From the Flower Festival at Souq Waqif and Al Khor Carnival to the Qatar Strongest Man (QSM) competition at Aspire Park and Drive-In Cinema at Lusail, residents across the country can have a wide range of choices to spend a safe but exciting and fun-filled weekend with families and friends.
These events at various locations implement strict Covid-19 protocols such as mandatory wearing of masks, social distancing practices, and requiring visitors to show a green code on their Ehteraz app, among other measures.
The Flower Festival, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment through the Agricultural Affairs Department and the Public Parks Department, serves as a treat for many garden enthusiasts who are looking for saplings and various kinds of indoor and outdoor plants and flowers. Open from 9am to 9pm at Souq Waqif’s Western Square, the event will run until February 9.
Gardening tools and equipment, as well as pots of various sizes, colours, and designs, are also on offer at reasonable prices at the event, which hosts more than 20 nurseries in the country.
Postponed last week (January 22) due to the sandstorm that blanketed Doha, QSM is all set to provide an action-packed and thrilling entertainment at Aspire Park on Friday (January 29) from 4pm as contestants face mammoth challenges that require exceptional strength and stamina to win.
Aspire Zone Foundation held qualification rounds on January 8 and 15. At the actual competition, the challenges will include a 200kg deadlift, a farmer’s 20m walk while carrying 120 kg in each arm, and a giant 160kg tyre flip.
After its successful debut during the Ajyal Film Festival last year, the Drive-In Cinema at Lusail has been extended until April. It will continue providing movie-goers with films such as The Breadwinner (on Friday from 6.30pm). Another film – Kiki’s Deliver Service – is scheduled to be shown Saturday, starting at 6.30pm.
The Mahaseel souq is also expected to receive many shoppers on Friday and Saturday, offering a wide range of fresh produce and other agricultural products at Katara’s southern area.
Malls and shopping centres such as Doha Festival City, with all precautionary measures in place, are set to welcome shoppers and those who want to try some of its activations such as the mini golf, as well as its theme parks. Enthusiasts can also visit its International Art Exhibition, featuring the works of various foreign artists.
For families and children who missed the entertainment and cultural shows and activities, fun rides and gigantic inflatable parks, the Al Khor Carnival would be the right destination.
Running until February 6, the entry-free festival at Al Bayt Stadium organised and managed by Aspire Zone Foundation also hosts a number of retail shops and food outlets.
The weekend is also expected to see many commuters visiting Tasty Street at Katara Shakespeare Street (opposite Al Jazeera Media Café) from 3pm, which features 37 different restaurants and cafés. Burgers, sandwiches, muffins and cakes, doughnuts, and flavoured fries and chips, along with hot or cold beverages, are some of their bestsellers. It will run until March 31.