Whether you feel like shopping, running for a cause, watching one of the world’s most popular musicals or learning about history in a fun way, there are plenty of things to do in Qatar over the weekend. Here are our picks:

Festive bazaars

Keeping with the impending festive month, numerous independent groups and organizations are holding winter bazaars this weekend, offering residents an opportunity to stock up on unique Christmas gifts for family and friends this year.

Here are some of the highlights:

• Festive Market West Bay Lagoon: The West Bay Lagoon is holding a winter festive market this Friday, Nov. 28, from 10am to 1pm at Park 10, with vendors selling handmade gift items and Christmas trinkets for the family. The event is free and open to the public. Interested residents are requested to use the North Gate entrance by the Golf Club and Commercial Bank to access the venue.
• Winter bazaar: The Ain Khalid Gate Compound is selling novelty gifts and crafts at their Clubhouse 2 on Friday, Nov. 28, from 11am to 5pm. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, please email [email protected].
• CAT Shopping Fair: Local cat shelter the Cat Assistant Team is hosting a festive shopping fair at the Riviera Gardens Compound Clubhouse on Saturday, Nov. 29, from 1 to 6pm. The fair will feature vendors selling Christmas and winter-themed cards, gifts, and crafts, festive music, Christmas food including gingerbread cakes and mince pies, and a special appearance by Santa. Tickets to the event cost QR10/each and can be bought at the door. Proceeds from the event will go toward the team’s various feline rescue initiatives. For more information or to book a stall at the fair, email [email protected] or check out the Facebook event page here.

Terry Fox Run

Lace up your running shoes for charity and take part in the annual Terry Fox Run on Friday, Nov. 28, at noon at the College of North Atlantic Qatar. Registration for the run, which aims to raise awareness about cancer, opens at 1pm, followed by the event from 3pm onwards.

Those interested in contributing to the cause can register and donate online here, or in person on the day of the event.

Participants can choose between the 3km, 6km, and 9km routes, and are encouraged to get sponsors to support their run. The event will also include games, food, face painting stalls and numerous other family activities.

Sound of Music

The iconic Broadway musical Sound of Music will open to audiences in Qatar this weekend with performances at 7pm on Nov. 26 and 27, and at 2pm and 7pm on Nov. 28 and 29 at the Qatar National Convention Center.

The event will feature a cast of London’s West End performers singing some of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most beloved numbers with a live orchestral accompaniment.

Tickets to the event can be bought online at Virgin Megastore here, and cost between QR250 to QR1,200. Doors open half an hour before the shows. Children under two years of age are not allowed in the venue.

Qatar Masters Chess Open 2014

The prestigious Qatar Masters Chess Open, featuring international players such as Vladimir Kramnik, Anish Giri and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, will be held this year from Nov. 25 to Dec. 5 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The total prize fund for the event exceeds $110,000, with the winner taking home $25,000. Matches are open to the public and are scheduled to be held at 3pm daily. Round One opens today, and continues at 3pm every day until Round Nine on Dec. 4 at noon. For more information, visit the event’s website here or look up the schedule here.

Horrible Histories production

BARMY Britain, a production by Doha College and Horrible Histories featuring a fun rendition of Britain’s greatest historical characters, will open this Thursday, Nov. 27 at 6pm at Doha College.

The performance is a fast-paced tour of British history and focuses on Queen Victoria, Queen Boudica and King Charles. Tickets to the event cost QR90 and QR100/person and can be bought online here. The show is open to the public, and is especially targeted at children older than five years old.

University League football match

The University League – a coalition of 12 local colleges and universities – will host its second match in a fall series this Thursday, Nov. 26, at 6pm.

The league is a collaboration between Qatar Foundation and the Qatar Football Association. Teams from the Qatar Aeronautical College, the College of the North Atlantic Qatar, the University of Calgary Qatar, the Academic Bridge Program, along with Education City’s numerous universities, are competing for the championship title.

Winners will be recognized across various categories and ranks. Cash prizes, totaling more than QR100,000, will be awarded. The match will be played at Pitch 3 at Qatar Foundation’s Recreation Center in Education City. The event is free and open to the public. Subsequent matches will be played every Thursday until Dec 18.

Bonus:

• Live jazz at the MIA Park: Jazz at Lincoln Center is hosting its monthly open-air jazz concert tonight, Nov. 26, from 6 to 7pm at the Museum of Islamic Art Park. Join Emmy award-winning jazz, blues and R&B vocalist Gregory Generet as he sings under the stars during this free live performance. Children are welcome.
• Equestrian photo contest: Qatar Museums is hosting a three-month long equestrian competition to uncover new photographic talent across Qatar. Amateur and professional photographers are invited to submit images of Arabian horses at various events organized by the Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club between Nov. 25, 2014 and Feb. 26, 2015. To participate, register online here, which will allow access to a press box at one of the QREC events. Each entrant can submit up to three shots.



• HDSLR filmmaking workshop: Doha-based filmmaker Alex Klim is hosting a one-day filmmaking workshop on Saturday, Nov. 29, from 9am to 6pm at The St. Regis Doha. The workshop costs QR980/person and includes the workshop, a full lunch buffet, snacks and coffee. Attendees will be coached on camera settings, lenses, professional sound recording, syncing audio and video, 3-point-lighting, interview set ups, and an introduction to 3D gimbal and aerial shooting techniques. Those interested can book their tickets online here. For queries, please contact Alex at [email protected].
• Ferrari art exhibition: Alfardan Sports Motors is hosting an exhibition featuring Ferrari-themed artwork by artists including Rashed Al Muhanadi, Lisa Watson and Ahmed Alawi. The event will take place this Saturday, Nov. 29, from 7 to 9pm at the Ferrari Showroom in the Pearl. Those interested in attending are requested to RSVP via email at [email protected] or via phone at 44208788.
• Thanksgiving celebrations: Celebrate American Thanksgiving a.k.a. Turkey Day this weekend and share your love and gratitude with family and friends, and of course, good food, at many local restaurants. The Grand Hyatt, Marriott Marquis, St. Regis, Marriott, Intercontinental The City, Four Seasons, W, La Cigale, and Ritz-Carlton are all hosting turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie feasts on Thursday, Nov 27. Find a full list of events, prices and phone numbers here.

What are your plans? Thoughts?