From checking out a comedy show to cheering on dragon boat racers to soaking up some Filipino culture to enjoying a live performance by Akon, there is lots to do around town this weekend.
Here are our picks:
Dragon Boat Festival
Qatar’s first dragon boat competition of the season will be held on Friday, March 10 at the Grand Hyatt Doha from 8am to 5pm.
Come cheer on your favorite team as Qatar’s best dragon boat clubs compete in the 200m sprint category.
Dragon boat racing is an ancient sport practiced for over 2,000 years in southern China in which competitors race in boats the shape of dragons.
The event is free and open to the public, and more info can be found here.
International Women’s Day event
UNESCO, Al Jazeera English and the Doha Centre for Media Freedom will host a “Women Make the News” event to mark International Women’s Day this evening (March 8).
It will be held at the Al Jazeera Cafe in Katara Cultural Village from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
Seven women will speak during the event, including AJ+ Managing Director Dima Khatib, cartoonist Latifa Darwish and Al Jazeera presenter Asma Al Hamadi.
There will also be a workshop on how to present the news and film it . Simultaneous translation will be provided and the evening is open to all. Dinner will be served at 7:30pm after the speeches and workshops.
Akon live
American singer and rapper Akon will perform live in Qatar tomorrow (March 9) at the Hilton Doha. The event runs from 9pm to 2am at the hotel’s Society Lounge.
The dress code is “smart elegant” and the event is open to people over the age of 21 years old.
Tickets cost QR250/person, and membership is not required. For bookings & more information, please call 55390937 between 10am to 10pm. Or find out more on the event’s Facebook page.
Comedy show
Stand Up Comedy Qatar (SUCQ) will host a show for people of all ages on Thursday, March 9 at the HBKU Student Center in Education City.
Tickets cost QR35/person if purchased online in advance, or QR50 at the door. A limited number of free seats for students is available (student ID required).
Doors to the Black Box Theater open at 6:30pm and the show runs from 7pm to 9:30pm. Local comedians are invited to perform – email Saad at [email protected] if interested.
JR Exhibition opens
A major exhibition containing several of French artist JR’s most well-known works is open to the public from March 9 to May 31 at the Qatar Museums Gallery in Katara.
The anonymous artist is famous for creating large-scale outdoor installations, films, photographs and videos around the world.
A self-proclaimed “urban activist,” JR has produced artworks on buildings and slums around Paris, in Israel and Palestine, in Malaysia and Brazil.
Entry is free and open to all. The gallery is closed on Sundays, open 10am to 8pm Monday – Thursday and on Saturdays, and open from 3pm to 9pm on Fridays.
More information can be found online here.
Filipino festival
The Nayong Filipino Production group is holding a two-day festival at Asian Town on March 9 and 10. The Piyestahan 2017 ever aims to celebrate the diversity of Filipino culture through music, dance and cuisine.
Admission to the event is free. Offerings include a kiddie zone, bike show, motor show, medical mission and a “surprise celebrity performance.”
The new Philippine Ambassador to Doha Alan Timbayan will also be welcomed. More details can be found here.
Bonus:
- IKEA Qatar’s birthday: To mark its fourth year in Qatar, IKEA is holding several events this month for visitors. On Friday, there will be a kids’ parade and games from 4:30pm, as well as a magic show and musical performance from 5pm to 9pm. On Saturday, the first 100 customers are invited to eat cake, and from 4pm to 8pm there will kids games, a puppet show and a dhabkha performance. More information about all the events is here.
What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?
