Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Riyadh Season has drawn more than 3 million visitors in just 35 days, marking one of its strongest turnouts since its launch.

The annual festival — first introduced on October 11, 2019 — was created under the General Entertainment Authority’s Saudi Seasons initiative to transform the capital into a global hub for entertainment, culture, and sports.

Spread across 13 themed zones and covering roughly 14 million square meters, Riyadh Season offers six categories of activities ranging from entertainment and exploration to dining experiences.

This year’s edition opened with a large-scale parade featuring floats from New York City’s iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving celebration, underscoring expanding entertainment partnerships between Saudi Arabia and the United States.

Collaborations such as the Macy’s parade and the MrBeast-backed Beast Land theme park highlight the Kingdom’s efforts to build a sustainable, world-class entertainment ecosystem.

Riyadh Season is also making history by hosting WWE’s Royal Rumble for the first time outside the U.S. and Canada. WWE SmackDown will open the action on Friday, January 30, followed by the Royal Rumble on Saturday, January 31.

The festival continues to attract top-tier sports events. The Six Kings Slam brought leading tennis stars—including Novak Djokovic—to the ANB Arena.

Upcoming events include The Ring IV: Night of the Champions, featuring WBC champion David Benavidez against Anthony Yarde, WBO champion Norman Jr. versus Devin Haney, and the return of Jesse “Bam” Rodriguez.

Riyadh Season 2025 is also hosting Jewellery Salon 2025, billed as the world’s largest luxury jewelry exhibition, featuring 600 brands from 50 countries in a 7,200-square-meter showcase of rare and exclusive pieces.