‘Summer in Qatar’ to continue throughout Eid al-Adha season

‘Summer in Qatar’ (SiQ) will keep the fun going throughout the Eid season, with plenty of entertainment for the entire family. The season’s travel, hospitality, and retail deals continue until August 16, along with curated offerings in entertainment, culture, and sports, the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) announced on Tuesday.

Mashal Shahbik from QNTC said, “Eid forms the cornerstone of the summer season this year and is an important part of our summer programme. With its focus on family, it dovetails with our focus on urban and family friendly entertainment, with a programme of events and activities that appeal to as wide an audience as possible. We are thankful to our partners, particularly at Katara, Souq Waqif, and Souq Al Wakrah, which have organised a lively programme to ring in Eid.”

Souq Waqif, Souq Al Wakrah, and Katara – the Cultural Village will host vibrant Eid festivities, with cultural performances, musical acts, and special games for children throughout Eid from 4pm to 10pm.

Activities for children will be spread along the Katara beachfront between 5pm and 10pm. Katara will again distribute Eidiya or Eid gifts to children starting at 9pm. Visitors will be able to enjoy a parade by the police academy’s marching band starting at 8pm.

Meanwhile, Katara’s planetarium will offer an enthralling 3D screening of ‘Dawn of the Space Age’ on the second day of Eid, ‘The Perfect Little Planet’ on the third day, and ‘Space Man’ on the fourth. Arabic language screenings will be at 5pm and English language screenings will be at 7pm. The day will end with a mesmerising display of fireworks.

Souq Waqif director Mohamed al-Salem said, “Eid al-Adha festivities will begin on the second day of Eid, and will offer fun for families and kids for five days. Souq Waqif is a favourite destination for both residents and visitors looking to enjoy Doha during the Eid holidays.

“The Eid festivities will be held in a large air-conditioned tent in Al Ahmed arena, and will feature a variety of games and children’s shows, while Souq Waqif Art Centre will hold arts and crafts workshops for children,” al-Salim added.

Souq Al Wakrah director Khalid Saif al-Suwaidi announced the staging of entertainment and acrobatics shows. New activations during Eid include the Horror House (Budria), which involves games requiring courage, determination, and endurance. The Budria is prohibited for those below 12 years and pregnant women.

The festival will feature a large tent with a variety of games, with more by the waterfront. Electric cars will further facilitate visitor movement between the different activations and main facilities at the souq, he said.

This Eid, women and families can enjoy sun, sand, and snacks at Simaisma Beach and Katara Beach. Located between The Pearl-Qatar and West Bay in Doha, Katara Beach has children’s play areas, water rides, and food stalls, along with a variety of shops and restaurants inside the Cultural Village.

For a break from the city, families can head to Simaisma, which stretches over 7km, and features 76 seating areas with umbrellas, food trucks, horseback riding, and a set up for volleyball and football. Open from 9am to 11pm, entry to the beach costs QR50 per car.

As summer winds down, plenty of entertainment options exist for the entire family. The Summer Entertainment City will reopen in time for Eid al-Adha from August 9 to 23, with games, food, beverages, and shopping. Individual entry tickets cost QR15 with day passes for QR150 and games priced between QR10 and QR35 each.

All participating malls will have roaming shows and activities to keep the little ones entertained. Malls include Doha Festival City, Mall of Qatar, Lagoona Mall, Landmark Mall, Gulf Mall, Tawar Mall, Al Khor Mall, Hyatt Plaza, Al Mirqab Mall, and The Mall.

The summer entertainment will continue with live shows and concerts at Qatar National Convention Centre. Blue Man Group inaugurates the month’s festivities from August 14 to 17. Tickets are available through https://tixbox.com/en/.

The Doha Comedy Festival returns for one more night, with British-Iranian Omid Djalili, Lebanese-American Nemr, and Qatar’s own Hamad al-Amari taking the stage on August 15. Arab crooner Kadim Alsaher charms the crowds from August 16 to 17. Tickets for both events can be purchased through https://tickets.virginmegastore.me/qa.

The ‘8th South Indian International Movie Awards’ adds some more glitz to SiQ. Taking place at the Lusail Indoor Arena from August 15 TO 16, the awards will bring the glitterati of South India’s movie industry to Doha. Tickets are available through https://www.aynatickets.com/.

For those who love a good story, Qatar National Theatre will be home to Kuwaiti play ‘Khutuat AlShaytan’ from the first day of Eid until August 17. Tickets are available at https://www.gofortickets.com/.

A few weeks remain to enjoy deep shopping discounts of up to 70%, which ends on August 16. Shoppers have one more chance to win at the final raffle draw taking place on August 16 at Mall of Qatar. Prizes include cash and car worth up to QR2mn, with a grand prize of a 2018 McLaren Spider 570s.

Families can enjoy all-inclusive staycations at hotels offering discounts of up to 40%, until August 16, along with several additional incentives and promotions at the facilities. Participating hotel groups include Katara Hospitality, Al Rayyan Hospitality hotels, and Marriott International hotels in Qatar. For details, visit www.summerinqatar.qa