RIYADH — Turki Al-Sheikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA), said that the 4th edition of the Riyadh Season has so far attracted a record number of 18 million visitors from around the world. The Riyadh Season, one of the largest entertainment festivals in the world, which started last October, had surpassed its target of 12 million before reaching the halfway point early last month. The festival, under the slogan "Big Time," witnessed the holding of a large group of exceptional recreational events, most notably a historic face-off titled "The Fiercest Man on Earth." This colossal showdown featured a match between the heavyweight boxing world champion Tyson Fury, and former champion in mixed martial arts Francis Ngannou inside the famous Riyadh Arena. This year, the Riyadh season introduced the "Wonder Garden", the largest mobile entertainment city with an area spreading over half a million square meters that provided an ideal entertainment venue for families offering modern international entertainment experiences, as well as new experiences such as Little Crazy, inspired by fairy tales. A Little Crazy Café is meant to be a whimsical spot where all ages can live out their fairytale dreams. This amusement park takes the visitors through a whole imaginative and whimsical experience. There is also a new entertainment zone called The Groves. It is a 35,000-square-metre entertainment and retail zone with restaurants and retail shops. Since making its debut appearance in 2021, The Groves has become one of the popular destinations of the Riyadh Season. Additionally, Hawanim Groves City will be a new area featuring Arab-inspired experiences, food, activities and more. The Riyadh Season also included the first sports club specialized in boxing in partnership with world champion Mike Tyson to discover and train talents around the world. Moreover there are a number of the largest Gulf, Arab and international concerts, many diverse plays, and 21 new experiences to cater to tastes of all age groups
