Whether it’s learning more about aviation in the Gulf, shopping at a handicrafts market, checking out tens of thousands books at this year’s international fair, or soaking up some culture and heritage, there are a lot of things to do around town this weekend.
Here are our picks:
Al Khor Fly-In
The eight annual Al Khor Fly-In will kick off this weekend at the Al Khor airstrip, giving visitors a chance to check out aircraft, chat with pilots and enjoy other aviation-related activities.
The two-day event runs on Friday and Saturday from 8am to 5:30pm. It is free and open to the public, and snacks will be sold. In the past, the fly-in has been a popular draw for families, and many people have enjoyed riding in small aircraft (for a fee) and exploring parked planes from across the GCC.
The Al Khor Airport is located 31km north of Doha, and is to the east of the Al Khor coastal road. A map to the location can be found here.
Falconry festival
The sixth edition of the Qatar International Falcons and Hunting Festival commenced this week at Sabkhet Marmi near Sealine in Mesaieed.
The month-long festival, which runs through Jan. 31, includes several tournaments for adults and youth, with the goal of maintaining Qatar falconry traditions and providing networking opportunities between falconers in the region.
More information about this month’s competitions can be found here.
Book fair
Doha’s annual book fair opens tonight at the Qatar National Convention Center near Education City and runs through Jan. 17. To mark the 25th year of the event, organizers have promised a range of “unprecedented” offerings, with Brazil being the guest of honor this year.
Features include a number of Arabic and English titles, cultural activities and special events for kids. There is also going to be a lecture series in English for the first time by Dar Al Kutub and the Ministry of Culture.
Author Tim Mackintosh-Smith will speak from 7pm to 8:30pm on Jan. 8; Justin Marozzi from 5pmto 6:30pm on Jan. 9; and Leila Aboulela from 7pm to 8:30pm on the same night. The talks will take place in the upstairs meeting rooms.
Three Arabic-language book talks will also be held in the open auditorium in the middle of the exhibition grounds.
They include Abdulaziz Al Mahmoud on historical fiction and The Holy Sail, from 5:30 to 6:30pm on Jan. 8; Amir Tag Elsir’s launch of Taqs (Ritual) from 5:30 to 6:30pm on Jan. 11; and Saud Al Sanousi on The Bamboo Stalk from 5:30 to 6:30pm on Jan. 16.
The book fair timings are Saturdays to Thursdays, from 9am to 1pm and from 4pm to 10pm. On Fridays, it will be open from 4pm to 10pm. More information can be found here.
Roza Hassad Open Day
Qatar flower and vegetable production facility Roza Hassad will hold its first public event of 2015 on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10am to 2pm.
The Roza Hassad Greenhouse is located near Al Shahaniyah and entry is free and open to all.
The facility spans 5,500sqms, and is split into 18 sections, each dedicated to a specific crop.
On offer are different varieties of roses, colorful gerbera daisies, tropical anthuriums, and green chrysanthemums, along with peppers and eggplants. Currently, 3,000sqm of the facility are devoted to growing roses, including a certain type of red-maroon rose named for Sheikha Moza. More information can be found here.
Shirin Neshat art exhibition
This famous Iranian American artist’s first solo exhibition in the Middle East is still on display at the Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf).
According to the museum’s description of “Afterwards:”
“(It) explores the relationship between ancient history and the politics of the present narrated through a strong visual language referencing the primal concepts of violence, passion and love in universal history. The artist proposes a different perspective on this collective history, using images that reflect the paradox of beauty and violence.”
Entry to the exhibition is QR25/person, and tickets can be bought from the museum’s front desk. The display is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 6pm; Friday from 3pm to 10pm and closed on Mondays. More information is available here.
Bonus:
- The Museum of Islamic Art Park Bazaar: This market will open from noon to 8pm on Saturday, Jan. 10. A homage to the old souqs of yore, the bazaar features some 150 stalls selling clothes, accessories, arts, crafts, décor and the like. The bazaar used to be open only the first Saturday of each month but will now be held weekly until May.
- Dugong population in Qatar: A talk about the biology, feeding behavior and significance of these animals will be held tonight (Jan. 7) at 7pm at the Doha English Speaking School (DESS) in Madinat Khalifa South. Dr. Jennifer Dupont, Research Director at ExxonMobil Research Qatar (EMRQ), will discuss what is currently known about the dugong population and how the public can help contribute to an enhanced understanding of the species. More information can be found here.
What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?
