Islamabad festival: Showcases an eclectic mix of activities, for all ages

Carnival gives an opportunity to home-based entrepreneurs and artists to display their work

ISLAMABAD: The 1st Islamabad Carnival was held at the Arts and Craft Village in Shakarparian, on Friday.

The three-day event features a multitude of activities; an art exhibition, photo and painting competitions, games for children, costume play, entertainment, juggling, live puppet and fire dance shows, sky lanterns and peace support ceremony, cultural performances, dances and instrumental performances and a food court.

Furthermore, clothing, jewellery and food stalls were also on display at the carnival by young entrepreneurs and home based workers.

The main purpose was to give families a properly managed event with quality entertainment and healthy recreational activities, said Shaheer Bukhari, the event organiser.

Bukhari further added that there are very events for families that offer activities for all age groups.



Bukhari said that the organisers planned to expand the event on a national level could be held in Karachi, Lahore, Hyderabad and Abbottabad in the future.

The event organiser added that the carnival would give an opportunity to home-based entrepreneurs and artists to display their work on concessional rates who had limited platforms to display their work.

Shahida Syed, who makes porcelain jewellery and home decor accessories, had displayed her work at the carnival.

Syed said that “I am  a housewife as well. I sell and promote my products online through social media and only display my work at such exhibitions and festivals”.

She further added that she had received a positive response and had gotten several orders for the products she put on display.

Shazia Chaudhry also displayed her collection of jewellery and accessories.

Chaudhry said that occasionally clients would think she is selling brand replicas online and she had decided to win the trust of clients displaying her work at this festival.

Irshad Bibi, a resident of Dera Ismail Khan, had come to this carnival especially to display her work.

Irshad said that “I used to I used to embellish clothes with embroidery at home and used to go to different cities to sell them”.

Such platforms give an opportunity to low-budget entrepreneurs who have had no other platform to publicise their work, she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 24^th, 2016.