More than a dozen stalls beside Qatar’s iconic ‘Orry the Oryx’ mascot, mostly food trucks of various designs, colours, and sizes, served customers as the main attraction of the three-day event. The timings on Friday and Saturday are 4.30pm to 10.30pm too.
Popular Indian street foods such as pani puri and samosa, crepes, burgers, churros, Arabic and other local dishes, as well as karak tea, coffee, and fruit shakes, among others, titillated the taste buds of families and children who spent the rest of the evening at the festival venue.
The festivity also attracted several walkers and joggers who had to pause for a few minutes to roam around stalls, and watch as the activities unfold on the Doha Corniche.
The screening of episodes of Siraj, Qatar Foundation’s new 3D animation ‘edutainment’ TV series, was among the highlights of the event, apart from the spectacular fireworks display that lit up the Doha skies at 8pm.
Siraj screenings today and tomorrow are scheduled to run for half an hour starting 6.30pm, 7.30pm, 8.30pm and 9.30pm.
An employee of one of the food trucks told Gulf Times that they have been receiving a good number of customers from opening time.
“We always expect such scenario in a well-organised festival like this and hope to receive more people in the next two days,” he said. “The pleasant weather is also very inviting.”
The venue also became a haven for smart balance wheel owners – children who take advantage of such pedestrian-only areas, just like any other public park in Qatar.
Organised by Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), the outdoor festivity provides a unique platform for Qatari entrepreneurs to showcase their products and creativity to reach a broader audience.
In a statement, QTA noted that Shop Qatar is a new addition to the country’s rich calendar of annual festivals and tourism events, which has been steadily growing over the past few years.
In its first edition, the festival aims to shed light on this Qatar’s retail and entertainment offering, and celebrate it with Qatar’s residents and visitors.
Qatar enjoys a diverse retail sector, offering everything from luxury malls and high-end boutique precincts to themed, entertainment-rich shopping centres, as well as authentic souqs and bazaars, according to QTA.
“With the anticipated opening of many new shopping and entertainment hubs, the festival will pave the way for their success by driving footfall and raising awareness of the unique experiences the country has to offer,” QTA added.
