There’s absolutely no reason to sit at home feeling bored this weekend, as there are lots of events planned around town, including a comedy show, live music, a Chinese food festival and dozens of planes on display at the annual Al Khor fly-in. Here are the highlights:
Chinese food fest
Qatar’s “first” Chinese food festival will be held over two days at Dragon Mart on Barwa Commercial Avenue on Feb. 19 (2pm until 9:30pm) and Feb. 20 (12:30pm until 9:30pm).
Chefs from Chinese restaurants across Qatar, including Royal Bafilyon, Shanghai Garden, Beijing House and Guangzhou Barbecue will prepare their signature dishes for purchase, in addition to offering tastings.
Guests can also nominate a particular restaurant for a distinguished service award, organizers said. Entry is free. More information can be found on Facebook here.
Magical Festival Village
A new recreational area in West Bay that was supposed to open earlier this week is now planning a Friday, Feb. 19 launch.
Magical Festival Village is adjacent to Katara Cultural Village and will include a range of exhibitions, shows, shops, restaurants, a dancing fountain and an outdoor “ice-skating” rink.
It is located on empty land across from the St. Regis hotel, and will have a souq that consists of 400 boutique shops that include prominent brands, as well as 40 places to eat, organizers said.
Planes galore
Drone displays, formation flying and acrobatic shows will be among the highlights at the ninth annual Al Khor Fly-In, which will be held on Feb. 19 and 20, from 8am until 5pm.
The free public event, which is being organized by the Civil Aviation Authority and Qatar Flying Club, is set to attract more than 50 light and mid-size jets from clubs across the region.
A detailed program of events has yet to be released, but parachute jumps are scheduled for 1pm and 5pm, with general flying sessions in the mornings and at 2pm, according to the event’s website.
The fly-in takes place at Al Khor air field, 31km north of Doha on the east side of the Al Khor coastal Road. For more information, call 4457 1491.
Athletics championships
The seventh edition of the AAA Asian Indoor Athletics Championships will be held at the Aspire Dome from Feb. 19-21.
More than 400 athletes representing 37 countries will take part, and one of the highlights will be Qatar’s high jump champion Mutaz Barshim.
The 24-year-old Olympic bronze medal winner will be hoping for another record. Fellow Qatar competitor, sprinter Samuel Francis is also looking to take the 60m title for the fourth time when he races at 8:45pm on Feb. 19. The competition is free and open to the public. A full schedule of the event can be found here.
Laugh-a-minute
The Doha Improv Comedy Ensemble will go head-to-head with Stand Up Comedy Qatar to battle it out for the most laughs in an Improv vs. Stand Up showdown on Feb. 18.
A line-up of local comedians will be at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Student Center in Education City to vie for the title of funniest person. Doors open at 6:30pm, with the show running from 7pm until 9:30pm.
Advance tickets cost QR35 for those who pre-register here. At-the-door tickets cost QR50/person. All tickets should be paid for in cash at the venue on the night of the event. There are a limited number of free tickets for Qatar Foundation students – bring your ID to secure.
Discover America Week
The week celebrating all things American continues over the next several days and includes events marking the life of Elvis Presley, a sports and family fun day at Lulu Barwa City, a film screening at the Museum of Islamic Art and more.
Full details are on the US Embassy in Qatar’s website here.
Live music
The Backyard Doha event has relocated to the Sheraton Grand Hotel, where it will hold concerts every Friday night. The first event in its new home will be held on Feb. 19 with Doha Band and DJ Shahan.
Doors open at 7pm and live acoustic music starts at 9pm. Entry is free for ladies before 8:30pm, otherwise QR65 for ladies and QR100 for men inclusive of one drink. Tickets are available at the door. More information can be found on Facebook here.
Doha News members can visit community.dohanews.co to receive free tickets. For people who wish to become members, please find more information here.
Flower power
Qatar’s homegrown flower nursery Roza Hassad will hold its first open day of the year on Saturday, Feb. 20.
The facility in Shahaniya will be open to the public from 10am until 2pm, giving visitors the chance to browse, smell and buy at 50 percent off market price. All ages are welcome. Entry costs QR20 for adults, QR10 for children and the voucher can be used for the purchase of flowers or vegetables.
Details, directions and further details are on the greenhouse’s Facebook page here.
Bonus:
- Sound and vision: Faculty members from Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar will host an informal discussion on the restorative powers of music and the moving image tonight (Feb. 17) from 7pm at the HBKU Student Center in Education City. Admission is free for all.
- Art for Change: The role of art in developing countries will be the subject of a panel discussion featuring art enthusiasts including QTalent founder Maryam Al Subaiey, film-maker and modern art lover Salman al Muhannadi, art and antique collector Ibrahim Fakhroo and others. Organized by Regency Art and Qatar Art, the discussion will be on Feb. 20. from 10am until 4pm at the Wyndham Grand Regency Hotel. The event’s Instagram page and its website has more information. To book, email artinqtr@gmail.com.
- Serbian folklore show: As part of Katara’s tie-up with UNESCO, a Serbian dance performance will be held tonight (Feb. 17) at the Esplanade at 7:30pm.
What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?
