Theatre, fashion, comedy and outdoor family entertainment in store for residents and visitors

Shop Qatar’s final week has plenty in store for visitors and residents, starting with make-up tutorials and a fashion show all the way to fun-packed activities at the Hotel Park, in addition to the three-day Doha Comedy Festival and performances of CATS, the Broadway musical.

Rashed Al Qurese, Chief Marketing and Promotion Officer at Qatar Tourism Authority (QTA), said:

With every festival we organise we aim to enrich Qatar’s tourism offering and drive footfall to various venues across the country. There is much on offer and I encourage people to make the most of Shop Qatar’s final weekend, whether at performance venues, malls or at the Hotel Park. In addition to all these exciting events, residents and visitors can still enjoy discounted shopping offers and enter the final mega-raffle for a chance to win one million Qatari Riyals.’

Fashion and Beauty

The action-filled weekend begins on Wednesday with a live make-up tutorial led by beauty and luxury experts from Guerlain. The demonstration can be attended free-of-charge and the opportunity for one-on-one consultations will be available afterwards. The hour-long demos will take place at the Guerlain counter in the Salam Showroom at The Gate Mall on Wednesday and Thursday at 11 am and 6 pm and on Friday at 4 pm.

Your Guide to Shop Qatar Festival

On Thursday, 15 designers will present 100 different looks in a fashion show at the Lagoona Mall Piazza. The designs will include bridal couture, abayas, kaftans and ready-to-wear outfits. Ten of the participants are local designers, with five international designers from Kuwait, India, Pakistan and Hong Kong contributing to the diversity of the styles. The show is preceded by a red carpet event which begins at 7 pm and visitors and residents are encouraged to arrive early at the venue to enjoy a captivating live string quartet performance before the fashion show. Entry to the fashion show is free of charge however, children under the age of 12 will not be allowed in the Piazza during the event.

Mashal Shahbik, Director of Festivals and Tourism Events at QTA, said:

We are pleased to present this fashion show in partnership with Lagoona Mall as part of Shop Qatar’s offerings. The location’s iconic architecture coupled with the designers’ renderings of traditional textures in contemporary designs, perfectly encapsulate the festival’s slogan A Brand New Tradition, and provides residents and visitors with a uniquely Qatari experience.’

He added:

This Festival shines the spotlight on the country’s retail sector and through activities such as this show as well as the pop-up stores across participating malls, we are providing up-an-coming designers with additional platforms from which they can grow and expand their market reach.’

Broadway Musical and Stand Up Comedy

The journey to the fantasy world created by the highly-anticipated Broadway musical, CATS, is best enjoyed in the company of family and friends, which is why the organisers have created a buy 1 get 1 free promotion on select ticket categories for CATS. To avail of the offer, buyers can use the promo code (CatsDoha2for1) when purchasing tickets in Virgin Megastores, whether in-store or online. CATS performances will run from 1–4 February with matinee shows on the weekend.

For those seeking a good laugh, the Doha Comedy Festival will be starting at Qatar National Convention Centre on 2 February with an exceptional line up of comedians from around the Arab world, followed by a Khaliji night featuring the Gulf’s top comedians, and an international night with The Daily Show host Trevor Noah. While tickets to the final show have sold out, visitors and residents still have a chance to buy tickets for the first two shows through Virgin Megastores.

Outdoor Activities at Hotel Park

Shop Qatar organisers announced that outdoors activities by the Corniche will be back by popular demand this weekend. Courtesy of Katara Hospitality, the Hotel Park will be hosting three nights of family-friendly activities, including four daily screenings of Siraj, Qatar Foundation’s new 3D animation ‘edutainment’ TV series (6:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm), and a fireworks display at 8 pm. Additional entertainment will include ‘Arda dances, Painters Comedy Show and Musical parades, among others.

In support of local community initiatives and businesses, Shop Qatar has invited members of the Bedaya center to sell their locally-made delicacies, while food trucks will be providing sumptuous snacks, which visitors can enjoy on seats and picnic benches set up for their convenience.

To find out more, visit shopqatar.qa and follow the dedicated Shop Qatar social media accounts on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.