Written by: Varda Nisar
Posted on: June 07, 2018 | 
| 中文
7Up Night Bazaar and Suhoor
In the past one year, a new trend of food festivals and bazaars sponsored by soft drink companies has emerged in the country. When it comes to Islamabad, any trend which makes the sleepy little town come to life post-midnight hours is a welcome delight. A recent festival was the 7Up Ramadan Night Bazaar and Suhoor, held last weekend at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) on the 1st and 2nd of June.
The parking was packed, and this was the first indication of how popular the event must be, before we headed to the main ground. As we found out later, a number of celebrities such as Ali Rehman, Hareem Farooq and Osman Khalid Butt had also made it to the event. Entrance was permitted upon purchase of a Rs. 300/- non-redeemable ticket.
The event itself was set up in the gardens, complimenting the green and white fairy-light canopy that marked the area of festivities. Stalls surrounded you on all sides, with a big sitting area in the middle, though finding a seat was quite a task! Culinary delights were being sold for the foodies, with many embassies offering their local delicacies. We decided to instead focus our energies on the many varied stalls, from handicrafts to clothing, bags and cosmetics. A nice lineup of big and small businesses, allowed one to meet young artists and experienced artisans, and buying their creative endeavors.
Most food festivals have brought forth a number of home eateries, allowing one to partake in a mini-culinary adventure, but what was different here were the stalls by different embassies. The most notable among them was the stall of Embassy of Turkey; their baklavas were to die for, but at Rs. 100 apiece, the price was quite steep. Sol’s Burgers was also a nice addition to the overall mix and a new discovery for me.
It was in the handicraft section, though, where I was truly surprised to see more creativity than I had expected to find. “Shagufta Arts and Calligraphy” offered a nice variety of artworks, while the graphics work of the young “Lewanayharis,” was extremely colorful and in-tune with the pop-art scene. Another stall worth mentioning was, “The Little Details,” with their amazing collection of table lamps, tables and carved boxes. A pair of huge lamps with intricately detailed lampshades really did justice to their name.
The people behind, “Lettucebee Kids,” a philanthropic initiative focusing on educating street children, were also present. Funds were being collected by selling the artworks of the children, which had been converted into greeting cards. In this season of festivities, not only do such items make for a nice gift, they also provide a great way of doing a good deed in Ramzan.
While it was nice to see families and friends of all ages, having a jolly old time and enjoying the food and drinks, a couple of details could have been managed better. Most of the stalls started closing down by 12 pm, even though the bazaar was advertised as a Ramadan Night Bazaar and Suhoor. While it is unclear whether they shut down because they had run out of what they were offering, or whether they were unaware of the timing, it was nonetheless disappointing for those who arrived later. The setup was overwhelmingly monotonous, with the same kind of banners and stalls demarcated by tents. In a time and age, when the competition of such events is fierce, the overall presentation is worthy of far more attention. Nevertheless, here is to hoping that such events continue to improve while bringing more life to this city!
You may also like:
