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JEDDAH: With the Kingdom’s entertainment season in full swing as the weather cools, here are some of the not-to-be-missed events coming your way before the end of the year��

Soundstorm��

The Middle East’s biggest music festival returns to Banban, Riyadh from Dec. 12 to 14. The lineup is mostly focused on electronic dance music again, but headliners include UK rock band Muse , who, over the course of their 25-year career, have repeatedly been hailed as one of the world’s best live bands by critics and fans alike; rap legend Eminem; and the hugely influential alternative hip-hop pioneer Tyler, the Creator. Other big names on this year’s roster include Jared Leto’s band Thirty Seconds to Mars; Dutch DJ Armin Van Buuren; the ubiquitous David Guetta; and EDM superstar Steve Aoki. As always, there will be significant representation from regional and local artists getting the opportunity to showcase their skills too.��

Red Sea International Film Festival��

Stars of the silver screen will descend on Jeddah from Dec. 5 to 14 for what has — in just three previous editions — become the region’s most significant film festival. Only a few details have yet been announced about this year’s lineup, beyond the addition of the “New Saudi, New Cinema” program — which features 21 shorts created by Saudi filmmakers addressing “themes from cultural identity and modern societal topics to personal victories” — and the 15 short films that will make up the Arab Shorts Competition. Based on previous years, though, expect an eclectic roster encompassing arthouse movies, box-office beasts and Oscar contender, attended by a diverse audience of global celebrities.��

Ancient Kingdoms Festival����

From Nov. 7 to 30, AlUla plays host to the Ancient Kingdoms Festival, a “program of special events showcasing 7,000 years of human history.” This year’s edition includes an exhibition of treasures from Pompeii and Herculaneum — both buried under the volcanic ash caused by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 CE, leaving incredibly well-preserved relics of Roman life. AlUla’s Old Town is the site of one of the highlights: The Incense Road Experience, billed as an “immersive adventure through a historic maze of mudbrick buildings as live performances and state-of-the-art technology meet interactive storytelling and exclusive explorations of archaeological treasures.” The hugely popular “immersive night-time summit” Hegra After Dark is back too.����

Elie Saab��

The groundbreaking and hugely influential Lebanese fashion designer will stage “1001 Seasons” at The Venue in Riyadh on Nov. 13 — a fashion show that will showcase his latest collection, but also include live performances. �������� has been a hugely significant market for Saab throughout his career, and “1001 Seasons” will likely include some tributes to the Kingdom in both Saab’s designs and the accompanying entertainment. Earlier this year, Saab said he planned to create “something unprecedented and new to celebrate the important occasion in Riyadh, a city that supports creativity and cultural diversity in the region.” The show is part of Riyadh Season, which began last week and includes a host of other major events in the Kingdom’s capital.��

Boris Brejcha��

The prolific German DJ and producer will be performing at Onyx Arena in Jeddah on Oct. 31. Brejcha has both a signature sound (which he calls “high-tech minimal” — his own take on house music) and a signature look (a Carnival of Venice-style joker mask) and has established himself firmly among the world’s top DJs with a regular stream of releases and albums over his 17-year career.����

Stephan Bodzin��

The veteran German DJ and producer performs in the Kingdom for the first time on Nov. 1 in Riyadh’s Jax District. Bodzin is a classically trained musician who fell in love with electronic music — due in no small part to the fact that his father was an experimental musician — but only started DJing full time aged 36. His live shows have been widely acclaimed, often embracing his love of collaboration, so expect the unexpected in Riyadh.��

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