Katara Traditional Dhow Festival – Doha

Since its inception almost 10 years ago, the annual Katara Traditional Dhow Festival is one of the highlights on Qatar’s cultural calendar. In 2019, the event took place across two weeks in December, with entry free to the general public. Inspired by Qatar’s rich maritime heritage, the festival celebrates this fascinating history through a series of cultural events. Last year, countries from across the globe participated in the festival, including Kuwait, Oman, Iraq, Turkey, India, Greece, Italy, Spain, Iran and Zanzibar.

Katara Traditional Dhow Festival

The festival is organised by Katara Cultural Village, which is an interesting visit at any time of year. Also known as the Valley of Cultures, the Village is home to a collection of heritage centres, museums, art galleries and more.

During the festival, visitors can enjoy the buzz of traditional music and dance performances. The programme of events is also packed with activities including exhibitions, traditional art, contests and cultural workshops. Many of the exhibitions showcase captivating elements from Qatar’s maritime past, including traditional methods of fishing, shipbuilding, sailing and making boats. There’s also traditional foods and plenty of seafood on offer.

Getting to Katara Cultural Village

Situated to the north of Doha in the West Bay area, there are two entrances to the Cultural Village. The first is the gated entrance opposite Doha Exhibition Centre. The second is on Lusail Street, where there is a large underground carpark.