The 4th edition of the Riyadh Season, will kick off on Oct. 28, under the slogan of Big Time

The fourth iteration of the Riyadh Season, with the theme of "Big Time," will begin on October 28. This was announced on Sunday by Turki Al-Sheikh, head of the board of directors of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA). He claimed that this year's festival, which would feature a fresh and cutting-edge brand, will be unique. "The festival aims to create more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs, and empower nearly 2,000 local and international companies to establish the most distinguished entertainment experiences from all over the world on an area spreading out over seven million square metres," Al-Sheikh said in a video posted on his X account. The head of GEA commended King Salman, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman's unrestricted support of the entertainment industry.

According to Al-Sheikh, the upcoming season will see the launch of an improved website with fresh features and an authorised ticketing system with particular requirements. He introduced the new branding for the occasion. The majority of the events—about 60%—will be brand-new experiences. These include the "Barbie" universe, which will bring back the brand's past. He introduced a brand-new area named "Boulevard Hall," which can hold more than 40,000 guests at once and was constructed in just 60 days using worldwide creative and technological standards on a space measuring over 200,000 square metres. "The 'Boulevard City' has entirely altered from how it was in previous seasons since it will now incorporate worldwide experiences, of which 60% are brand-new. The most notable of these are the Disney centenary celebrations through "Disney Castle," which will be shown during the season for the first time; "House of Hype," the largest experience bridging reality and virtual reality; "Cats 'n Cups," a café for cat lovers by Mocha, Japan; "Blippi Wonders," an educational and entertaining experience for kids, in addition to about 30 different interactive experiences; and many other events.

The GEA CEO also announced the opening of the Legend Museum, which is the first and biggest museum dedicated to football stars and has more than 30,000 unique artefacts and a variety of interactive activities. After the branch in Madrid, it is regarded as the second branch in the entire world. The CR7 Experience, a unique museum created around Cristiano Ronaldo, will be shown there. It will highlight Ronaldo's experiences and display his signature and life narrative. It will feature all of his awards, souvenirs from his life, and interactive elements. A boxing-specific sports club was also described in the documentary. The club will be founded alongside world champion Mike Tyson to find and develop boxing talent throughout the globe.

Al-Hilal, Al-Nassr, and another foreign club with a three-team league structure will all compete in the "Riyadh Season Cup" during the season. Additionally, it will host two of the biggest sporting events in the world: the "Crown Jewel" wrestling festival, in which John Cena, the current World Champion, will compete, and the "Riyadh Tennis Season Cup" competition, in which the top-ranked male and female tennis players in the world will compete.

Al-Sheikh said that the 'Boulevard World' area's second phase of development, which saw an increase of 40%, has been finished and is thought to be the season's biggest project. Along with 1,180 retailers, 120 restaurants and cafés, many cultural performances, and a variety of amusement games, it will have the largest and most well-liked shopping centre.

He mentioned that the 'Wonder Garden,' the largest transportable amusement park on an area of half a million square metres, is present this season as an integrated entertainment area. It will be a new and improved version of "Winter Wonderland," with four gardens and more than 85 activities and experiences, and it will be situated in a new area to the north of Riyadh to make it easier for people to reach.

According to Al-Sheikh, the Square (Al-Murabba) has been changed from a transitory area to a permanent one and will now house a new collection of the most opulent international cafés and restaurants. The famed Phuket Hotel and Café project, whose design will be influenced by the Square's architectural style, will also start construction nearby. The 'Via Riyadh' area will also include the St. Regis Hotel, which will welcome visitors for the first time, as well as a new group of international eateries and cafes from different continents.

He emphasised that this year's season will have an exhibition of luxury and unusual automobiles on a space of 150,000 square metres, including 1,000 rare cars, as well as more than 100 of the most well-known food trucks from across the world congregating in one location. 'I Am Arab' exhibition, the Riyadh Toy Festival, the Influencer and Content Creators Awards Exhibition and Ceremony, and the Joy Awards will also be taking place.

The Souk Al-Awalain, which has the largest weekly auction and the largest area of heritage markets, the Riyadh Zoo, whose capacity has been increased by 25%, and new areas and experiences with different cultures as well as mobile musical band shows are all included in the Riyadh Season 2023. Additionally, it will see the 'Treasure' competition, with rewards totaling SR6 million, being held in a novel and creative manner.