By Joey Aguilar/Staff Reporter
A variety of activities, sports competitions, tourism events, art exhibitions and family entertainment are expected to attract a large number of spectators as well as participants at different venues in Doha over the weekend.
Qatar Tourism Authority’s OnQatar online portal has provided details of most of the events, such as the venue, time, contacts and their duration.
Some 1,000 runners and enthusiasts will gather at Aspire Zone at 7am today for the “Doha College Fun Run”. Its Facebook account says it will provide some useful tips about warming up properly at the event to guide participants, especially when running in the heat.
Various sports competitions follow from 11am to 10pm today at The Pearl-Qatar. These include football and tennis (11am) and basketball (4pm).
Basketball features three players (and one substitute) per team while football should have at least six players (and two substitutes).
The Indian and Filipino expatriate communities will have the chance to watch some of their popular artistes and musicians in two separate concerts in Doha today.
Five of the Philippines’ renowned male actors and screen idols - Enchong Dee, Gerald Anderson, Rayver Cruz, Xian Lim and Enrique Gil - with the special participation of “The Legal Performer” Maja Salvador are expected to enthral thousands of spectators at the Al Gharafa Sports Club stadium.
Special guests include The Viva Hotbabes, Gwen Garci and Jennifer Lee together with “The Celebrity Bluff Comedian” Boobay. Besides assisting its community partners, the concert also aims to raise funds for
two Filipino paediatric cancer patients.
Thousands of Indian nationals are also expected to gather at West End Park at 7pm to watch live one of the most renowned and sought-after musical trio of the south Asian country - Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy.
Described as “extremely talented and loved”, organisers said the artistes would enthral the crowd with their rhythm and music.
For wholesome family entertainment, residents will have their last chance to visit the Angry Birds Universe exhibition at Katara – the Cultural Village, which provides exciting and educational activities for all ages.
Part of OnQatar’s list is the Porto Arabia esplanade family weekend entertainment, which runs from 6pm until 10pm. It will continue until December 27.
Besides street musicians and clown acts, the weekly activity also features inflatable games for children, cartoon characters, face painting, colouring, tattoo and balloon twisting.
For music lovers, it will be an enchanting evening at the Katara European Jazz Festival, a first in the country.
Trio Alphtraum (Switzerland) starts at 7pm while “Play” by Bertraund Renaudin starts at 9pm.
The event is presented by Katara - the Cultural Village in co-operation with the French, German, Swiss, Italian and Austrian embassies.
Katara also hosts the fourth exhibition of “The Gulf, Civilisation and History” Series - “The Architecture in the Gulf” until November 8. “The Colours of Desert Art and Painting Exhibition” at the Katara amphitheatre ends today.
