Saudi setting up giant family entertainment district at Diriyah
RIYADH, November 4, 2019
Saudi Arabia has announced plans to set up a giant open-air family entertainment district - featuring an outdoor ice rink, Virtual Reality attractions, drone arena, karting on water and carnival games - at the spectacular Diriyah Oasis, a Unesco World Heritage site located on the outskirts of Riyadh.
The Diriyah Season is a month-long festival that will see diverse sports such as Formula E, top-class men’s tennis, Olympic qualifying elite equestrianism and a world heavyweight boxing title fight – The Clash On the Dunes - hosted in the kingdom’s first capital city.
Known as the home of kings and heroes, Diriyah will also stage performances from some of the biggest music artists on the planet.
Spread over 130,000 sq m, the sprawling entertainment hub will be split into the four zones – Nature, Imagination, Reflection and Excitement - and it promises to be a whole lot of fun, giving families a place to come together, play and enjoy Saudi Arabia’s deep sense of community, said the organisers.
The Nature Zone will have some astonishing activations such as the Zip-zag, butterfly dome, and it will create a totally green space, lush with plants, for families to explore with farmers’ markets, forest walks and a butterfly oasis, complimented by children’s games and food and beverage areas.
In the Imagination Zone visitors will enjoy trying out the flying Star Flayer, and children will be able to play in the ‘Steam Lab’, an interactive exhibition packed with engaging attractions which expand young minds. Add to that illusion rooms, arts and crafts workshops, a ‘confetti dome’ and an urban maze.
The Reflection Zone will provide a soothing environment to relax and unwind, with tranquil ponds and space to sit and think. But for those feeling more active, it will also see an outdoor ice-skating rink and ‘aqua karts’ that are essentially karting on water.
Finally, in the Excitement Zone pulses will quicken with four themed escape rooms, a drone arena, a laser tag zone and a ‘VR sports world’ plus bumper cars, said the organisers.
All zones will feature carnival games and stalls, plus dining options to suit all tastes, they added.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki AlFaisal Al Saud, chairman of General Sports Authority of Saudi Arabia (GSA), said: "Throughout month-long season, our Diriyah Oasis will be an incredible place for young and old to flock together and enjoy real family time."
"We believe that families who play together grow together and that is one of the foundations of the Diriyah Season, this is about connecting people to sport and to each other. I am so excited to see this district take shape as we prepare for an unparalleled season of sport, culture and entertainment," he stated.
Tickets for all of Diriyah Season’s spectacular events and entertainment will be available online with Formula E Tickets and Clash On the Dunes tickets on sale now, said the organisers.
Diriyah Season is an unmissable set of international sports and entertainment events, happening at the historic city of Diriyah, the birthplace of Saudi Arabia.
Sports fanatics, entertainment seekers, foodies and shoppers, are invited to a month of energy, excitement, elegance, and memorable moments as the world comes to Diriyah!, they added.-TradeArabia News Service
