There are plenty of things to do in Qatar over the next few days, including watching the World Cup, commemorating Friday the 13th and joining in on Philippines Independence Day celebrations. Here are our picks:

Celebrate independence

Pinoys in Qatar will mark the 116th Philippine Independence Day at the Al Wakra Sports Club on June 13. All are invited to join in on the celebrations.

Tickets for the Piyesta Ng Pasasalamat event cost QR10 and are available at the door. Filipino artists Katya Santos and Leo Martinez will grace the event, which will go from 6am to 10:30pm. For more details or to check out the live stream of the festivities, visit the organizers’ Facebook page here.

Enjoy the World Cup

Celebrate the launch of the 2014 World Cup tonight, June 12, with screenings of the inaugural Brazil vs. Croatia match.

The Gaming Lounge in Al Sadd will be hosting screenings, as will Kempinski Residences and Suites, Oryx Rotana, La Cigale, The Four Seasons, Hilton Hotel, Ezdan Hotels, The Intercontinental, St. Regis, and The Holiday Villa. See here for more information about costs, timings and match schedules.

DFI screening

The Doha Film Institute will screen In Bloom (Grzeli Nateli Dgeebi), a film by Georgian writer and director Nana Ekvtimishvili.

Co-directed by Simon Gross, the film was screened at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2013, where it was referred to as “the birth of the new Georgian wave.”

The film will be screened from at 7pm from tonight, June 12 to Wednesday, June 18 at the Katara Drama Theater, located within the Katara Opera House (Building 16).

Tickets can be purchased online here for QR35/person. The screening is rated PG-15 and open to adults ages 18 years and older. Anyone under the age of 15 must be accompanied by an adult.

Horror brunch

The Grand Hyatt Doha is holding a Friday the 13th-themed brunch tomorrow, inviting customers to dress up in their spookiest outfits. The cost of a regular brunch is QR295/person and QR420/person if it includes alcoholic beverages. Reservations can be made at 77982400.

Katara Art Center’s final event

After a surprise announcement last week about their impending closure, the KAC will hold their final event on Sunday, June 15 at 6:30pm to drum up support for independent art initiatives.

The evening will feature talks from KAC leaders, friends of the center and musical performances. KAC said it would be closing because it has lost funding and its space at Katara. More information about the event can be found here.

Bonus:

• Red Bull Winning 5: Watch some of the best amateur footballers in the country play this weekend at the Red Bull Winning 5. The event will held at 5pm on Friday, June 13 at the Aspire Dome. Sixteen of the best five-on-five teams will compete for the National title. The event is open to everyone, and admission is free. Email [email protected] or call 66004820 for more information.
• One Thousand and One Nights Ballet: Join the cast of One Thousand and One Nights as they embark on their first ballet performance in the Middle East. The event will be held at the Katara Opera House – Building 16, from Monday, June 16 to Monday, June 23, and will feature pieces composed by acclaimed Azerbaijani composer Fikret Amirov. Tickets cost between QR100 to QR250 and are available online here or at Virgin Megastores.
• Calligraphy workshop: Learn the lost art of calligraphy with acclaimed Iraqi artist Aamer Yasser. Workshops will be held every Monday and Wednesday, from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, at Arts and Crafts, located behind Landmark. Participants will be introduced to calligraphy, before moving on to writing script on paper and canvas. Workshops will run from June 11 until June 25, and cost QR1,600/person. For reservations or more information, call 44865201 or 55801627.
• World 9-Ball Championship: Watch international billiard players as they compete for a $30,000 championship. The first stage of the contest will begin on June 16 at the Al Sadd Sports Club. Matches are free and open to the public. More information can be found here.

What are your weekend plans? Thoughts?