From a high-intensity parkour competition to a football match to a magic show and a traditional dhow festival, there are plenty of ways to spend your free time around town this weekend. Here are our picks:
Wild Khaleeji parkour
Residents looking for some high-octane, urban-infused action can head over to the Aspire Zone this weekend, where 14 parkour hopefuls from around the region will go head-to-head in a freerun and parkour competition.
Under the banner “Wild Khaleeji,” the event, scheduled to run on Nov. 20 and 21, aims to showcase parkour talent while encouraging GCC youth to be active. The competition is free and open to the public, and will feature a parkour “playground” and fan zone where attendees can test their skills and interact with fellow enthusiasts.
Friday’s roundup begins at 3pm and includes a BMX, skateboarding and graffiti showcase, rap and hip hop performances and dances. On Saturday, there will be public workshops and an evening performance. For a full schedule, visit the event’s Facebook page here, or the group’s website here.
Supercar show
An “elite team” of supercar riders will showcase their skills and their cars at Medina Centrale on the Pearl this Friday, Nov. 20. According to organizers, the event will include several exotic and luxury cars, a lights show and musical entertainment.
Join the “Super Car Show” in Medina Centrale this Nov 20th with luxury automobiles on display,music & entertainment pic.twitter.com/iETbAjVhOM
— The Pearl-Qatar (@ThePearlQatar) November 16, 2015
The event is free and open to the public and runs from 7 to 10pm. For more information, visit the Pearl’s Facebook page here.
Dhow festival
Qatar’s annual dhow festival, now in its fifth year, will be open to the public at Katara Cultural Village through Saturday, Nov. 21. Some 100 dhows from the GCC region have dropped their anchors at the Katara beach, including the Fath Al Khair 2, a vessel that embarked on a 44-day journey to India with a crew of 30 people.
This year’s offerings include a traditional village with handicrafts stalls, cultural shows and maritime competitions like dhow racing, pearl diving, fishing and rowing. The pearl diving contest, which will run from Nov. 19-21, will see teams from Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar competing for the top prize.
The festival will also debut a gold and pearls market where visitors can buy traditional jewelry for the first time.
Meanwhile, artists from Qatar and neighboring countries are scheduled to perform folkloric songs, while an adjacent fish market and a kitchen will serve up traditional seafood dishes prepared from freshly-caught fish.
Schoolchildren can avail of free 20-minute long cruises aboard two dedicate dhows, and partake in various activities and workshops focusing on maritime professions.
Organizers are also running a fine art and photography competition with cash prizes for winners. For a detailed schedule of events and the competitions, visit Katara’s website here.
Magic show
The Illusionists 1903, a live magic stage show featuring eight international magicians, is scheduled to hold nine performances from today, Nov. 18, to Saturday, Nov. 21, at the Qatar National Convention Center. Despite public controversy over the content of the show, the event will go ahead as planned.
Shows will be held at 9pm tonight; 6:30 and 10pm tomorrow; and at 2:30, 6 and 9pm on Friday and Saturday. Tickets cost from QR145/person up to QR1,995 and are available online here.
Energy World Qatar
Experience breakthroughs in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at Energy World Qatar, a new interactive exhibition that runs from Nov. 19-28 at the newly opened Doha Exhibition and Convention Center in West Bay.
According to the event’s website, the exhibition is an interactive edutainment experience that highlights the benefits of energy, how it enables and betters human life. It also underscores national and global energy challenges.
Billed as a comprehensive family experience, the exhibition will also provide hands-on encounters with various exhibits across different activity zones.
The event is free and open to the public from 5 to 10pm on weekdays, 2 to 10pm on Fridays, and 10am to 10pm on Saturdays. Visitors are requested to register for their free tickets online here prior to arriving at the venue.
Indian ballet
A new socio-cultural organization of Indian expats from the southern state of Karnataka are hosting an Indian ballet program, “Karnataka Vaibhava,” in honor of the state’s formation day.
The almost five-hour long program will be held from 4pm onwards on Friday, Nov. 20, at the Delhi Public School Auditorium in Al Wakrah. Ballet artists from India are set to entertain the audience accompanied by traditional Indian music.
The event is open to the public, and interested attendees can call Swaroop Rajeshwari on 5554 6791 or Sunil Bhandari 5553 1816 to request passes.
Al Jaish vs Al Arabi
Watch two of the best teams in Qatar’s highest professional league compete on Saturday, Nov. 21, from 4pm onwards at the Al Arabi stadium.
Favorite El Jaish will once again go head-to-head with Al Arabi, having won their last two matches in February and September.
Tickets cost QR10 and 20 and can be bought online here, or on match day one hour prior to kick-off. VIP tickets cost QR50 and can only be bought on the day of the event, one hour prior to kick-off. For more information about tickets, including ones for children, visit the Qatar Star’s League website here.
What are your weekend plans? Thoughts?
