Preparations by the Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) are in full swing to celebrate a colourful Spring Festival in the provincial capital after the conclusion of the Pakistan Supper League (PSL) cricket tournament.
The festival will include a Sufi night, lights show, poetry evening, flower display, antique car exhibition and several other events.
Officials involved in the preparations said the culture of all the provinces would be highlighted during the festival. The PHA earlier celebrated the Spring Festival every year from February 15 to March 15. However, as the city is hosting the PSL that is scheduled to conclude on February 27, this year’s festival will begin on March 1 and continue till March 30.
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The PHA has reportedly requested Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to inaugurate the spring celebrations on March 1. PHA Vice Chairman Hafiz Zeeshan Rasheed told The Express Tribune that the festival was being organised to provide recreational opportunities to the people of Lahore. The will begin a day after the PSL, for which preparations had started.
He said the city’s entry and exit points would be decorated for the event. The Spring Festival programmes will highlight the culture of all provinces of the country. A bird show will also be held during the festival.
“The aim is to provide a recreational environment to the citizens, which had become non-existent due to coronavirus and other reasons, he added.
Zeeshan Rasheed said arrangements would be made for security and prevention of coronavirus during the festival.
A large number of stalls of food and other items will also be set up for the citizens visiting the venues of the festival.
However, the authorities face the challenge of preventing the spread of coronavirus during the Jashn-e-Baharan organised by the PHA.
Meanwhile, preparations for the event have been intensified to provide the best possible entertainment to the citizens during the festival.
The Spring Festival will begin a day after the cricket event’s conclusion.
The officials said stalls had been allotted to contractors in the Jilani Park to serve the visitors.
A large number of stalls of various sizes will be set up, offering a variety of food and other items for sale. Traditional dishes and snacks of the region are likely to be popular among the visitors to the stalls.
The officials said the PHA also planned to organise a painting competition, Kabaddi match, storytelling sessions and art and craft sows as part of the festival. Events to mark the World Women Day on March 8 will also be arranged.
While preparations are already under way at Jilani Park, the main roads and entrances of the city will also be decorated in the coming days. There will be beautiful lighting in and around the park.
Floats will be placed in the Lahore Canal whose banks will also be decorated with lights for the whole month.
The Jail Road, Mall Road, Gulberg Main Boulevard, Liberty Roundabout, Ferozepur Road, Canal Road and Shaukat Khanum Road will also be decorated.
PHA officials are likely to fianlise the security and coronavirus safety measures for the event in the next couple of days. A citizen said he was looking forward to the enjoying the festival with his family after a lack of recreational opportunities due to the coronavirus pandemic. A resident of Gulberg, Muhammad Nawaz, said he was eagerly awaiting the spring celebrations along with his family.
Nighat Bano said her family living in Gulshan Ravi regularly visited the annual Spring Festival and flower show but this time they would be able to enjoy both events simultaneously.
Mohammad Hameed from then old city area aid the PHA should ensure the availability of food at affordable rates at the stalls set up for the festival.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2022.
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