From film screenings, to eating in the dark for charity to checking out designer yachts, walking for a cause, or cheering on kitesurfing champions, there are a ton of things going on around town over the next few days. Here are our picks:
Beat Diabetes Walk-a-thon
Walk for a cause this weekend at Aspire, which is hosting the Fifth Annual Beat Diabetes Walk-a-thon on World Diabetes Day – Friday, Nov. 14, from 6pm onwards.
The event aims to raise awareness of the high diabetes rates in Qatar, as each attendee logs a distance of 1km (roughly 1,500 steps) on the Aspire Park track in solidarity. Interested residents can register for the walk online here, or via Facebook.
The event is organized by the Landmark Group, and supported by the Qatar Diabetes Association. Last year saw over 60,000 participants in the Walk-a-thon, with a further 75,000 availing of the initiative’s free glucose tests held throughout the year. For more information, visit the event’s website here.
Makers Market
Join students and alumni at Virginia Commonwealth University in Qatar as they showcase some of their best work at a community market held on Saturday, Nov. 15, from 10am to 4pm.
The Makers Market event will be held at VCU-Q, and will feature artwork, crafts and designs made by community members. The event is free and open to the public on Nov. 15, and open to Qatar Foundation members exclusively on Nov. 16 – 17 at the same time and venue.
Dine in Darkness
Partake in a novel experience this weekend, and head over to the Oryx Rotana to dine in the dark. The event will be held on Nov. 13 from 8pm onwards at the hotel’s Jade Ballroom, with proceeds benefitting Orbis – the world’s only flying-eye hospital.
The night will begin with a debrief of the event from 8 to 8:30pm, followed by dinner at 9pm. The dinner costs QR245 per person (food only), and interested residents can reserve their seats by emailing [email protected] or [email protected]. For more information, contact the hotel at 4402 3391 or 4402 3351.
QIBS Boat Show
The second edition of the Qatar International Boat Show, which features the best of the boating industry, is free and open to the public from now to Nov. 15, from 3pm to 9:30pm at the Lusail Marina.
This year’s event features more than 60 boats and over 100 exhibitors on 10,000 sqm of water basin surface and 15,000 sqm of outdoor displays divided into five zones – Marina Display, External Display Area, Shipyards and Boatyards, Equipment Accessories and Service and Luxury Products and Services.
The event will also see several new exhibitors, including Gupo per Mare Amer Yachts from Italy, which will be showcasing one of the largest yachts in this year’s show, at 92ft in length. For more information, visit the show’s website here.
And follow the group’s Facebook page to enter in a raffle to win a day trip aboard a luxury yacht for four.
Formula Kite Course Racing – Asian Championship
Head over to the Pearl this weekend and enjoy the 2014 Formula Kite Course Racing championships. The competition is being held for the first time in the GCC, and started earlier this week.
It goes from 9:30am to 4:30pm until Nov. 13. The semi-finals of the event will be held on Nov. 14 from 1:30 to 4:30 pm, and the final will take place a day later from 10am to 4pm.
The event will feature the best of the world’s Kiteboarders, practitioners of a sport that combines wakeboarding, windsurfing, paragliding and surfing. Kiteboarding involves participants propelling themselves across the water on small surfboards using the power of the wind through large kites to do so.
Khalifa al-Misnad, Omar al-Hammadi, Bader al-Madani, Khalid Festook, and Alaa Festook will respresent Qatar at the event which is held at the Lido Venezia Beach at the Qanat Quartier. The event is free and open to the public.
Film screening
The Doha Film Institute will screen Ilo Ilo, an award-winning Singaporean drama from Nov. 15 to 17 at 7 pm at the Katara Drama Theater.
The film chronicles the relationship between a family and their newly hired maid whose presence adds to already strained relationships in the household.
Tickets for the event cost QR 35 for adults and QR 25 for students, and can be bought online here or at the Katara DFI Ticket Outlet at Building 16 from 2 to 8pm, Saturdays to Mondays.
Indian music concert
Local group Music Lovers will host a night of Indian music this Friday, Nov. 14, from 6pm onwards at the Concorde Hotel. Popular Indian crooner Jayateerth Mevundi will entertain the crowd, along with Ravindra Gururaj on the harmonium, and Udayraj Karpur on the traditional tabla.
Tickets to the event cost QR50/person and can be bought online here. For more information, please call 5584 1765.
Story of Ingenuity exhibition
Qatari artist Yousef Ahmad will showcase a selection of some of his most celebrated artworks from the 1970s to present day at a new exhibition open from Nov. 11 to Feb. 15, 2015 at Katara Cultural Village.
The exhibition features highlights of Ahmad’s work, divided into three phases that span his career. From oil paintings of the Zubarah Fort to mixed media calligraphic pieces, the exhibition touts Qatari heritage from a local perspective. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 10am to 8pm, Mondays to Thursdays and Saturdays, and 3 to 9pm on Fridays at Building 10. It is closed on Sundays.
Educational breakfast
Local group See My Culture is hosting an educational breakfast for parents and children ages seven to 11 years old from 9am to noon at Souq Waqif.
The breakfast will include book-reading and activities in English and Arabic, followed by a mini tour of the souq’s falcons, horses and camels. Breakfast will be provided, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own snacks and drinks. The event is free and interested participants can register online here.
Longines Global Champions Tour
The Longines Global Champions Tour, which pits the top 30 ranked riders worldwide against each other for a championship prize of some US$12.5 million, will host its final races in Qatar this weekend, Nov. 13 to 15 from 11am onwards at the Al Shaqab Stables.
The tour, which began in April 2014, has hosted events at 13 other locations including Madrid, Hamburg, Cannes and Monaco and features Olympic, world, and regional equestrian champions. Tickets to the event cost QR35 for adults and QR15 for children, and can be bought online here.
Employees of Qatar Foundation and students at Education City universities can enter for free. For more information, visit the tour’s website here.
Bonus:
- Networks and Recruiters Meet: The Grand Hyatt Doha is hosting a meet and greet featuring over 100 companies across industry sectors on Nov. 12 from 4 to 6pm. The event is an opportunity to network directly with potential employers, and is geared towards job seekers. Tickets to the event are priced at QR250/person, and can be bought online here.
- Arabian Horse Photography Exhibition: The Qatar Photography Society in conjunction with the Arabian Horses organization is hosting an “Arabian Horses” exhibition until Nov. 27, from 10am to 10pm at Building 18 in Katara. The exhibition, which showcases photographs taken by the society’s members, also features 47 equine-focused paintings. The event is free and open to the public.
What are your plans? Thoughts?
