Whether you’re craving laughter and music or something more educational and thought-provoking, there are several events to check out around town over the next few days. Here are our picks:
Concerts and comedy showÂ
Closing out its month-long festival of carnival games, amusement park rides and other attractions, the Qatar Tourism Authority is scheduled to hold two concerts and a comedy show this weekend.
Gulf stars Balqis Fathy and Rabeh Saqr will perform at the Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah arena Qatar National Convention Center (note venue change) on Aug. 27, while Syrian star Asala and Moroccan newcomer Saad Lamjared will perform on the 28th.
Tickets for the shows cost between QR199 and QR1,499 per person, and are available at the Doha Exhibition Center and online here. The event is open to adults and children over six years; doors will open at 7pm.
Also this weekend as part of the QSF, Gulf comedians Bader Saleh, Ibrahim Khairallah, Fahd Al Butairi, Ahmed Al Shammari, Ali Al Sayed and Qatari comedian Hamad Al Amari will take to the stage for Doha Comedy Day.
The event is open to residents ages 13 and over, and is scheduled to be held at the Qatar National Convention Center on Saturday, Aug. 29. Doors will open at 7pm, and the show will begin at 8pm. Tickets cost between QR145 and QR1,000 per person and are available online here.
Back to school with QNLÂ
The Qatar National Library is hosting an educational event for children ages 4 to 11 years old and their families to mark the beginning of the academic year.
The event will be held from 4 to 6pm on Thursday, Aug. 27, at the Education City Clubhouse. It is free and open to the public and will feature storytelling and songwriting sessions, as well as arts and crafts activities during which participants can create their own personalized pencil cases.
Interested attendees are requested to RSVP via email to [email protected].
Reggae and laughter
Residents looking for a bit of relaxation and hoping to pick up some good vibes can head over to the Al Sadd Sports Club from 7pm onwards this Friday, Aug. 28, for an evening of reggae music and a comedy show.
During the event, Filipino-American comedian and actress K Brosas will perform alongside Kokoi Baldo, a Filipino reggae artist.
The evening will open with live performances by popular local Filipino bands in Doha, including Soundz of Era, Overtone, Air Suklay and Infinite Band.
Tickets to the event cost QR150 and QR200 each and are available online here. For more information, email [email protected] or call 5054 0859.
International author book reading
To help foster a love of reading among its students, Georgetown University in Qatar is hosting an evening with Sri Lankan-born, British author and Man Booker Prize finalist Romesh Gunesekera today, Aug. 26, at 6 pm.
The event, which will be held at Georgetown’s auditorium, is free and open to the public, and is part of the university’s “Life of the Mind” reading program.
Gunesekera is slated to read and discuss excerpts from his newest book, Noontide Toll, a collection of 14 linked stories, all set in Sri Lanka, and told through the eyes of Vasantha, a retired clerk turned bus driver.
Bonus:
- Arts and crafts workshop: Continuing its summer-long series of workshops, the recently opened FNAC store at Lagoona mall is hosting an arts and crafts session today, Aug. 26, at 3pm. This week’s workshop will focus on teaching children to create modern wall art, 3D paper art, rolled paper art and personalized initials. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page here.
What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?
1499 riyals for a concert? Filipino reggae?? Guess it’s a weekend at home for me then
I think that’s only if you want a VVVVVVVVVVVVVIP seat.
I’ve posted a few other things that are happening on the most recent post on my site if you want to check it out. September is almost here so our social lives should be taking a turn for the better then.
Katie
http://www.onlyindoha.com
There used to be regular concerts for free at the souq featuring many of the talented local Qatari singers. Why does it seem that there are now no concerts featuring the local singers, but rather costly concerts featuring singers from outside Qatar? I’m not saying the foreigners aren’t talented – I’m sure they will attract audiences eager to hear them. But what of the Qatari singers, why are they being forgotten?
Hear, hear.
Because it’s debilitatingly humid at the moment? The concerts at the Souq are mostly held outdoors.
I’m just going by what has historically been the case for about the last 5 years or so. Hot and humid weather not withstanding there have always been Qataris singing at the souq in summer, and to very large and receptive crowds of nationals.
For first and second eid there was aways a concert series featuring Qatari singers. This year no Qatari singers at eid.
During the summer festival at Souq Waqif there were always smaller scale concerts featuring Qatari singers. This year no Qatari singers.
I can’t understand why the national singers are being overlooked unlike in all other past years that I can remember. It seems a real shame to me that Qataris are ignored in sole preference to singers from other countries. Why no Qataris singing at the concerts this weekend for example? Why is every one of the performers from another country?
As to your comment about the weather, I noticed tonight that the concerts due to take place at Al Arabi have now been moved to QNCC citing unforseen technical production issues.
Can a Nepalese construction worker go to the souq to enjoy ? Oh no that’s right….
Laughtrip with K and music to my ears with cocoi… Something exciting…. I like this….
Is the comedy show in English or Arabic?
Thanks for the tip about the Reggae and Laughter show – we would never have known about it and would have missed a great concert otherwise. The local Pinoy bands are very good and the Infinite Band backed up Kokoi so well (they can’t have had a lot of rehearsal time for that show)…. K Brosas was awesome…..