Katara – the Cultural Village Foundation’s 2016 Eid extravaganza concluded yesterday after offering audiences a “joyful and unforgettable experience”.
A large number of people from different age groups attended the four-day Eid al-Adha festivities at Katara, which included attractions such as ‘Sinbad’, the musical show on the waterfront depicting the story of the sailor, ‘Eidyah’ gifts for children and the fireworks display at night.
Speaking on the occasion, Katara public relations and communications director Malika Mohamed al-Shuraim said: “The overwhelming turnout renews the trust between us and the community and is proof of our success, as pleasing a crowd comprising a large number of people of various age categories isn’t an easy job.
“We have paid close attention and spent time listening to the views, notes and feedback from our guests, who in many cases requested us to extend the Eid festival while expressing satisfaction at the shows and services we offer.”
The official stressed that programmes organised by the Cultural Village were not restricted to entertainment, as “cultural and educational messages are always present in all our events”.
“The Eid festival was an opportunity for children to watch the great adventures of Sinbad and a platform for our foreign guests to learn more about the rich traditional Arabic stories, literature and myths, with some of these masterpieces having made it to the international scene as part of humanity’s distinguished traditions and epics,” al-Shuraim added.
Meanwhile, visitors seemed impressed with the programmes offered by Katara.
One of the visitors, Ahmed Sarrie, said: “I haven’t missed any of the shows staged by Katara during the Eid festival. The ‘Sinbad’ show and fireworks display were amazing and my family and I had a really good time.”
Added Khalid al-Ayadi: “I’ve spent one of the best times of the year at the Katara Eid festival. Along with my friend, I would arrive at the Katara beach at 9am and stay until night, when we enjoyed the fireworks display.”
“I really liked the arrangements for the Eid festival and would like to commend the organisers for their efforts,” Meqbil al-Judaie added.
Some also highlighted Katara’s role in attracting GCC tourists to Qatar.
“This is my third visit to Katara during the Eid season. Every time I come here I notice a lot of progress and more services offered to guests and their families. Qatar has become a favourite tourism destination for GCC nationals” said Bandar al-Outaibi, a visitor.
In a press statement, Katara stressed that it “once again managed to bring communities together at the festival - where smiles, greetings and gifts were exchanged and Eid blessing shared in an atmosphere of love, peace and fun”.