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Riyadh Season Attracts 11 Million Visitors from 125 Countries

Riyadh Season 2
Riyadh Season 2
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Riyadh Season Attracts 11 Million Visitors from 125 Countries

Riyadh Season 2
Riyadh Season 2

The Riyadh Season attracted up to 11 million visitors from 125 countries, revealed Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) on Sunday.

Turki Alalshikh affirmed that the number of visitors to the Riyadh season 2 has surpassed 11 million, with 1 million overseas tourists.

"With the support and planning of the Crown Prince, the number of visitors to Riyadh Season has exceeded 11 million," Alalshikh said on Twitter.

According to GEA figures, the total number of participants was 11,875,000, with 1.6 million coming from within Saudi Arabia and 8.3 million from Riyadh.

This season also created 150,000 direct and indirect jobs through the participation of 1,255 firms.

Tourists from 125 countries included 8,227 Russians, 7,332 Canadians, 8,815 French, 20,104 Britons, and 22,532 Americans.

The Riyadh Season featured 70 Arab concerts, six international concerts, 10 international exhibitions, 350 theatrical performances, 18 Arab plays, six international plays, international matches, and freestyle wrestling performances dispersed throughout 14 entertainment areas in Riyadh.

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Varieties

A Stowaway Groundhog is Elevated to Local Icon in Pennsylvania

In this photo provided by Lynn Castle is a groundhog dubbed Colonel Custard, July 30, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. (Lynn Castle via AP Photo)
In this photo provided by Lynn Castle is a groundhog dubbed Colonel Custard, July 30, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. (Lynn Castle via AP Photo)
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A Stowaway Groundhog is Elevated to Local Icon in Pennsylvania

In this photo provided by Lynn Castle is a groundhog dubbed Colonel Custard, July 30, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. (Lynn Castle via AP Photo)
In this photo provided by Lynn Castle is a groundhog dubbed Colonel Custard, July 30, 2024, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. (Lynn Castle via AP Photo)

A Pennsylvania groundhog is making a name for himself for something other than predicting an early or late spring, The Associated Press reported.
An intrepid varmint dubbed Colonel Custard — so named for the frozen custard shop and mini-golf outlet where he was discovered — was found stowed away with a passel of stuffed animals prizes in an arcade game two weeks ago. Players were maneuvering a mechanical claw to pluck toys from the glass game case when they suddenly realized a real live groundhog was blinking back at them.

The newly named colonel was found in Hollidaysburg, a good hour's drive from Pennsylvania's far more famous groundhog town, Punxsutawney, home to the weather-predicting groundhog Phil.
The owners and staff at The Meadows frozen custard shop aren't being shy about promoting their own furry friend.

Staff and owners made T-shirts that read “Respect the Groundhog,” held the online naming campaign that drew an avalanche of responses and are working on more promotional ideas, such as naming one of their frozen treat flavors for Colonel Custard.
Meadows manager Lynn Castle said no one is sure how the groundhog got in the building, but he must have clambered up the game chute into the machine.
“They were just staring at the stuffed animals in there getting ready to decide what to pick and saw the groundhog's eyes blinking and realized there was something alive in there,” AP quoted Castle as saying.
It took a village to set the varmint free. Employees first called the claw machine owners, who were too skittish to take the colonel on. Next came the police, who called the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Game wardens opened up the claw machine and released the groundhog into a nearby field, Castle said.
“It’s a good story that ended well,” Castle said. “He got set free. No one got bit.”