History made: 80,000 attend 13th annual Mississauga Halal Food Festival

Ali Zafar makes history in Canada as 13th annual HANDI Mississauga Halal Food Festival welcomes record-breaking crowds

The 13th Annual HANDI Mississauga Halal Food Festival made history on June 12 and 13 at Mississauga Celebration Square, welcoming an incredible 80,000 attendees over two days. Organised by Amir Shamsi and Sara Younus of Universal Promotions, the festival continued Universal Promotions’ proud legacy of celebrating culture and cuisine since 2003.

Saturday night became a historic moment as Pakistani superstar Ali Zafar performed in front of a massive crowd, with media reports highlighting that more than 45,000 people attended the concert, setting a new record in Canada. The energy, excitement, and crowd response created an unforgettable atmosphere at Celebration Square.

Friday night also brought incredible vibes with a live performance by Raghav, who energised the audience and added to the festival’s powerful entertainment lineup.

Under the leadership of Amir Shamsi, Universal Promotions has continued to create events that bring communities together through food, culture, music, and family entertainment. His vision and dedication have helped build a strong cultural platform that celebrates diversity, unity, and community spirit.

This year’s festival featured over 80 vendors, offering an amazing variety of halal food from around the world. Families enjoyed live entertainment, shopping, games, giveaways, cultural experiences, and a full weekend of celebration.

The record-breaking turnout marks a major milestone for the festival and reflects the growing impact of halal food, South Asian entertainment, and multicultural celebrations in Canada.

Universal Promotions extends heartfelt thanks to all sponsors, vendors, volunteers, artists, community partners, and attendees for making the 13th Annual HANDI Mississauga Halal Food Festival a historic success.