Over 75% of Saudis Attended Cultural Events in 2025

More than 75% of the population in Saudi Arabia attended at least one cultural event or activity in 2025, according to the 2025 Family Culture and Entertainment Survey by the General Authority for Statistics.

The survey found that 75.3% of residents participated in cultural activities, while 67% attended recreational events over the same period.

Parks and gardens were the most visited destinations, accounting for 47.8% of visits, followed by cinemas at 27.1%.

Literary gatherings, poetry evenings and culinary exhibitions recorded the lowest participation levels, each at 1%. The data also showed that 33% of the population actively engages in cultural activities, with cooking cited by 8.7% and writing by 7.2%. Performing arts were the least practised at 1%.

Reading habits varied, with 33.7% of respondents reporting that they read books, compared to 26.8% who read newspapers and 15.6% who read magazines.

In terms of leisure activities, 39.4% of the population reported spending time in desert or beach settings, while 29.3% attended live performances at cafes and restaurants.

Water parks recorded the lowest visitation rate at 3.6%. The survey also indicated that 40.7% of the population visited entertainment seasons, with higher participation among females at 48.8% compared to 36.6% for males.