Fireworks lit up the sky above Riyadh on Friday for only the second time in the Saudi Arabia’s history after COVID-19 halted celebrations last year.
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“On the screens of Boulevard Riyadh City, we counted from 10 till we reached 2022. Together we celebrated new beginnings in which we further live out our imagination,” a Twitter video caption read on the Riyadh Season account.
Many people gathered to celebrate together at Riyadh City Boulevard, a popular leisure destination with a number of restaurants, stores and gaming centers.
One reveler, Lamia Ahmed, told Reuters she was “very happy” with the “fantastic celebrations,” which would only normally be found in foreign countries.
This was the first time New Year’s Eve celebrations were held at the newly opened destination.
Launched on October 20, Boulevard Riyadh City zone, located in the north of the capital Riyadh, is one of the top tourist destinations of Riyadh Season 2021. Visitors can find all types of entertainment including various activities, in addition to a dancing fountain, global toys centers, restaurants, cafes and several theaters for plays and music performances.
Fourteen Arab singers perform
Also a part of the Riyadh Season celebrations, 14 top Arab celebrities took to the stage to perform during one of the largest concerts held on New Year’s Eve. The event was held at the Mohammed Abdo theater, a venue named after the legendary Saudi Arabian singer.
Some of those who performed during the event named “Riyadh Trio Night” included Ahlam, Mohammed Abdo, Asala, Nawal al-Kuwaitiyah, Majid al-Mohandes and others.
COVID-19 restrictions in Saudi Arabia
As celebrations were allowed to go on, authorities had reimplemented several measures to protect against the spread of the coronavirus.
The Kingdom reinforced wearing masks in public places, including outdoor events, amid a rise in COVID-19 cases locally and worldwide, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Thursday.
With Reuters
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