From off-roading action to meeting Xavi to taking a moonlit kayaking trip, enjoying some film screenings and listening to the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra play the theme song for Star Wars, there is a lot to do around town over the next few days. Here are our picks:
Sealine Cross Country Rally
Round three of the 2016 FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup and round two of the 2016 FIM Cross-Country Rallies World Championship will run from April 16 to 22 at Sealine Beach.
During the event, leading off-road drivers and riders are tackling some 1,633km in a complex and demanding route of around 2,452km. The event is being organized by the Qatar Motor and Motorcycle Federation (QMMF) and is sanctioned by the FIA and FIM.
When the rally concludes on Friday, there will be a prize-giving ceremony at the Losail International Circuit from 4pm to 7:30pm. There will also be a show of motorbike stunts and a car exhibition from Mawater. More information on the rally schedule and route can be found online.
Moonlit kayaking
Entalak is scheduling a sunset/moonrise kayaking trip at the mangroves in Al Thakira on April 23 from 4pm to 8pm.
There will be a barbecue, a Ukrainian music performance, refreshments, beach soccer, changing facilities and a portable bathroom.
Tickets cost QR250/adult, QR150 for kids under 12 years old and QR100 for kids under six years old. Bookings and more information can be made on Entalak’s website or by calling/Whatsapping Amine at 30233207.
Fashion in film screenings
The Doha Film Institute (DFI) is presenting a new series that takes a look at the art of costume design in cinema.
“Fashion in Film-Costume as Character” will run from April 20 to 24 at the Museum of Islamic Art auditorium and includes a diverse line-up of films such as Funny Face with Aubrey Hepburn, Martin Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence and Disney’s Cinderella.
Hollywood icon Audrey Hepburn shines in FUNNY FACE, a timeless classic. See it at @MIAQatar! https://t.co/acGfJmwx9q pic.twitter.com/6vbPokm2x5
— Doha Film Institute (@DohaFilm) April 18, 2016
There will also be Q&A sessions, an open-air community event and a master class about the relationship between fashion and film.
Tickets can be bought online and are being sold as a QR100 package deal that includes entrance to the screenings and the master class. More information about film timings can be found on DFI’s website.
Support stray cats
Cat Assistance Team will host an open day at the Royal Vet Clinic near Hyatt Plaza on Saturday, April 23 from noon to 3pm. Learn more about the organization, meet some cats up for adoption and discuss volunteering opportunities.
Attendees can also show their support by buying cat merchandise, as well as secondhand books and homemade baked goods. There will also be facepainting and henna. More information about the event can be found online.
Festival of Music
The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) will hold a festival of music on Friday, April 22 at the Qatar National Convention Center (QNCC).
The event starts with with a few renditions of Mozart at 2pm, with the QPO playing Serenade No. 13 for strings in G Major, among other works. There will then be a family concert “Carnival of the Animals” from 2:30pm to 3:15pm (tickets cost /person).
From 3:15pm to 4pm, there will be more Mozart, and then from 4 to 4:45pm Qatar Music Academy (QMA) students will perform with the QPO for the first time in a concert of Western and Arab classical music.
From 4:30pm to 5:15pm, attendees will be serenaded by cellists and violinists in the QNCC foyer. And then from 5:30pm to 6:30pm, the QPO will play music from Star Wars, Mission Impossible, Titanic and other hit movies.
In the evening, from 6:30pm to 7:15pm, film music for chamber ensemble will be played in the foyer. And then from 7:30pm to 10pm, Carmen, Boheme and the 1812 Overture will finish out the day.
Tickets to each performance are being sold separately and range from QR25 to QR100 per person. For more information and to buy tickets see QPO’s website.
Comedic play
Northwestern University in Qatar (NUQ) students will perform an original one-hour comedy called Tomorrow Will Come about 19th century Russian playwright Anton Chekhov.
When a surprise birthday party given by his family and friends begins to unfold, Chekhov is confronted with several challenges, and the characters take a page from the man’s own writing by navigating their way through the crises, big and small.
The play will be held at NUQ’s Studio Building, Studio B, next to Ceremonial Court in Education City. Performances will be given April 21, 22 and 23 beginning at 7 pm. Admission is free but tickets are required. They can be found online here.
Asia Rugby finals
Lebanon will face off against Qatar at the Aspire Zone’s track and field on Friday, April 22 for the finals of the Asia Rugby Championship.
The match starts at 6:15pm and entry is free for all. There will also be giveaways and prizes for fans.
Bonus:
- Desert hedgehogs: Dr. Nobuyuki Yamaguchi, associate professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences at Qatar University, will talk about a little-known indigenous species of hedgehogs with emphasis on their ecology and behavior, based on his research. The talk will be held today (April 20) at 7pm at QU’s Building H-10 (auditorium of the research complex). Refreshments are from 6:30pm onwards.
- Meet Xavi: Famous Spanish footballer Xavi will sign autographs and meet fans in Qatar tonight (April 20) during the opening of a HomeCourt store in Landmark Mall. Store entry to meet the former Barcelona star, who is now a midfielder for Al Sadd, closes at 7pm.
- Football fives: Red Bull is launching the “Neymar Jrs Fives” tournament for footballers aged 16-25 years. The first matches will take place on Friday (Apr. 22) from 2.30pm til 6pm at Porto Arabia on the Pearl-Qatar. Qualifiers will run til May 7, with the national final on May 13. The winners will represent Qatar in the world final in Brazil in July. Teams of five can register to take part online here.
What are your plans for the weekend? Thoughts?
