By Reem Saad

From getting in the mood for National Day to attending a free Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra concert to eating some yummy food at a Filipino bazaar, there is lots to do around town during this long weekend.

Here are our picks:

National Day events

Even though National Day isn’t until Sunday, there are plenty of pre-QND activities to get you in a festive mood.

For example, parachutists from Qatar’s Armed Forces will be training off the Corniche on Saturday, Dec. 17 from 6am to 1pm. Expect closures during this time.

Also on Saturday, the MIA team is organizing a treasure hunt to mark QND. It will take place at the Museum of Islamic Art and at the QM Gallery, Al Riwaq.

The event will be held from noon to 3pm and costs QR50 per group. Participants are advised to purchase tickets in advance from a QM outlet: Museum of Islamic Art Gift Shop, QM Gallery Katara, Mathaf Gift Shop, In-Q at the Gate Mall.

The MIA is organizing a host of other activities, including a bazaar in the park, face painting, storytelling and an archaeology workshop on Dec. 17. See here for more details.

There are also events at the Pearl-Qatar and Asian Town happening this weekend.

And finally, the Darb Al Saai grounds in Al Sadd are open through Dec. 20, giving residents a chance to learn more about Qatar’s heritage.

For more on these events and about National Day activities, see our guide here.

Filipino bazaar

A three-day bazaar that includes Filipino food, competitions and activities will kick off on Friday, Dec. 16 at the Westin Doha near Ramada signal.

The “Handog ng Kulinarya sa Qatar 2016” (A Thanksgiving for Qatar) celebration runs through National Day and some 10,000 people are expected to turn up, organizers said.

More than a dozen Filipino restaurants will be selling food, while other booths showcase precuts and services from local companies.

Competitions will include singing and ballroom dancing, and there will also be a children’s play area, photo booth and Zumba for a cause. Meanwhile, more than a dozen local Filipino bands and dance groups will perform over the three-day event.

The bazaar is open from 10am to 10pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It is free and open to the public. More details are here.

Shehrazad Symphony

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra will perform the famous “Shehrazad Symphony” in cooperation with the Algerian embassy on Friday, Dec. 16 at Katara’s Opera House at 7:30pm.

Guests are advised to arrive at least 45 minutes in advance for seating. The concert will run until 9:30pm.

The event is free, but registration is requested. Children below 10 years of age and anyone dressed in sports attire will not be allowed inside the Opera House. More information on rules and regulations can be found here. For inquiries, email [email protected].

Qatar SuperStock 600

Practice sessions for a new road racing championship called Qatar SuperStock 600 (QSTK600) will kick off this weekend.

The championship itself has been postponed until January, and will consist of 12 races over six rounds. This weekend will feature the first official practices for the races.

Sessions run from 11am to 5:15pm on Friday (with a break for prayer from 11:30a to 1:30p), and from 10am to 4:45pm on Saturday.

The event is free and open to the public. Attendees can view the practices from Losail International Circuit’s grandstand and paddock areas. More information about the schedules can be found here.

Note: Every Tuesday, the Losail International Circuit will open its track to women only between 5pm and 8:30pm. Ladies are invited to go for walks, runs or even cycle during these times. More information is here.

Arabic language festival at Katara

Katara’s Arabic language festival, which kicked off yesterday, will continue today and tomorrow from 9am to 2pm.

The festival, called Ḍaad, features many children’s activities, including a puppet theatre, a house of Arabic heritage narrator, comedy, Arabic electronic games, poetry and a reading corner, among other activities.

The festival is free and open to all and is happening at Katara’s Wisdom Square.

Farming and falconry

For those looking to get away from the city on National Day, local eco-tourism company 365 Adventures is hosting several events this weekend, including a farming and falconry event between Saturday Dec. 17 and Sunday Dec. 18.

Attendees will visit a renowned farm to learn about falconry, take a tour of Al Thaqab Farm and fort, and stay overnight at the farm itself. The trip will also include a traditional dinner and breakfast.

Tickets cost QR150 for those who will drive themselves in their own cars, and QR280 for those who will be picked up and dropped off. Tickets can be purchased here.

The event will require a minimum of 25 guests. If there aren’t enough people registered, you will be refunded. More information can be found here.

Other events happening this weekend will also include a full-moon yoga and desert safari along with a karaoke night on a dhow cruise.

Dari Qatar film premiere

A feature-length documentary that includes compiled video clips filmed by Qatar residents will be screening in Novo Cinemas starting tonight at 6pm.

Dari Qatar: A Film By All of Us, which was filmed throughout 2016, features human interest pieces that incorporate the day-to-day lives of Qatar residents. The clips all allude to themes of change, diversity, hope, family, tradition and adventure, among others.

The film will be screened until Dec. 17 at 6pm each evening. The screenings are free, but it is recommended to reserve seats in advance, which can be done on the Novo Cinemas website.

More information can be found here.

What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?