Endless enriching exhibitions in Qatar

You name it and Qatar has probably hosted it. Exhibitions, that is. Be it a hands-on plunge into agriculture or an online Zoom opportunity to explore AI in the Arabic world, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to exhibitions in Qatar.

Thankfully, all such exhibitions are free to the public.

Many are held in the Doha Exhibition and Conference Centre (DECC) in the centre of the city, but innumerable others, mostly related to the arts, are hosted in umpteen different venues across the city.

These public displays of items or skills or both are usually shared on a large scale, are expertly curated and professionally run. Most stay open till 10pm to match the rhythm of life in the Middle East.

Exhibition freebies

Apart from free entry to Joe Public using the ubiquitous QR code for registration, such events almost always offer freebies.

Most of these give-aways come in the form of sampling the food and drinks on offer, so it’s best to come hungry. This way you will also not offend your hosts.

And nor will you have to make lunch or supper! 

(I am disappointed to have missed the recent Indian Mango exhibition held in a massive marquee at Souq Waqif. I believe 126 000kg of mangoes were sold during the 10-day evening run in May.)

In the past two-plus years, we have learnt a great deal about our new-found home in Qatar, thanks to these free exhibitions. They usually run for at least a week.

Exhibition recommendations

These exhibitions offer you the opportunity to enter into another world and grow your understanding of what makes the Middle East tick.

While many of the exhibitions come with an international tagline, they always come with an Arabic ambience.

The exhibitors are generally hospitable, mostly enthusiastic about their goods and willing to share their knowledge … though, of course, there is always an exception.

A to Z of our favourite exhibitions

Here follows – in alphabetical order – some of our favourite annual exhibitions.

Most are hosted indoors because of the summer weather challenge.

Agriculture

Qatar is on a food security drive, especially following the three-year diplomatic blockade by its Arab neighbours which ended in 2021.

As a result, there is huge investment in producing fresh fruit and vegetables locally.

These efforts are shared at the annual AgriteQ exhibition, which also put in a big showing at the Doha Expo 2023 (see below).

This year, the week-long event attracted 249 local and international exhibitors and 106 local farms.

What has been achieved towards food sustainability in a desert environment is fascinating. Another bonus is being able to purchase the fruit and vegetables on site, after sampling them, of course.

Please check out Qatar’s “flying cow story” to see how the Qatar tackled the dairy crisis.  

Books

We are book worms.

Therefore, a visit to the Doha International Book Fair at DECC is a no-brainer. But this book fair is a glimpse into another world – the Arabic world of books.

It’s the oldest and largest international such fair in the region.

Most of the books, magazine and posters on offer are understandably in Arabic. A large section of space is devoted specifically to the Quran, the holy book of Muslims.

But here you will also find books by local authors, popular western novels – often at cheaper prices, collectors’ books, schoolbooks, maps and even books that you can buy from a vending machine.

This year there were over 500 publishing houses from 42 different countries participating.

Cars

The Qataris love their cars.

Apart from the posh ones they drive and in which they perform the Doha Drift, many of them collect classic cars. (I have shared a post on our neighbourhood in which we came across cars from the 1950s that were simply collecting dust.)

This we discovered in our neighbourhood where 1950s American automobiles lay partially covered; the private collection gathered by Sheik Faisal on display at his eclectic museum and at any number of pop-up car exhibitions.

However, every petrol-head’s dream is now to be an annual staple – the Geneva Motor Show.

Touted as the “ultimate festival of automotive excellence”, the Geneva Motor Show will be coming permanently to Qatar after hosting its inaugural event at DECC in October 2023.

The show was held at the same time as the Formula 1 Grand Prix.

Dates

Dates are to Doha what biltong is to Bloemfontein.

The two go hand-in-hand.

Just as Koos knows the difference between his chutney bites and droewors, so Jamal knows his dates.

The annual date Ratab (date) Festival in Qatar is a cornerstone event, especially given the significance of dates on the cultural, heritage and economic landscape.

Personally, I have yet to distinguish the difference between dates, be they Zahidi, Salwa or Khudri dates.

But they are now part of the daily Derry fare, with date syrup a handy replacement for honey at breakfast.

 

Dates are part of the culture of Qatar. They are particularly popular during Ramadan when Muslims break their fast. 

Expo 2023 Doha

The Expo 2023 Doha was touted as the next big thing after the FIFA 2022 World Cup.

Personally, I do not think it quite lived up to expectations, but the 77 participating countries did attract more than 4 million visitors during its six-month run from October 2023 to March 2024.

It’s Green Desert, Better Environment theme across the cultural, family and international zones offered interesting insights into sustainability efforts being made in the Middle East and beyond.

Falcons

Falconry is to Qatar what Springbok rugby is to South Africa – a sporting passion.

Attending the Katara International Hunting and Falcons Exhibition is a revelation for those who are new to falconry.

For better understanding of falconry in the Middle East check out my blog post.

Honey

Like dates, great emphasis is placed on the benefits of honey. Exhibitors from mainly across the Middle East descend on Doha to share their wares and ultimately secure business.

And we’re tasked with tasting … and brushing up on our geography, too.

Much of the sweet nectar on offer comes from countries and places whose names end in “stan” – Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan …

Jewellery

The Doha Jewellery and Watches Exhibition held its 20^th exhibition in Qatar in February.

Again, DECC is transformed into a literal treasure trove. I dare say the value of its contents during the week-long extravaganza is worth more than the GDP of a small African country.

It’s outrageously opulent.

The branding, the décor, fresh flowers, the welcoming dates, coffee, and beautifully curated stalls to show off said jewels is something to see.

This, of course, is all we were able to do – to see, to feast with our eyes on the glittering goodies.

The moment we checked our bags through the security screening, we knew we were hopelessly under-dressed.

No one pulled out the latest luxury watches, jewellery, or diamonds to entice us into a purchase. 

Interestingly, the reception of our presence at the Al Hazm ASJAD Jewellery exhibition with over 103 exhibitors, was very different.

 

Shopping

DECC in West Bay is host to countless exhibitions and conferences throughout the year.

In between these annual events, it hosts shopping opportunities for traders. These trade fairs are also open to Joe Public, aka Mark and Debbie Derry.

It’s here that traders from across the Middle East gather to display and sale their perfumes, abayas, materials, shoes, food products, decorative items and carpets.

I love these fairs for their authenticity and prices.

Travel and tourism

The Qatar Travel Mart is aimed at the tourism industry, but as a tourist, it is also worth a visit.

Held in November, inbound and outbound tourism industry hosts share their products.

Brochures are backed up by dance displays, virtual tours, videos and, of course, local foods and drinks. (Again, come hungry and thirsty).

Our visit helped to inform our choice of visiting nearby Georgia.

Other exhibitions

Also to be enjoyed are exhibitions related to the Web Summit, children’s toys, coffee, chocolates, hospitality, design, construction and health.

A full list of forthcoming exhibitions is available with DECC and Qatar Tourism.