Ramadan is a holy occasion in Qatar. This month-long tradition is observed and celebrated with colourful activities and events all over the region and in different Muslim communities around the world.
While cases of COVID-19 are much lower now compared to the number of cases last year, please note that COVID-19 safety measures are still in place. Everyone is still expected to abide by the guidelines set by the Ministry of Public Health.
Here’s a compilation of this year’s Ramadan activities in Qatar. Check individual websites and/or social media pages for updates, or you can send us additional information via email at [email protected].
3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum
Junior Obstacle Race Challenge
The 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum is hosting what will become an annual feature of its family-focused programming – the Junior Obstacle Race Challenge – to encourage physical activity by nurturing the children’s natural desire for play.
Timings and schedule: 8 April – 2 May, 7 pm to 11 pm
Venue: Aspire Park (near the Burgeri Restaurant)
Open to participants four to 16 years old. Please follow the COVID-19 protocol prior to arrival at the venue.
Al Shaqab
Female Ramadan Activity (1-28 April)
Timings: Saturday – Thursday, 8 pm to 11 pm
Duration: 45 minutes per lesson
Venue: EED Indoor Arena Building F3
This beginner riding lessons is open to all adult female riders. Send an email to [email protected] or call 6662 5379 for more details.
Ramadan Pony Ride Activity (1-28 April)
Timings: Saturday – Thursday
Duration: 45 minutes per lesson
Venue: Longines Indoor Arena
Beginner riding lessons for kids four to ten years old. For more information and to book your kids’ lessons, send an email to [email protected] or call 6662 5379.
Aspire Zone
Ramadan Sports Festival (6-17 April)
Aspire Zone Foundation is holding the 9th edition of the Ramadan Sports Festival, running from Wednesday, 6 April until Sunday, 17 April. The 12-day festival features a total of 10 activities and a range of sports competitions and physical challenges. These events are open to all active leisure seekers – men, women and even people with special needs. All competitions will be held from 9:30 pm until midnight.
Men’s Competitions
- Beach Volleyball: Beach volleyball court (6–10 April)
- Football: Pitch 10 (9–13 April)
- Basketball: Aspire Dome, Multi-Purpose Hall (12–17 April)
- Football 4×4 Competition: Aspire Football Public Courts (13–17 April)
Ladies Competitions in cooperation with Sports Lab Academy
Venue: Ladies Sports Hall
- Basketball (6–15 April)
- Volleyball (6–13 April)
- Football (10–15 April)
Special Needs Competition in cooperation with Qatar Paralympic Committee
Venue: Aspire Dome, Multi-Purpose Hall 1
- Table Tennis (11 April)
Amazing prizes await all participants. Get more details here.
Cultural Village Foundation – Katara
The Cultural Village Foundation – Katara is holding a series of artistic workshops and activities for the young and old this Ramadan.
Katara Ramadan Chess Open 2022 (7-14 April)
This tournament is organised by Cultural Village Foundation – Katara in cooperation with Qatar Chess Federation. Register here.
Katara Playstation Championship 2022 (7 April, 8 pm to 12 am)
Now on its 4th edition, the event, organised in cooperation with Al-Taadoud Company, will be held on the southern side of the village. It has recorded the participation of nearly 400 people of different age groups, both men and women. The tournament also offers prizes for the top five places.
Ramadan Nights in Culture and Literature (7 April)
The Ramadan Nights in Culture and Literature event is hosting the Egyptian community on 7 April and the Sudanese community on 8 April, and features the most prominent writers and poets from the two countries. The event will be held at Building 41, in the Al Thuraya Planetarium.
Qatari Farmers Symposium (7, 14 and 21 April, 9:30 pm)
The symposium is organised by the Katara Qatari Farmers Forum on the southern side of the village.
QatART Makers Market (8 and 15 April, 8 pm to 12 am)
Featuring the creations of local artists and craftsmen, this Makers Market will be held at Katara Art Studios, Building 19.
Workshops
In order to diversify the events and activities to attract different age groups, Katara is also presenting a number of workshops and artistic activities for all age groups. These workshops will be presented in both Arabic and English. More information and registration details are available at katara.net.
- The Jar of Giving (for children 12 and 17 years old)
- Collage and mix media workshop presented by artist Dina Hammam (for children 7 years and older)
- Arab Botanical Decoration Workshop (Islamic Securitisation) by calligrapher and plastic artist Ammar El-Desouky (every Saturday, Monday and Wednesday from 9 to 20 April, for participants 18 years and older.
Lusail Circuit Sports Club
Get ready to enjoy exciting activities at the Lusail Circuit Sports Club this Ramadan!
- Track Day for Cars (14 April)
7 pm – 12 am (Thursday) - Track Day for Bikes (15 April)
7 pm – 12 am (Friday) - Ladies Training Days (5-26 April)
8 pm – 11 pm (every Tuesday) - General Training Days (6-27 April)
8 pm – 11 pm (Wednesday)
Challenge your friends and enjoy the new karting area with brand new karts!
- Lusail Karting for Kids and Adults (15/21-22/28-29 April)
7 pm – 12:30 am
Visit lcsc.qa. for more details.
Mall of Qatar
Ramadan Bazaar (24 March – 3 May)
Enjoy the authentic and vibrant Ramadan ambience at Mall of Qatar through an enchanting shopping experience of traditional products from the Ramadan Bazaar. Opening time is from 12 pm to 12 am.
National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ)
The National Museum of Qatar is hosting a series of activities to celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan.
Islam’s Influence on the Heritage, Culture and Architecture of Qatar
The Coming of Oil Gallery (21/28 April, 9:30 pm to 10 pm)
Participants (aged 16 years and older) will learn about the impact that Islam’s arrival in the Arabian peninsula has had on Qatari culture, traditions and architectural elements, including the preparations and activities during religiously significant dates and celebrations.
For more information, email [email protected]
Family Saturday – A Story of Qatari Coffee
Learning Studio (23 April, 9:30 pm to 11 pm)
Celebrating Qatari culture, participants will be whisked on a journey to explore the rich history of Arabic coffee and how it was historically made, as well as the ritual behind serving Arabic coffee. At the end of the session, participants will enjoy decorating a custom coffee cup of their own.
Sign up by sending an email to [email protected]. Call 4452 5555 for more information.
Al Zubarah Qur’an Manuscript Tour and Workshop
Life on the Coast Gallery and Learning Studio (21 April, 9 pm to 11 pm)
The Zubarah Qur’an is considered one of the world’s oldest Qur’anic manuscripts. In this special programme, participants will learn more about this rare manuscript. A calligrapher will then lead a workshop exploring the elaborate calligraphy and design of the Qur’an to be used as inspiration to help participants create personalised artworks.
For more information, please email [email protected]
Webinar: New Crescent of Shawwal (26 April, 10 pm to 11 pm)
The beginning and ending of Hijri month are based upon the sighting of the crescent moon. This webinar will explore the various factors that affect visibility of the new crescent moon.
For more information, email [email protected]
Qatar Charity
Ramadan of Hope
If you’d like to share your blessings and help others less fortunate than yourself, you can share in the effort of the local charity group, Qatar Charity. Qatar Charity launched the Ramadan of Hope drive this year, aiming to benefit over two million people in 40 countries, including Qatar. Under this QAR133 million campaign are several seasonal charity projects for Ramadan including:
- Feed the Fasting (food packages and Iftar meals)
- Zakat al-Fitr
- Eid Clothing
- Eid Gift (for orphans and children from low-income families)
- Ramadan Gift
You can easily donate to any projects of Qatar Charity or to their Ramadan drive through their website, app, branches and collection points located in malls and commercial centres in Qatar. You can also request a Home Collector (for your donation) by calling 4466 7711.
Visit qcharity.org for more details.
Qatar Foundation
Culture, food, education, and tests of knowledge will dominate the array of activities organised by Qatar Foundation this Ramadan. Members of the community will have the opportunity to participate in a series of in-person and virtual events, sessions and challenges throughout the holy month, with those taking place in-person still strictly following the public health guidelines.
These Ramadan activities are designed to engage families and the entire community of Qatar, reflecting their belief in the power of knowledge and fostering social interaction, and the open and welcoming nature of its Education City home.
Ramadan Cultural Nights (13 – 23 April)
Sundays to Wednesday: 8 pm – 12 am
Thursday to Saturday: 8 pm – 2 am
Venue: Oxygen Park
A nightly activity open to members of the Qatar Foundation community and the wider public that aims to provide a platform for learning about Ramadan and the local culture. There will be a variety of cultural activities, performances, workshops, and exhibitions taking place for families to visit and enjoy during Ramadan.
Get more details here.
Autism Vibes (1 April)
Activities: 4 pm to 7 pm
Walk: 7 pm
Venue: Oxygen Park
Autism Vibes is a community sport event that aims to raise awareness of autism in Qatar, provide the community with educational information on the cause, and allow parents of children with ASD to connect with other families dealing with the same challenges. The event will include fun and ability-friendly sport activities and games for children, as well as a walk together for autism.
Register here.
Qatar Running Series Track Challenge (7-20 April)
Join Qatar Foundation for a new running challenge during Ramadan. QRS Track Challenge is a series of timed races inside Oxygen Park in Education City. Athletes can run unlimited loops of the 910m-track within the stipulated time limit. Each event will be restricted to a maximum of 250 participants.
Duration: 15 minutes, 30 minutes and 45 minutes.
Venue: Oxygen Park.
Register here.
Ramadan: Channeling Spiritual Energy into Social Justice (18 April, 9 to 10 pm)
This special Ramadan edition of the Education City Speaker Series will be featuring Dalia Mogahed, a leading thinker and researcher on the Muslim world to discuss how this month of reflection can inspire us to re-energise our efforts to help others.
Register here.
Qatar National Library
Qur’anic Manuscript Traditions (30 March)
This symposium features a number of international experts dealing with the traditions of the production of Qur’anic manuscripts over 14 centuries. The event is part of the series, Readings from the Qatar National Library Manuscript Collection and is dedicated to the first Islamic manuscript and the most important of the manuscripts of the Islamic faith: the Holy Qur’an. Register here.
Islamic Information Challenge (1-22 April)
This online challenge is designed to increase children’s knowledge of Islam and their research skills during the holy month of Ramadan. Open to kids 9 to 14 years old. More details here.
Ramadan Challenge: Quizzes for Young Adults (1-30 April)
Open to youngsters 12 to 18 years old, this weekly Ramadan challenge will be conducted online via the QNL Instagram page. Click here to join.
Bon Appétit (5 April)
Featuring a how-to session on making a favourite appetiser among families – sambousa – prepared specially for Ramadan and which can be eaten either fried or baked. The cooking demo will be held via Instagram Live with Rasha Esbeetan and Momeena Salaheldin, who will show the audience how to prepare sambousek using different flavours. This is an open event.
Ramadan in Different Cultures (5 April)
The atmosphere of Ramadan varies from one country to another, as cultures differ in how they celebrate the holy month. In this event, participants will learn how different cultures mark the month of Ramadan. Please note that seats are limited and you need to register to join. More details here.
Ramadan Trivia for Young Adults (7 April)
This online trivia contest is open to all youngsters 12 to 18 years old via Microsoft Teams and Kahoot! app. Participants will need to have two devices (computer or phone) in order to join. The top three winners from each session will get a prize from the Library. More details here.
Night of Garangao (11 April)
Garangao is one of the most prominent traditions deeply rooted in Qatari folklore. It’s a folk celebration passing down from parents and grandparents. According to traditions, it includes mixed treats with different goodies, sweets and nuts. Please note that the Garangao will be held via Instagram Live
Cookbooks to Inspire Your Ramadan Recipes (12 April)
Discover how to find cookbooks in the Library collections to inspire you to cook delicious recipes throughout the holy month of Ramadan. This is an open event via Instagram Live.
Qur’anic Botanic Garden (QBG)
The Qur’anic Botanic Garden (QBG) is organising a variety of programmes and events to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan, raise environmental awareness and contribute to Islamic heritage through environmental preservation. Decorated and lit up for the holy month, QBG will welcome visitors to listen to the Qur’an while learning about plant life from 13 to 23 April.
Botanic Museum
The Botanic Museum this year decided to showcase a number of Islamic heritage pieces on the occasion of Ramadan, to shed light on some aspects of social life during the era of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). The museum is showcasing the tableware used at that time, as well as the grains and fruits mentioned in the Holy Qur’an, such as wheat and dates, along with cooking tools.
Ramadan Competition
QBG is organising a daily competition throughout Ramadan to familiarise participants with Islamic values related to plant life, as well as cooking tools and food that were used and consumed in the era of the Prophet. The questions will be published on their social media accounts and a daily draw will be held to announce the winners, who will receive vouchers worth QAR300. The competition aims to raise awareness about plants, the environment and the religious terms and values related to the environment.
Ramadan Book Fair (until 16 April)
QBG is also participating in the first edition of the Ramadan Book Fair, which is organised by the Ministry of Culture, and represented by the Qatar Cultural and Heritage Events Center. The fair, which will take place at Souq Waqif until 16 April, will feature the distribution of a number of botany books free of charge.
Weill Cornell Medicine – Qatar
WCM-Q Assistant Professor Dr Tariq Chukir will discuss fasting, including fasting during Ramadan, and the health benefits associated with it. This session is part of the WCM-Q Community Wellness Series.
More details are available here.
This list will be updated throughout the Holy Month. For other events and activities in Qatar, visit our calendar. You can also check out Marhaba’s FREE e-Guides to learn more about living in Qatar.
Compiled by the Marhaba Team
Copyright © Marhaba Information Guide. Reproduction of material from Marhaba Information Guide’s book or website without written permission is strictly prohibited. Using Marhaba Information Guide’s material without authorisation constitutes plagiarism as well as copyright infringement.
