A car culture festival rooted in Los Angeles roared into the Middle East for the first time this week as FuelFest made its debut in Doha, drawing more than 6,000 fans.
Known globally for blending high-octane motors with pop culture, live music and celebrity appearances, FuelFest Qatar transformed a parking lot at the Katara Cultural Village into a full-day playground of supercars, drifting displays, simulators and live entertainment, all built around the idea of cars as a shared cultural language.
More than a car show
“FuelFest is a lifestyle show,” said Oweis Zahran, Managing Partner at MELT Live. “It’s not a car show or a motorsport show. It’s a massive celebration of life. You really have to come see it for yourself to understand it.”
Since launching in the United States, FuelFest has built a reputation for bringing together cars, music, art and community, with events now spanning the US, the UK and Japan. Qatar marked its first stop in the Middle East.
The festival is hosted by Cody Walker and was created as a way to honour the legacy of his late brother Paul Walker, whose role in the Fast & Furious franchise helped shape modern car culture.
That cinematic crossover was on full display in Doha, with global stars including Steve Harvey, Tyrese Gibson, Jason Statham, Ludacris and Busta Rhymes taking part in on-site appearances and fan interactions.
For Gibson, bringing FuelFest to Doha carried a personal meaning.
“When I came here years ago, the level of love I felt made me ask, ‘How do I return that love in a real way?’” he said. “This is my thank you. This is me returning the love.”
Beyond the celebrity pull, Gibson says the festival is ultimately about impact, particularly on young audiences. Children under 12 were able to attend for free.
“When you put young people in certain environments and they feel this energy, you just never know what’s going to come next,” he said.
Tapping into an underground community
Cody Walker described the Doha debut as a milestone moment for FuelFest’s global ambitions.
“I’ve always looked at the love for cars as a universal language,” Walker said. “We started in the US, expanded to the UK and Japan, and now to be here in Doha, in the Middle East, is mind-blowing.”
For Visit Qatar, FuelFest was not just about horsepower. It was also a chance to connect with a community that rarely takes centre stage.
“It’s the first time we target this community with an event,” said Abdulrahman Almuftah, Manager of Festival and Event Planning at Visit Qatar. “We know it as an underground community in a way, so it was good to bring an event like this and see how big it is. Honestly, it was very surprising.”
That surprise came early. Organisers noted that visitors arrived sooner than expected, keen to make the most of a programme that ran from daytime motorsport showcases to evening concerts.
As the sun set, the event shifted into party mode, with live performances from Hip Hop legends Ludacris and Busta Rhymes closing out the night and reinforcing FuelFest’s crossover appeal. “I’m a car enthusiast, so it’s like to hear the revving of these engines right now, it’s an adrenaline rush for me,” Rhymes said. “To see the production value, the way this whole event was put together, it just looks incredible.
The crowd ranged from hardcore car fans and families to music lovers and curious first-timers. FuelFest’s first Qatar edition sold out, and organisers are already hinting at a return.
