Now that the weather is finally cooling down, there are a slew of outdoor events taking place over the next few days, including a festival celebrating European jazz, a Turkish market and an off-roading event. There’s also a beach cleanup, fun run and some cultural events on offer. Here are our picks:

Turkish bazaar 

As part of the 2015 Qatar-Turkey Year of Culture, the Museum of Islamic Art is hosting a Turkish bazaar and festival starting today, Oct. 28 and running through Saturday, Oct. 31 at the MIA Park.

The weekend-long event will showcase the country’s rich and varied history, culminating in performances by a traditional Turkish music and folk dance, an Ottoman military band, an outdoor photography exhibition and a Turkish tea house.

For children and families, there will be a “cinema under the stars,” shadow puppet theater workshops, a play area and family arts and craft workshops.

Entrance to the event is free and open to the public. It is open from 5 to 10pm on Wednesday, 2 to 10pm on Thursday and Friday, and 10am to 10pm on Saturday.

Residents should note that the MIA car park will be closed, but that free shuttle bus services will be available from the old Doha airport Departures terminal.

Jazz festival

Veteran jazz musicians from seven European countries will perform at the second annual Katara European Jazz Festival, which begins today, Oct. 28.

The five-day long event will feature evening performances from jazz bands from France, Austria, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, among other European countries.

The inaugural performance will be one by Falb Fiction, led by Austrian saxophonist and composer Viola Falb at 7pm. All performances will take place in Al Mizan courtyard, behind Building 5 in Katara and will be free and open to the public. More details can be found on the event’s Facebook page here.

Paralympics World Championships

More than 1,000 para-athletes will continue to compete at the International Paralympics Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships, as one of the world’s largest single para-sport event comes to a close on Saturday, Oct. 31 at the Qatar Sports Club.

Tickets for the event are on sale and can be bought online via Q-Tickets.com or in person at the venue. Morning sessions are free to attend, while evening sessions start from QR20/person onwards. Children under under 4 and seniors over 60 years old enter for free. In addition to a kids’ zone, prizes are also being handed out to audience members.

Beach cleanup

Help do your part to keep the environment clean at the Green Hoteliers Sealine Beach Clean Up campaign on Saturday Oct. 31 at the Sealine Beach resort.

The free and open-to-all event is backed by a host of international hotels including the Marriott, the W, and the Grand Hyatt, and will take place from 8am onwards.

Interested participants are requested to meet at the Al Meera supermarket next to Sealine at 8am and pick up their cleaning gear kits.

Qatar Endurocross 

The first round of this year’s season of the Qatar International Endurocross will take place this Friday, Oct 30, from 10:35am onwards at Sealine the Losail International Circuit.

The event will feature riders competing in off-road races designed to test their endurance and off-road desert riding skills. Each race will cover over a mix of different types of desert terrain and will last for 30 minutes plus 1 lap.

The championship is 4 rounds and each round consists of 2 races. For more information, visit the event’s website here, or see the detailed schedule of events here.

State mosque tour

Islamic Cultural Center Fanar is hosting a tour of the Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab Mosque (state mosque) on Friday, Oct. 30, from 3:30pm to 5pm.

Interested residents are encouraged to attend the session, led by a native English speaker, and learn about the place of worship. To register, send your email and number to [email protected] or call 3313 3441.

Off-roading event

Qatar’s largest off-roading group, Qatar Offroaders, is hosting their inaugural winter event this Friday, Oct. 30, from 8am onwards. The event, a trip to the Inland Sea, is free and open to the public, and promises to be a fun-filled day outside the city.

The group will leave Sealine at 8:30 am, drive down to a spot at the Inland Sea and set up camp for the day. Residents looking for a bit more adventure can follow the group leaders on nearby dunes. Others can stay behind at the campsite to BBQ, swim or play beach games.

All 4×4’s are welcome; AWD vehicles are not allowed as they are not capable of making the trip over. All vehicles will be inspected on the day prior to leaving. Residents are encouraged to bring their own supplies and foodstuff to share. Every car has to be self-sufficient with food, drinks, and other necessary gear. Those without a 4×4 car can ask to hitch a ride here. Families, pets, singles and children over 5 years are welcome. For more information, visit the event’s website here.

Bonus:

• Casting Call: Aspiring actors are invited to audition for a new independent film that follows an abusive Saudi father who tasks his innocent and imaginative 8-year-old son with killing the neighborhood dog. The film, The Dog’s Children, is looking for Arab-looking characters at around eight, 18, and 50 years of age to play the role of the three leads. The crew is also looking for dog trainers and trainable canines. Auditions will be held at the Northwestern University in Qatar’s Studio in Education City from Oct 29-31. Interested residents can apply for a part here. For more information or queries, email [email protected].
• Breast Cancer Awareness: The Diva Lounge Spa in association with the Qatar Cancer Society is organizing an awareness workshop on the prevention and early detection of cancer for all women. The event will be held from 6pm onwards at the Diva Lounge Spa at Royal Plaza on Nov 1. Food and refreshments will be served, and residents can avail of complimentary head and neck massages courtesy of the spa. For more information, call 4432 6927.
• Nike Middle East Run: The Nike+ Run Club is hosting a fun run for interested residents this Friday, Oct. 30, from 8am. Residents looking to squeeze in a bit of cardio among their weekend festivities can sign up for the event here. The 3-5K run will begin at the Nike Store at City Center Mall. The event is free and open to the public.

What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?