From cheering on your favorite racers to playing video games to cuddling with cats or watching a free film, there is no shortage of things to do around town over the next few days. Here are our picks:

Motorsport opening season races

Head over to the Losail International Circuit for some homegrown fast and furious action as the Qatar Challenge and Qatar Superbike rallies open their season. Track testing for both events, where riders can test out the pitch, will be held at the circuit on Thursday, Sept. 17, from 3:45pm until midnight, followed by the main races over the weekend.

Free practices and qualifying rounds for superbike competitors will be held from 4:45pm onwards on Friday, Sept. 18, and from 8pm onwards for the Qatar Challenge, followed by the opening car race at 11:30pm.

Four races – two for each category – are scheduled to take place at 6pm and 10pm on Saturday. The main grandstand is free and open to the public. For more information, see the event’s website here.

Anime enthusiasts’ gathering

Anime fans around Qatar are invited to join Anime Qtr, a local manga and anime interest group, at their second meet-up this Friday, Sept. 18, at 4pm.

The free event will take place at the Al Jassra Club and will include a gaming corner, where attendees can play Super Smash, Naruto and Mario Kart. Collectors, hobbyists, and fans are all invited to attend. For more information, see the group’s Facebook page here.

QAWS open shelter day

The Qatar Animal Welfare Society (QAWS) is holding an open day at its shelter on Friday, Sept. 18 from 3pm to 7pm. There will be a bake sale, as well as used books and secondhand items for purchase.

Attendees can also meet the shelter’s inhabitants, which include dogs, cats, rabbits, farm animals and monkeys. More information about the open day can be found on the group’s event page here.

Salsa dancing

Salsa n Candela, a local Latin dance group, will be hosting a series of beginner salsa classes over the course of the next two months.

Sessions are held almost every Friday from 8 to 9pm, including one this weekend, Sept. 18, at the Hilton Hotel Eforea Spa. Classes cost QR 60 and are payable at the door.

Interested participants are not required to register prior to sessions or to bring along a partner. For more information, call 33003839 or email [email protected].

Free children’s movie screening

The Katara Cultural Village is hosting a special screening of My Mommy is in America, a 2014 Cesar-nominated animated film about a young child named John.

The French animated movie “My Mommy is in America” will be screened in #Katara Building15, on Thursday 17 Sep, 3:30pm pic.twitter.com/UKnO4fAEiF

— كتارا | Katara (@kataraqatar) September 15, 2015

The screening will take place tomorrow, Sept. 17 at 3:30 pm at Building 15, and will be followed by a snack. The movie will have English subtitles and entrance is free.

Arts and crafts workshop

As part of Katara’s new series of “end of the week” workshops, two sessions on Ebru, the Turkish art of water-painting (painting on water and then transferring the image onto paper) will be held on Sept. 17 and 19 at the Katara Art Studios.

The consecutive classes will teach attendees both basic and advanced techniques, and are open to children ages 10 years and older. Each class costs QR175 and is payable at the door. To register, send your name and number via email to [email protected]. For more information, visit the event’s website here.

Katara is also hosting a four-day long floral workshop focusing on floral arrangement, bouquet-making and Eid decorations from Sept. 17 to 20. Sessions will be held by Roza Hassad, a local flower and produce farm, and cost QR150 per day, payable at the door. Classes will be held at the Katara Art Studios from 5 to 8pm daily.

Bonus:

• History of computers exhibition: A new exhibition showcasing the history of computers will open today, Sept. 16, at Building 18 in Katara. The exhibition, which will run until the end of the month, showcases a collection of devices and photographs highlighting the early days of the machine. The exhibition is free and open to the public from 10am to 10pm daily.
• Stars of Science: An “edutainment” reality TV program that searches for the world’s best Arab inventor returns for a seventh season on Friday, Sept. 18 at 7pm on MBC4. During the season, which is funded by Qatar Foundation, viewers will see 12 innovators compete against each other as they develop ideas from concept to commercialization in 10 episodes, concluding with one winner.

What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?