From sports to art to eating, there’s a lot going on around the country this weekend. Here are our picks:

‘Trapeze’ exhibition

Local Qatari artists will feature some contemporary work at a new exhibition at Katara Cultural Village on Friday, Aug. 15, from 10am to 10pm at Building 19.

According to Katara, the exhibition will revolve around:

“(The artist’s) efforts to achieve a balance between reviving the heritage and traditions and preserve the cultural and popular memory, between their aspirations as artists yearning for the future enlightened by their country rising to the top ranks in various fields.”

The exhibition aims to present explanations about the evolution of Qatar from a visual arts perspective. The event is free and open to the public.

Sunset kayaking

Continuing its streak of weekend activities, local environmental education group Entalek is organizing a sunset mangrove paddle this weekend, Aug. 15 and 16, at the Al Thakira nature reserve. Join the team and experience a kayak lesson, a sunset mangrove tour and a BBQ.

Those interested should be at the Al Thakira marina, a few kilometers outside Al Khor, at 4:30pm. The trip costs QR200, and seats can be reserved online here.

Guests are requested to bring their own food and drinks for the BBQ. For more information, contact Steve at 3023 3207.

Sheikh Jassim Cup

Join local football teams as they take part in the Sheikh Jassim Cup on Aug. 13 at the Lekhwiya Stadium from 7 to 10pm. The event, hailed as the season-opening football tournament in Qatar, was first held in 1977.

This year, the Qatar Football Association will any revenue generated from the Sheikh Jassim Cup to help the Palestinian cause. Games and events will be held prior to the match starting at 4:30pm, and during half time.

The opening match will take place between 12-time Sheikh Jassim cup winner Al Sadd and the Qatar Stars League champions Lekhwiya. The event is free and open to the public.

Football fan area

Keeping with the football spirit, and the start of the football season in Qatar, Villaggio and Landmark malls will set up football fan areas to engage and entertain the public.

The areas will remain open until Aug. 22, and feature interactive games organized by the Qatar Football Association and the Qatar Stars League.

Booths will be positioned within the fan zone with information on all the 18 clubs playing during the season. The event aims to drum up excitement ahead of QSL’s season, which will see 14 teams compete for the title this year.

Bonus:

• Summer festival: Residents who have already seen the Corniche water show and visited Entertainment City may want to venture out of Doha for a taste of summer festival fun this weekend. For example, the Al Wakra beach will host a pop-up inflatable aqua park from 3pm to 8pm daily, while adventure enthusiasts can get their share of biking, kayaking and other outdoor sports in Al Khor. Tickets for the latter can be purchased at the tent outside the Al Khor Mall.
• Urban Indian Kitchen Supper Club: Take a culinary trip to Pakistan as local chef Irum Ashraf serves a brunch with traditional South Asian dishes. The meal will be held at her apartment at the Pearl on Aug. 16 at 1pm. Reservations cost QR250 per person, and can be done via email to [email protected].

What are your weekend plans? Thoughts?