RIYADH — Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Board of Directors of General Entertainment Authority (GEA), announced on Monday that the second edition of the Riyadh Season, which will start on Oct. 20, and would have 2,500 wide variety of activities and events. Addressing the periodic government communication press conference here on Monday along with Minister of Commerce and Acting Minister of Media Majed Al-Qasabi, Al-Sheikh said young Saudi men and women constitute a major segment of the 16,000 staffers who have been hired to make the festival a remarkable experience and a resounding success. The GEA chief said that the activities of the Riyadh Season 2, with the slogan of "Imagine More" would be held on a total area spreading over 5.4 million square meters, covering 14 zones, including Boulevard. The entry to four zones will be free of charge while the fee will be different for each one of the remaining zones. The dazzling event, the largest of its kind in the Middle East, is expected to draw as many as 20 million visitors. It coincides with the larger-scale tourism and entertainment events all over the Kingdom in the name of the Saudi Seasons, which aim to serve all segments of the society through diverse entertainment, arts and cultural activities and experiences. Al-Sheikh said the activities include 70 Arab concerts, six international concerts, 10 international exhibitions, 350 theatrical performances, 18 Arab plays and six international plays in addition to one free wrestling championship, two international matches, 100 interactive experiences with a variety of audience tastes and catering to all age groups. There will be 200 restaurants and 70 cafés at the season. Musical events represent only two percent of the entire activities of the season where there will be specialized venues for the exploration and development of the precious national talent, he said. The GEA chief said that there has been total coordination with the concerned agencies under the Ministry of Health with regard to taking all the health procedures to stem the spread of coronavirus. More than 2,300 companies operating in the entertainment sector have contributed to organizing the activities of the event, as well as to provide training to more than 100,000 people and issuing 4,400 permits and licenses, he added. The Riyadh Season is expected to provide a mixture of exclusivity, suspense and modernity, turning the capital city of Riyadh into one of the most preferred destinations for visitors and tourists in the region and the world as well.
