Dates for Riyadh Season 2021-22 have now been officially announced.
Riyadh Season is like a souk of cultural events – in the sense there’s something for everyone. And then some. After the success of the first festival in 2019, it showed that not only is there a huge audience for arts and cultural events in the country, but that there’s heaps of superb local talent waiting for a stage.
Riyadh Season is part of Saudi Seasons festival, which includes AlUla Season in December and Jeddah Season in June. And we’re thrilled to see it return for 2021-22, with the festivities kicking off from Wednesday October 20, launching with a giant colourful parade.
Floats, music and cheer will fill the streets. Running until March 2022, the slogan of this year’s festivities is fittingly #imagine_more.
Riyadh Season 2021-22 is the largest festival of its kind in the Middle East and is this time expected to reach 20 million visitors – twice as many as the last event. The last edition saw a giant parade take to the streets, Cirque du Soleil swing into town and the first concert by foreign artists to play at a stadium in Saudi Arabia.
As the capital welcomes Riyadh Season 2021-22 once more, it covers 5.4million square metres and 14 districts. So there’s no reason not to get involved.
This year, we anticipate the return of Winter Wonderland, complete with an ice rink and Ferris wheel, plus more than 100 dining experiences to get our teeth into. There are also a whopping 7,500 event days scheduled, which includes 350 theatre shows, 70 Arabic music concerts, six international musical events, 18 Arabic plays, six international plays, ten international exhibitions and 100 interactive experiences. And sure, you can enjoy world-class entertainment spanning art, music and theatre, but there are a whole load more outings in the wings too, from freestyle wrestling events to football matches.
Make sure you keep an eye out for the more unusual offerings – a wrestling match, anyone? The wide-ranging events include Riyadh Motor Show and the dance festival MDL Beats. While Paris Saint-Germain sees superstar sports heroes, from Lionel Messi to Neymar, participate in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season Cup in January 2022.
Riyadh Season 2021-22 aims bring cheer, excitement and an action-packed schedule to the capital. And it certainly looks set to deliver over the next six months.
We can’t wait. Stay tuned to Time Out Riyadh for everything you need to know about the season’s big highlights and exciting announcements.
enjoy.sa.
