By Ayman Adly/Staff Reporter

Eid al-Adha programmes at the Heritage Village (Rumailah Park) along the Corniche, which concluded last night, were a major attraction for residents and visitors.

The events, organised by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage and held as part of Qatar Tourism Authority’s Eid festival, focused largely on original Qatari and GCC heritage and arts - mirroring different aspects of everyday life in this part of the world.

Other key attractions at the Heritage Village included family-oriented activities such as African and European circus, magic show and juggling, acrobatics and various artistic and musical performances.

Besides, there were children’s activities with a special corner for drawing and colouring, with a number of specialised instructors guiding and supervising kids through the process. This activity included awards for the 10 best drawings by children.

Kids could also play in the open area outside, which has a number of swings and games.

There were also cultural quizzes for both adults and youngsters, with prizes in store for the winners.

Visitors were able to enjoy the activities free of charge in an air-conditioned tent at the Village and were frequently served cold water and juices.

The open-air Village, built and designed to reflect Qatari heritage, also featured workshops where visitors could find men in Qatari attire displaying traditional crafts and industrial products. Visitors were able to ask them questions about their crafts and were also welcome to pose with them for photographs.

These crafts included baskets made of palm fronds, upholstery, boat-making, traditional fishing tools, Arabic perfumes and heritage paintings.

Visitors of different nationalities expressed admiration for the various traditional Qatari dishes presented as part of the festivity. The food was served hot, with some dishes being prepared on the spot by women.

These and other activities at the Heritage Village were meant to give an idea of the traditional way of life, one which was an integral part of the country’s heritage.

Mohamed Issa al-Jaber, supervisor of the Heritage Village, said musical performances by some artistes helped attract a large number of people. The varied musical presentations appealed to many visitors, he said.

Al-Jaber stressed that both local and expatriate families were highly impressed with the programmes organised at the Heritage Village, indicating that the activities provided information as well as entertainment.