Children enjoy rides at the amusement park at the Al Ahmed Square in Souq Waqif which is the main highlight of the festival. Pic: Raynald C Rivera / The Peninsula
Souq Waqif is bursting with activity and excitement with the kick-off of Souq Waqif Festival 2017 featuring roaming street performers, rides and games.
The nine-day festival is expected to see thousands of visitors flock to Doha’s most visited spot as it coincides with Qatar’s school break which started yesterday and runs until Saturday next week as well as the fact Qatar International Food Festival concludes today.
Yesterday, the popular tourist hub was brimming with visitors as hundreds of families enjoyed the first day of school break. They thronged the nearly a dozen family and thrill rides as well as a number of carnival games at the festival’s amusement park set up in Al Ahmed Square.
“It is school break and we wanted the children to enjoy outdoors while the weather is still cool that’s why we chose to come here today,” said Mark, a father of two who was seen with his family at the park.
The exhilarating Ranger pendulum ride which is making a comeback at the festival is still the most in-demand thrill ride at the amusement park which yesterday saw a lonng quueue of teenagers who wanted to experience the spine-tingling ride.
“Our spring break is coming to an end. We stopped by to visit Souq Waqif and we happened to see the rides and we wanted to try some of them,” said Fuad, a Saudi tourist who took the Ranger ride along with some friends who said would be returning to Saudi tomorrow.
Street performers and roaming artistes garbed in elaborate eye-catching costumes attracted the attention of many visitors especially families and children who had the chance to have their photos taken with them.
Business was brisk at over a dozen food carts at Al Hamam Square offering a wide variety of food including traditional Arabic snacks, Turkish ice cream, cookies and pastry, roasted corn and chestnuts and coffee and tea.
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The main alley where restaurants and cafes are found also teemed with hundreds of customers who flocked to sample a wide array of international food and beverages and shisha in a fine weather.
The shops selling perfume and souvenir items which line the main alleyway also witnessed brisk sales yesterday.
Art enthusiasts enjoyed watching artists create artworks live at an art symposium at the Souq Waqif Art Centre.
