Saudi Arabia roared back to life with events that fascinated both locals and residents alike. Here’s a glimpse to some major events in Riyadh events that reignited the passion for entertainment and sports activities in the Kingdom.
MDL Beast / DECEMBER 2021
MDL Beast’s SOUNDSTORM was a breath-taking, one-of-its-kind record-beating four-day multi-genre music, art, and culture festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The second edition (the 2019 music fest being the first) brought a record-breaking number of visitors to the biggest musical scene ever! The festival united all ages and nationalities in the capital city; over 200 artists performed in eight stages for four days. The food, art, and culture choices were also abundant.
Photo credit: twitter.com/mdlbeast
The abundance of food choices was generously brought to MDL Beast by AHK-group. With more than 20 years of experience and operating 20 top restaurants, AHK-group made it easy for the festival guests to enjoy various cuisines and rock the concert full and fulfilled.
Fashion MOC, Fashion Commission, and Fashion Futures / DECEMBER 2021
The summit “Fashion Futures” was organized by the Fashion Commission (FC) and took place in the Cultural Palace in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter. FF is Saudi’s biggest annual fashion event that offers enriching discussions and various activities presented from Riyadh to the world. FC held an exhibition of 100 Saudi brands at the King Abdullah Financial District to discover distinctive designs inspired by Saudi Heritage. It was a magical journey that embodied the fashion of the present and future. Elevate Female Leaders as a part of Fashion Commission’s initiatives, aiming to empower female leaders to develop the fashion sector in Saudi, provides opportunities for women to achieve their professional goals, through a 6 months period of sessions mentored by fashion experts who have contributed to the fashion industry’s rebirth globally.
Photo credit: twitter.com/fashionmoc
In keeping with fashion events in the capital city, Riyadh’s Jax District was the venue of Hia Magazine’s Hia Hub where fashoin and art meet. The opening celebration included art exhibits, talks and workshops attended by talented creatives, influencers, and celebrities.
Diriyah Biennale / DECEMBER 2021
Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale is a journey of creativity, inspiration, and fresh experiences. It is a mega-scale international art exhibition presented every two years. This edition started in December 2021 and will continue for three months. It features a curated exhibition of 28 Saudi artists and 36 international artists, and a public program with creative experiences, talks, debates, films, and workshops held on the total space of 30,000 square meters. The displayed artworks reflect ideas of the present, allowing cultures to exchange values and ideas. Don’t miss the chance to see amazing designs, installations, contests, awards, enjoy fun activities and food experiences.
Photo credit: twitter.com/biennale_sa
Photo credit: twitter.com/biennale_sa
Dakkar Rally 2022 / JANUARY 2022
The 44th Dakar Rally, organized by Amaury Sport Organization, started in Hail and ended in Jeddah but parts of the route touched Riyadh’s stretches of sand dunes. This is the third time that Saudi Arabia hosted the event. The rally raid event consisted of one prologue stage and 112 normal stages that involved cars, quads, bikes, and trucks. Sam Sunderland and Nasser Al-Attiyah have emerged as the winners in the bikes and cars category, respectively. This year’s edition has wrapped up after two weeks of gruelling racing in the deserts of Saudi Arabia.
Photo credit: twitter.com/dakar
Photo credit: twitter.com/dakar
Joy Awards 2022 / JANUARY 2022
The biggest names in the entertainment industry graced the purple carpet of the Bakr Al-Sheddi Theater in Riyadh to receive their trophies from the second annual Joy Awards, billed as the largest celebration of entertainment creators in the Arab world hosted by the General Entertainment Authority. More than 200 Arab and international artists from vast categories like television, cinema, social media, sports, and music were honored in the ceremony. Bollywood star Salman Khan won Personality of the Year while US actor John Travolta picked up his Lifetime Achievement Award.
Photo credit: twitter.com/riyadhseason
Photo credit: twitter.com/riyadhseason
Saudi Design Festival 2022 / JANUARY 2022
The Saudi Design Festival is the first of its kind in the Middle East. Presented by the Architecture and Design Commission that transformed Riyadh into a hub for creative dialogue from Jan 9 – 29, 2022 at JAX District, the SDF this year expanded on all the things you’ve come to love about the past Saudi Design Week events. It exceptionally created new ways to amplify the voices of local talents and brought creative dialogue in the Kingdom, while putting Saudi Arabia’s designs and designers on the global design map. Notable displays include the AlUla pavilion and its AlUla Design Awards that recognizes exceptional design inspired by the heritage. landscapes, and history of AlUla. The Otrivin AirBubble ecoLogicStudio brings to SDF a concrete vision for a carbon neutral architecture with its playful eco-machine. SDF 2022 also featured a Design Forum, a collection of talks by distinguished designers, and a Design market where SMEs, concept stores, and retail lifestyle brands sold their products.
ABB FIA Formula E World Championship / JANUARY 2022
Fans returned to the grandstands of the Diriyah, UNESCO World Heritage site, to witness the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship last January 28-29, 2022. Eleven teams and 22 world-class drivers started their journey to the FIA World Championship title. The thrilling opener set under the night lights of the historical district is the start of the biggest ever 16-race calendar. The first round of Diriyah Formula E-Prix 2022 was won by the Dutch driver Nyck de Vries. Music lovers also enjoyed the two-night concerts that featured international stars The Script, Craig David, James Blunt, and more.
