Roll up, Riyadh Season 2022 is fast approaching, and the Saudi capital is ready for the full schedule. The countdown is on for Friday October 21 when we can go check out the 15 new zones.
Riyadh is a huge city, and Riyadh Season is an epic of pretty massive proportions (see 15 zones). We’re not just saying that. It is the biggest event of its kind in the Middle East. The winter festival is part of the Saudi Seasons, and like Diriyah Season, it is one of the highlights of autumn and winter.
Before Riyadh Season 2022 officially begins on Friday October 21, here is a primer on everything worth knowing about Riyadh Season.
All about Riyadh Season
Riyadh Season is an annual festival that started in 2019 as part of the Saudi Seasons. It is a genuinely massive event that can last for three months, and sometimes even longer. The festival has something for everyone of all ages and interests, whether you’re interested in music, culture, art, record-breaking rides, new foodie spots to try or a fun family day out.
Concerts from local and international talents, plays, performances, activities and sales are part just the start of it.
With so much going on, Riyadh Season is divided into zones and each zone typically has a theme and different activities within it. This makes planning your days out easier.
Riyadh Season history
The first-ever Riyadh Season set the bar very high with performances from local and international superstars like BTS, Tamer Hosny and Atif Aslam, to name just a few. There were 100 events that took place in 12 different zones. Foodie pop-ups included renowned international restaurants like Spago and Mirazur.
The biggest festival to date was the 2021 edition. Hosted under the theme of “Imagine More”, the event kicked off in October 2021 and went until March 2022.
Riyadh Season 2021 had 15 different zones, plus, there were nearly 350 theatre shows, 70 Arabic concerts, six international musical events, 18 Arabic plays, six international plays, ten international exhibitions and 100 interactive experiences held across the period. Oh, and Pitbull performed at the opening ceremony.
Riyadh Season 2022
Everyone is waiting to find out about Riyadh Season 2022. The theme for this year is going to be Beyond Imagination, so we’d say get ready to get your socks knocked off.
Riyadh Season 2022 will officially start Friday October 21 and there will be 15 zones to check out, including many returning favourites: The Groves, Suwaidi Park, Riyadh Front, Via Riyadh, AlMurabba, Riyadh Sky, Boulevard Riyadh City, Qariat Zaman, Little Riyadh, Fan Festival, Riyadh Imagination Park, Boulevard World, Riyadh Zoo, Souq Al-Zal and, yes, Winter Wonderland.
If we’ve learnt anything from last year, it’s that each festival is going to be bigger and better than the one before, and Riyadh Season already sounds like it’s going to be incredible.
Riyadh Season 2022 tickets
Tickets for the season are yet to be released, keep it locked on Time Out for the latest.
Visiting Riyadh during the season
Both residents and visitors alike find the Saudi Seasons to be very appealing. Saudi Arabia has recently updated its tourist visa policy to benefit citizens of the GCC, the United States, and the United Kingdom.
Travellers from close to 50 countries are also eligible to apply for a Saudi Arabia tourist e-visa. Tourists will be able to stay up to 90 days in the Kingdom with the one-year, multiple-entry visa. You can apply for one here.
Are you headed to the World Cup? Have you set up a Hayya Card? During the FIFA World Cup 2022, cardholders are permitted a 60-day visit to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Seasons
As mentioned, the Saudi Seasons were launched in 2019 with the goal to host 11 entertainment seasons in the different regions of Saudi Arabia. This includes major festivals in Riyadh, AlUla, Jeddah, Sharqiah and more. Read more here about the full Saudi Seasons lineup.
Diriyah Season
We’re very lucky because we not only get Riyadh Season, but we also get Diriyah Season in October 2022. Diriyah Season 2022 is another one of the events in the Kingdom, and in held in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Click here for our full guide on Diriyah Season.
From Fri Oct 21. instagram.com/riyadhseason.
There are so many exciting Saudi Seasons. Click here for everything to know about Diriyah Season.
