Riyadh Season Draws 5 Million Visitors in Less Than a Month

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA
TT

Riyadh Season Draws 5 Million Visitors in Less Than a Month

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA

The number of visitors to Riyadh Season has exceeded 5 million since its launch on October 28, indicating a significant acceleration in the widespread interest in the Season's zones, diverse events, and its unique experiences.
The Riyadh Season stands out with its increasing entertainment momentum and the rising number of visits since its very beginning under the theme "Big Time."

Starting with its opening featuring "The Battle of the Baddest," attended by large numbers of visitors and renowned personalities from around the world, the event marked a unique milestone in the region, SPA reported.

The Season's visits are expected to double in the coming periods, given the increasing activities day by day. The Season organizes several exhibitions, festivals, and boxing matches, in addition to various exhibitions, festivals, and diverse events.
Riyadh Season marks its fourth edition under the theme "Big Time," featuring a diverse array of global entertainment options and experiences.



Man Meets His Biological Family 75 Years after Being Adopted

Over the weekend, Handshaw flew to Rochester, New York, where he met some of his half-siblings ahead of the family’s annual Christmas party. (Facebook)
Over the weekend, Handshaw flew to Rochester, New York, where he met some of his half-siblings ahead of the family’s annual Christmas party. (Facebook)
TT

Man Meets His Biological Family 75 Years after Being Adopted

Over the weekend, Handshaw flew to Rochester, New York, where he met some of his half-siblings ahead of the family’s annual Christmas party. (Facebook)
Over the weekend, Handshaw flew to Rochester, New York, where he met some of his half-siblings ahead of the family’s annual Christmas party. (Facebook)

Dixon Handshaw thought he was an only child for most of his life. But decades after being adopted, the 75-year-old learned he has a handful of siblings, whom he met just in time for the holidays.

Over the weekend, Handshaw – who lives in North Carolina – flew to Rochester, New York, where he met some of his half-siblings ahead of the family’s annual Christmas party.

“All my life, I dreamed about having siblings somewhere,” Handshaw told CNN affiliate WHAM, which captured the siblings’ first meeting at the airport on Friday. “This is my Christmas miracle.”

On Saturday, Handshaw met over 50 relatives he didn’t know existed until earlier this year, he told CNN on Tuesday. The gathering, which included cousins and their children, was a welcome surprise for Handshaw, who was the only child to his adoptive parents and has no children of his own.

“I’ve never met anybody who shares my DNA,” Handshaw said. But as soon as he met his relatives they immediately clicked, Handshaw said. “It was wonderful,” he added. “I have never felt such an outpouring of unconditional love as I had from my new family.”

Born in Buffalo, New York, in 1949, Handshaw was adopted at three months old and had a happy childhood, he said, adding that his parents were honest about his adoption.

“I always wanted to find them, but New York State sealed the pre-adoption birth certificates, and it was impossible to find out,” Handshaw said.

In 2020, original birth certificates were unsealed for adopted New Yorkers following the passage of a 2019 law.

Right now, Handshaw and his siblings are making up for lost time, but their meeting is better late than never, he noted.

“I had great adoptive parents. They were wonderful. I love them and I miss them, but I always wanted siblings, and now I have them,” Handshaw told CNN. “I thought one or two would be great. I got six!”