entertainment Authority.
He said they will take place within an area of over 7.2 million square meters, and that “4,200 contracts have been signed with 2,100 local companies that account for 95 percent of all businesses participating in the season.”
Kingdom Arena
Building on the growth in size and scale of previous seasons, Alalshikh said the Kingdom Arena zone has been expanded by more than 40 percent this year, boosting its capacity to over 27,000 spectators.
It will host four world championships, including the Oct. 12, season-opening IV Crown Showdown, a boxing card that includes the light heavyweight world title showdown between Russian boxers Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol.
Boxing fans can also look forward to a rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk at the arena on Dec. 21, and the venue will also host the 2024 African Super Cup final on Sep. 27 between Egyptian sides Al-Ahly and Zamalek.
The Venue
The Venue, a new area added to Riyadh Season this year, will host seven events including the Six King Slam, a tennis event in October featuring some of the world’s top players.
Organized by Riyadh Season and MBC Group, The Venue will also host the fifth Joy Awards, Saudi Arabia’s largest event recognizing and honoring the Arab world’s leading artists and their achievements.
Set to take place in The Venue, the WWE Crown Jewel will be held on Nov. 2, and the Raw show on Nov. 3.
Dedicated to honoring marketing effectiveness in the Kingdom, the MENA Effie Awards ceremony will be held on Nov. 21 at The Venue.
Renowned fashion designer Elie Saab will launch his Fall 2025 collection inspired by Riyadh Season.
And for the first time, the Kingdom will welcome a Power Slap event, a competition in which contestants take turns slapping one another.
Boulevard World
This season, Boulevard World will have five additional zones devoted to Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Iran, Africa and the French ski resort Courchevel, for a total of 19 zones. It will have 300 restaurants and cafes, and more than 1,400 shops.
Boulevard City
Boulevard City will have a busy schedule during Riyadh Season, with 25 restaurants and cafes, 12 plays, and 12 concerts.
Alalshikh said the city will also host a stand-up comedy evening featuring the star of the “Bad Boys” movie series, Martin Lawrence.
Manga and anime fans can look forward to a “Detective Conan” experience, while younger viewers will enjoy the event “Land of Dreams,” based on the “Bluey” cartoon series.
For gamers, there will be events focusing on PUBG Mobile and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.
Aficionados of film scores can watch renowned German composer Hans Zimmer perform some of his most memorable movie themes live on stage.
Visitors will also get the chance to travel back in time to an era when dinosaurs roamed the Earth by visiting “Olulu,” a huge dinosaur exhibition featuring a model standing at over 20 meters tall.
Premier Padel P1
After a successful debut in February and March, Premier Padel P1, a high-level padel tournament, will return to Riyadh Season.
Along with the second World Snooker Masters event of the year, the opening of a snooker academy backed by superstar British player Ronnie O’Sullivan is also planned.
Padel Rush, a zone dedicated to playing padel in Boulevard City will host the “Cristiano Ronaldo Padel Experience” in partnership with the global superstar.
Boulevard Runway
This new venue, created in partnership with Saudia, features three Boeing 777 airplanes that have been transformed into retail spaces, restaurants, interactive experiences and games for adults and children.
Wonder Garden
The Wonder Garden has been enhanced to accommodate more visitors. This year, it will offer over 60 theatrical and roaming shows, 65 games and experiences, and more than 40 restaurants.
Al-Murabba
A Christian Dior Exhibition and Museum will open in the historic Al-Murabba district during Riyadh Season, along with a Dior Cafe and a gift shop featuring 500 dresses, vintage and new. It follows similar exhibitions in New York and Paris.
The Groves
The Groves area will feature new cafes and restaurants, a theater overlooking a lake, and outdoor lounges. During Riyadh Season, The Groves will host live music, theatrical performances and art installations.
Dunes of Arabia
The Dunes of Arabia is designed to cater to desert enthusiasts by offering immersive experiences and activities such as sandboarding, desert buggy rides, dune treks, archery and camel riding.
Dog Festival
Riyadh Season will host its first Dog Festival. Over 350 dogs and their owners from around the world will compete in five championships set to take place at Boulevard Hall from Nov. 1 to Dec. 30.
Free areas
For a third consecutive year, Riyadh Zoo will be one of three areas to offer free entry.
The second free area, Swaidi Park, which has been organized this year in association with the Ministry of Media, will for 45 days showcase the cultures of nine countries — Yemen, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia and the Philippines — and the Levant region.
Meanwhile, Souq Al-Awwalin will offer an extensive shopping experience featuring traditional markets, handicrafts and clothing designed to appeal to visitors from both within and outside the Kingdom, as well as cultural performances. As part of Riyadh Season’s social responsibility initiatives, special event days for orphans will take place at Boulevard World and the Wonder Garden.
