Overview
Riyadh Season is an annual entertainment season held in the city of Riyadh in the Riyadh Region, organised under the supervision of the General Entertainment Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.[1]
Its first edition launched on 11 October 2019, with its events spread across 12 zones throughout the capital, and it continued until mid-December of the same year.[1]
The season is among the Kingdom's most prominent entertainment destinations, offering visitors from within the Kingdom and abroad a range of events, and expanding in its number of zones, visitors and events across its successive editions.[1][3]
First Edition (2019)
The first edition of Riyadh Season launched on 11 October 2019 under the organisation of the General Entertainment Authority, spread across 12 zones in the capital Riyadh and continuing until mid-December 2019.[1]
The season's visitors reached more than 7.6 million by its sixth week, on 18 November 2019, through more than 100 events across 12 sites, of which six were main sites and six were sub-sites.[2]
Riyadh Season 2021
The events of Riyadh Season 2021 launched on 20 October 2021, comprising 14 entertainment zones distributed across the city of Riyadh.[3]
Within a single month the season drew more than 4.5 million visitors and provided more than 122,000 jobs, of which 37,000 were direct and 85,000 were indirect.[3]
The number of Riyadh Season visitors passed 15 million across its 13 zones by 27 March 2022.[4]
Riyadh Season 2023
The General Directorate of Passports, in cooperation with the General Entertainment Authority, announced a special Riyadh Season 2023 stamp bearing the season's logo for arrivals to the Kingdom through King Khalid International Airport during the events, which launched on 1 November 2023.[5]
The season's visitor numbers jumped to more than 9 million by 12 December 2023, within events held under the slogan "Big Time".[6]
At its close on 9 March 2024 the number of visitors reached 20 million, with the opening of the Kingdom Arena zone and the hosting of world boxing bouts and tennis, snooker, padel and skiing tournaments.[7]
Riyadh Season 2024
Three zones opened to the public on 13 October 2024: Boulevard World, Boulevard City and Al-Suwaidi Park, which hosts weeks dedicated to communities.[8]
The season drew two million visitors within a week of its launch on 20 October 2024, with five main zones operating: Boulevard World, Kingdom Arena, Boulevard City, The Venue and Al-Suwaidi Park.[9]
Boulevard World expanded by 30%, bringing the total number of zones to 22, along with 300 restaurants and cafés and more than 890 retail outlets.[9]
Riyadh Season 2025
Details of its sixth edition were announced at the government press conference on 5 October 2025, to launch on 10 October 2025 and to include 11 entertainment zones.[10]
The events launched on schedule with a grand opening parade between the Kingdom Arena and Boulevard World zones, amid a large public turnout.[11]
The estimated brand value of Riyadh Season reached USD 3.2 billion, equivalent to SAR 12 billion, with visitors to the previous edition exceeding 20 million from more than 135 countries.[10]
Riyadh Season 2026
The launch of the seventh edition of Riyadh Season was announced for 21 October 2026, with a varied programme of events, tournaments, shows and entertainment experiences extending over ten weeks, under the slogan "Big Time".[12]
FAQ
Q: When did the first edition of Riyadh Season launch? A: It launched on 11 October 2019.[1]
Q: Who organises Riyadh Season? A: It is organised by the General Entertainment Authority of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.[1]
Q: How many visitors did Riyadh Season 2023 have at its close? A: It reached 20 million visitors at its close on 9 March 2024.[7]
Q: What is the estimated brand value of Riyadh Season? A: It reached USD 3.2 billion, equivalent to SAR 12 billion.[10]
Q: When does the Riyadh Season 2026 edition launch and how long does it last? A: It launches on 21 October 2026 and lasts ten weeks.[12]
Conclusion
Riyadh Season has continued to expand in its zones, visitors and events from its first edition in 2019 to its seventh edition in 2026, reaching 20 million visitors in its previous edition, while the estimated value of its brand reached USD 3.2 billion.[7][10][12]
Related topics on the platform include Qiddiya, Diriyah Gate, the Quality of Life Program and Saudi Vision 2030.
Related topics
- CityRiyadh (city)Capital of Saudi Arabia and seat of the Riyadh Region emirate, beside Diriyah, home to Qasr Al-Hukm and Masmak Palace.
- RegionRiyadh RegionA central Saudi administrative region encompassing the national capital and varied Najdi governorates, with connections to Diriyah, oasis settlement, government and modern economic activity.
- HistoricQiddiyaQiddiya is a Saudi city for entertainment, sports and culture located west of the capital Riyadh, and the first city in the world built on the concept of play. It is developed by Qiddiya Investment Company, one of the companies of the Public Investment Fund, and extends over an area of more than 360 square kilometres.
- HistoricDiriyah GateDiriyah Gate is a development, cultural, and tourism project in Diriyah, northwest of Riyadh. It comprises At-Turaif, which is inscribed on the World Heritage List, and presents more than 600 years of the history and culture of Saudi Arabia.
- TopicQuality of Life ProgramThe Quality of Life Program is one of the programs realizing Saudi Vision 2030; it was launched in 2018 to improve and enrich the life of the individual and the family. It works on ten strategic objectives within seven sectors and carries out its work in cooperation with 23 partner entities through 173 initiatives and 42 strategic indicators.
- National visions and programmesSaudi Vision 2030: A Framework for TransformationAn introduction to Saudi Vision 2030, its social, economic and institutional themes, and the relationship between implementation programmes, long-term targets and measured results.