Sealine Season lights up Qatar’s desert

Winter settles into Doha with that rare clarity that only comes after the celebrations wind down. The fireworks have faded, the countdown clocks have stopped and what remains is a city and a desert moving into the year with intention rather than spectacle. This week offers exactly that kind of rhythm, but it also asks you to venture beyond familiar streets. There are monster trucks tearing through sand, concerts under open skies where dunes meet the sea, courtyards preserving generations of hospitality and markets filled with simple pleasures that don’t need fanfare to matter. It’s the kind of week where you can chase energy or seek stillness, where culture reveals itself through the details you notice when you slow down enough to pay attention.

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Reve

P.S. Have feedback or tips on Doha's culture scene? Send them my way at contactus@al-monitor.com.

1. Leading the week: Sealine Season returns

People spend time in the sealine desert south of Doha, Qatar, on November 1, 2024. (KARIM JAAFAR/AFP via Getty Images)

Qatar’s Sealine area transforms into a hub of desert entertainment this January, proving that some experiences are worth the journey beyond city limits. Sealine Season returns for 2026, turning the place where desert dunes meet the sea into something far more substantial than a weekend escape. It’s a monthlong celebration that asks you to trade skyline views for star-filled skies, asphalt for sand and routine for a different rhythm entirely.

The season opens with Monster Jam on Jan. 9-10, bringing trucks over 10 feet tall, powered by 1,500-horsepower engines, to perform gravity-defying stunts on specially designed dirt tracks. But what makes Sealine Season compelling isn’t just the adrenaline. The real heart of the experience arrives with Sealine Nights, a series of weekend concerts beginning Jan. 16 that celebrate regional music under open skies. Moudi and Sultan Khalifa kick things off, followed by Khalid Abdulrahman on Jan. 23, before the season closes on Jan. 30 with Samri Night, a heritage performance celebrating traditional Gulf rhythms. Each concert night concludes with fireworks illuminating the desert darkness.

Beyond the scheduled events, Sealine offers what cities can’t: expansive terrain for dune bashing, horseback riding along the shoreline and the kind of wide-open space that reminds you why people have gathered in deserts for generations. The experience requires a 4x4 vehicle to reach, which feels less like a barrier and more like an invitation to commit to something different. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., shows begin at 8 p.m. and what should happen is you watching the sun set over dunes that stretch toward the Gulf.

Whether you’re chasing motorsport thrills, seeking live music in an unlikely venue or simply looking to experience Qatar’s landscape beyond what’s familiar, Sealine Season delivers an accessible adventure that honors both tradition and spectacle.

Date: Jan. 9-30

Location: Sealine, Mesaieed

More information here.

2. Word on the street: Hosh Msheireb

View of Hosh Msheireb in Msheireb Downtown Doha. (Photo courtesy of Msheireb Properties)

There’s a particular kind of warmth that comes from gathering in a traditional courtyard as the evening settles in. It’s the kind of atmosphere that invites conversation, slows down time and connects you to something deeper than just another night out. That’s exactly what Hosh Msheireb offers throughout January at The Company House in Msheireb Museums.

This isn’t an event designed to wow you with spectacle or overwhelm you with activities. Instead, it recreates the essence of traditional Qatari hospitality in its purest form. Picture majlis-style seating arranged throughout a restored historic courtyard, the aroma of freshly brewed Qatari coffee and cultural performances that feel organic rather than staged. It’s the kind of experience that reminds you why courtyard gatherings have been central to Gulf culture for generations.

What makes Hosh Msheireb particularly compelling is its restraint. In a city that often celebrates the big and bold, this activation chooses authenticity over amplification. Families can settle in for the evening, children can explore the reading corner on weekends and everyone can simply exist in a space designed for connection rather than consumption.

The timing couldn’t be better either. January in Doha brings perfect outdoor weather, and Hosh Msheireb offers a calm, accessible way to experience local culture.

Date: until Jan. 31

Location: The Company House, Msheireb Museums

More details here.

3. Doha diary

A view of Meryal Waterpark’s landmark water slide tower. (photo courtesy of Meryal Waterpark)

• Winter Mirage Fest

Meryal Waterpark transforms into a glowing world of lights and energy this winter, proving that the season doesn’t have to be cold to feel magical. Winter Mirage Fest brings together music, entertainment and family fun in a space designed to make you believe in the possibility of joy, even in the middle of the desert. It’s an experience for everyone — whether you’re chasing thrills or simply looking for an evening where the whole family can find something to smile about.

Date: until Feb. 15

Location: Meryal Waterpark, Qetaifan Island

More information here.

• Mozart y Mambo with Sarah Willis

The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra opens with Mozart’s elegance under conductor Alastair Willis, featuring star horn player Sarah Willis in the Horn Concerto No. 3. The second half pivots to Latin rhythms, pairing Stravinsky with Cuban classics and a playful piece imagining Mozart in Havana, blending Vienna sophistication with Caribbean warmth.

Date: Jan. 9-10

Location: Qatar National Convention Centre, Auditorium 3

More information here.

• Medina Centrale Carnival

The Pearl Island’s Medina Centrale keeps the celebration momentum going every weekend through early February with live singers, comedy performances, roaming mascots and parades. It’s the kind of weekend tradition that builds slowly over time, where each visit offers something slightly different but the energy remains consistently festive.

Date: Jan. 1 - Feb. 6

Location: Medina Centrale, The Pearl Island

More information here

• Souq Waqif Nuts & Dried Fruits Exhibition 2026

For the second year running, the Eastern Square at Souq Waqif fills with the colors and aromas of nuts and dried fruits from local and international vendors. This quieter celebration is rooted in the practical and the authentic. If you prefer wandering through markets to riding rides, this is where the week takes you.

Date: Jan. 3-20

Location: Eastern Square, Souq Waqif

More information here.