More than 5,000 members of the local community took part in the annual Garangao festivities of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) at Al Shaqab on Friday. 
The proceeds from the event went to Reach Out To Asia’s  ‘Reach Into Qatar’ initiative. 
During the fun-filled evening that celebrated youth and the richness of Qatari culture, families enjoyed a wide range of community activities including traditional Arabic games for children, arts and crafts, pony rides and storytelling sessions, as well as the chance to try popular Qatari dishes.
The exciting event also provided an invaluable opportunity for QF’s various entities to celebrate and interact with the local community. Qatar Solar Technology facilitated creative lantern-making sessions using solar panels, while the Qur’anic Botanic Garden offered visitors a range of planting activities as well as 3D puzzles and virtual reality games. 
Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar offered activities such as ‘The Operation’, which taught children about medicine and the human body, as well as a ‘Grow It Yourself’ activity that enabled children to plant seeds and understand nature better.
In addition, Qatar National Library (QNL) produced a popular puppet show and storytelling session, while Qatar Green Building Council (QGBC) offered virtual reality games, arts and crafts, and displayed a sustainability presentation.
One of the participants, Zahya al-Mashaary, said: “I remember celebrating Garangao when I was a little girl. Of course, things have changed since then, but I think the festival is a great opportunity to bring the whole community together to celebrate a special occasion in our cultural calendar. I know my little brother and sister have really enjoyed all the activities, but the event also reinforces the importance of our history and traditions.”
A number of free horse-related activities were provided by Al Shaqab such as a mechanical bucking horse and pony rides which brought Qatar’s equestrian heritage to a young audience. A number of exciting National Reading Campaign activities were also held as part of this year’s festivities at the popular spot located in front of the ‘Reading Truck’.
Children were able to read at the ‘Book Hangout,’ make bookmarks, play games and solve puzzles together. Thomas Patomaki from Finland who has lived in Qatar for two years introduced his children to the Garangao traditions for the first time and said: “I really admire the wonderful set up here in Al Shaqab, which was cleverly designed to combine fun and Qatari culture. My three young children were all very excited to attend tonight’s event as they had heard about it at school and we dressed them in traditional Garangao clothing to celebrate.”