Photos by Baher Amin © The Peninsula
Just three days after the whole country burst into a massive National Day celebration, visitors to Qatar’s most popular Souq continues to immerse into a festive mood with the kick off of Souq Waqif Spring Festival yesterday.
Like its previous editions, this year’s festival blends games and rides with concerts and shows making it a much-anticipated event in Souq Waqif’s calendar for its high entertainment value.
Dressed in their national costumes, groups of cultural performers from several countries in the region such as Oman and Jordan left visitors in high spirits yesterday as they danced and sang to the accompaniment of native musical instruments.
Passers-by and customers in restaurants captured in their mobile phones the unique and lively performances of the bands as they roamed around the main alleys of the Souq.
Several stages have been erected in Al Ahmed Square and the Western parking area where shows were played. More than 20 local and regional singers are set to perform in the coming days at the concerts being presented by Sout Al Rayyan.
Throughout the 15-day festival, a circus show is expected to wow the visitors with acrobats, jugglers, magicians and other artistes coming from other countries showcasing their skills in their performances, in addition to entertaining animal acts. Tickets to the shows which are staged twice in the evening are QR30, QR50 and QR70.
Children as well as adults can play carnival skill games to win memorabilia and gifts at the 15 colourful stalls lined up at Al Ahmed Square, in addition to several rides for children. Both games and rides are priced QR10.
The soon-to-open KidZania, which is located in Aspire Zone, has also a presence in the festival providing children a taste of what to expect when it opens in the first quarter of next year. Real-life fun activities are being provided free of charge to children at the KidZania tent throughout the festival.
The festival runs parallel with the ongoing third edition of Shop Qatar which features big promotions and raffle draw prizes alongside fashion forward events and concerts featuring international artistes. As in recent years, a Spring Festival is also being organised at Souq Waqif Al Wakrah, another must-visit tourist destination in the country.
Meanwhile, food carts at the festival venue witnessed many customers who chose from a wide array of scrumptious snacks such as Turkish ice cream, burgers, crepes, waffles and corn as well as beverages including juice, karak and coffee, among others.
The long line of restaurants at the Souq also saw brisk business yesterday with huge crowds who preferred to dine at the outside sitting areas to enjoy the cool weather.
