By Noimot Olayiwola
Staff Reporter
The “Family Day” of the fourth Doha Tribeca Film Festival (DTFF) yesterday attracted thousands to Katara Cultural Village, the venue of a variety of entertainment events. The Family Day festivities conclude today along with DTFF.
A number of performances, including those by schoolchildren, started from 2pm on both the centre and south stages located within few metres  from each other.
From school choirs to Ardah dance groups, Doha’s youth enthralled festival-goers with performances until midnight yesterday.
Troupes like  Bollywood dancers, Kalabhavan Indian Fire dancers, Doha Dreamers and Beats and Bytes, musicians, performers such as The Mighty Jokerz Crew, circus artistes, including Phoenix Fire and Tanura the Whirling Dervish,  captivated and entertained visitors.
Families thronged the venue and participated in many activities.
They enjoyed a series of fun activities lined up  by the organiser, the Doha Film Institute, which is holding the DTFF as the culmination of its year-round activities and as a celebration of film, education and community.
Yesterday’s events concluded with a free  30th anniversary screening of Steven Speilberg’s ET the Extra-Terrestrial at the Katara Beach theatre. Today, there will be a special screening of Guiseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso at the Sony open air cinema at 8pm.
At the Discovery Centre, a popular destination, visitors had a chance to discover the inventor in them by playing with robots, building rockets, meeting the “Stars of Science” and designing their own dhow boat and race car. The arts and craft zone has many opportunities for kids to cut, colour and create.
Many festival-goers also got the chance to participate as audience in the DFI Studios at Northwestern University Qatar’s Daily Q Live, being aired throughout the weekend.
Those interested in story-telling packed the “Story Corner” reading and browsing through the large selection of  Bloomsbury Qatar Foundation’s published books. Some listened to  local storytellers while others participated in book-related crafting and storytelling with Maktaba Children’s Library.
Visitors learnt about Qatar Assistive Technology Centre’s (Mada) new technology to help connect the disabled with information and communication technology.
Many youngsters were seen trying out the latest Sony PlayStation games at the Sony/51 East Experience while also kicking, jumping and dancing to the games.
Apart from flying illuminated kites over the Katara sky, experts at the Kite Garden assisted guests to build their own kites and fly.
Physical and sporting activities were  part of the day’s delights as children enjoyed playing volleyball, soccer, golf and tennis within the Sports Zone at the beach.
A Qatari Village, showcasing Bedouin-style experience with falcons and Arabic hospitality by the Ministry of Social Affairs’ Productive Families Department, offered children  tips on how to weave wicker baskets and  to make traditional dolls.
Visitors got an opportunity to  look at creative activities  at the Al-Ajial courtyard south and Al-Ibda’a courtyard north, located within the DTFF  precincts at Katara.
Family activities and entertainment began on Wednesday in various locations and on the Esplanade at Katara, featuring live entertainment, performances, film activities, arts and crafts, face painting, games and other interactive experiences for youth of all ages.
Aside organising special family day events, the DTFF programmes and the Qatar Photographic Society had earlier invited families to come and learn how to take better pictures at a  photography workshop after which participants were invited to enter in the Sony Photo contest  to capture the spirit of Family Days and the sights of Katara using the skills they learned.
Selected photos are being showcased on the Sony Digital gallery throughout the weekend while the winning photos may be featured in promotional material for the 2013 DTFF. There was  a special Sony give away for the most creative shot.
Today, starting from 2pm-midnight, Family Day activities will continue with opportunities for visitors to play, learn and enjoy together.
Children will  be able to make their own film credentials and create a unique adventure which will guide them through all of the activities offered.