Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority Turki Alalshikh defended Riyadh Season on Sunday, saying it “belongs to everyone” and reaffirming confidence in the event’s growing influence.

“Riyadh Season is for all — we don’t need anyone, people need us,” Alalshikh said during a government press conference.

“Negative talk about the season comes from our surroundings, not from abroad. Maybe it’s worry about the entertainment and tourism projects in the Kingdom but honestly, I have no clear explanation. Riyadh Season will appreciate those who appreciate it.”

Alalshikh said this year’s edition, launching on October 10, will begin with a grand parade at Boulevard Riyadh City featuring 25 giant balloons, 25 floats, 3,000 performers, and more than 300 handlers, organized in collaboration with U.S. company Macy’s. The opening will be free for visitors starting 4 p.m.

He highlighted that last year’s season recorded 110 billion media impressions, 3,300 media visits from over 100 countries, and 20 million visitors from 135 nations, noting that the 2025 edition aims to surpass those numbers despite being shorter due to Ramadan.

Alalshikh said Riyadh Season 2025 focuses on three key aspects: expanding engagement among youth and women, promoting Saudi creativity, and strengthening local content that rivals global standards.

The market value of the Riyadh Season brand, he revealed, reached $3.2 billion as of last month.

This year’s season features 11 entertainment zones, 15 global championships, 34 exhibitions and festivals, and an estimated 7,000 total events over four months. Around 2,100 companies — 95% of them Saudi — have signed 4,200 contracts for participation.

The headline attraction will be “Beast Land”, developed with MrBeast, the world’s most-followed content creator, located near Boulevard Riyadh City with 40 stores, 15 rides, and 12 immersive experiences. MrBeast will attend the zone’s opening.

Riyadh Season will also feature over 15 theaters and two major arenas, including the Arab Bank Arena, which will host five major events such as the Six King Slam, one of the world’s biggest exhibition tennis tournaments, and a global boxing card in November.

In January 2026, the Kingdom will host the Royal Rumble wrestling event, its first time outside North America.

New additions to Boulevard World include cultural representations from Indonesia, Kuwait, and South Korea, bringing the total to 24 cultures.

The area includes 40 rides, 12 experiences, 1,700 stores, and 350 restaurants and cafés, with attendance expected to reach 70,000 visitors on weekends.

Three of the 11 zones will be free-entry, including Boulevard Riyadh City, which features six new experiences, 20 concerts, 14 stage plays, and over 80 restaurants.

Alalshikh also announced Boulevard Flowers, showcasing 200 million blooms and 200 floral sculptures, along with three Boeing 777 aircraft displays.

Al-Suwaidi Park, last year’s most visited zone, will return with 49 concerts representing 13 countries.

To mark 70 years of Saudi-Japanese relations, Riyadh Season will host a Japanese-themed entertainment week and The Ring V boxing championship with seven top Japanese fighters.

A new “Aroya Zone” will include 20 entertainment areas and cruise trips to 14 destinations, while the “Flying Over Saudi” experience will take 90 participants on an immersive virtual journey across the Kingdom.

Economically, Alalshikh projected Riyadh Season 2025 will create 25,000 direct jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs, reinforcing its impact as one of the Kingdom’s most ambitious entertainment projects.