Diriyah Season is preparing to launch the "Diriyah Novel Festival" from January 30 to February 8, 2025, with the participation of more than 150 speakers and experts in the field of the novel, alongside more than 50 publishing houses and specialist bookshops. The festival will be held across three distinctive areas of Diriyah: Al Bujairi Terrace, Bab Samhan Hotel, and Al Zuwaihra Farm, offering a unique experience for literature and novel enthusiasts.

The festival targets lovers of literature in all its forms, offering a lively platform to engage with leading experts through a comprehensive exhibition, novelist evenings, and panel discussions exploring fictional worlds and authors' personal experiences. It also includes rich workshops covering topics such as writing techniques, storytelling, music composition, novel cover design, and adapting literary texts into film or drama.

Festival highlights include:

  • The Novel and Performing Arts Theatre: featuring literary and musical performances.
  • The Novel Exhibition and Reading Retreat: giving visitors a chance to enjoy books in a peaceful setting.
  • Specialized workshops: offering hands-on experience in writing, drawing, and puppet animation.
  • Distinctive experiences: including the recreation of scenes from world-famous films and live cooking experiences inspired by novels.
  • The "Little Storyteller" zone: dedicated to children, teaching them how to build and illustrate stories.
  • The Writers' Retreat: held for the first time in Wadi Safar as part of the "Manzil" area, bringing together a select group of Saudi novelists to hone their craft under the guidance of international experts.

The festival is held under Diriyah Season's theme "A Land That Fascinates You," positioning Diriyah as a global cultural destination that meets the aspirations of creatives and celebrates the passion of literature lovers, reflecting the Kingdom's commitment to promoting culture and the arts as part of Vision 2030.