Thousands of people flooded Holland Park Saturday for the first day of the 2nd annual BC Halal Food Fest.
Last summer’s inaugural festival attracted close to 20,000 people and 30-plus vendors to Surrey Civic Plaza, according to event organizer Yosof Hakimi.
This time around, for two days July 8-9, the goal is for 60-plus food, drink and bazaar vendors to put “a spotlight on the diversity of halal food and cuisines from all around the world,” including Afghanistan, Nigeria, Mexico, France, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, India, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and others.
People could choose from a wide variety of food, from Turkish ice cream to gourmet halal burgers, falafels and more.
Admission is free at the festival, which runs from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday (July 8) and Sunday (July 9). Details are posted on bchalalfoodfest.ca.
It’s all billed as “an Eid celebratory event,” said Hakimi, with sponsors including Muslim Food Bank Community Services in Surrey.
Busy day at Halal Food Festival and Holland Park in Surrey. Goes till 9pm tonight (July 8) and tomorrow (July 9) from noon till 9 pm @SurreyNowLeader pic.twitter.com/VZsyyIxLJE
— Anna Burns (@AnnaBBurns) July 8, 2023
It’s all billed as “an Eid celebratory event,” said Hakimi, with sponsors including Muslim Food Bank Community Services in Surrey.
“Besides this,” he said, “the event will be having a cultural bazaar, circus entertainment acts and a kid zone that is filled with inflatables and carnival games.”