Muslim Fest, the largest Muslim festival in North America, returned to the city of London, Ontario, on Sunday for the third consecutive year, offering food, a carnival, and performances from singers, rappers, and comedians.
It was a joyous occasion for hundreds of visitors after two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
“This is obviously an exciting day to be back here. It’s our first year. Not really being restricted by the pandemic and we get to really meet the London community,” said Muslim Fest lead, Maduba Ahmad, CTV News reported.
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Photos from Brantford MuslimFest 2022
“Our first year was a drive-thru so we had a single stage and we had 100/200 cars show up. Last year we had to be really restrictive on how many attendees can be on site and today the free for all. Everyone gets to participate and be present.”
The event showcased a range of art, musical, theatrical, and comedic performances, as well as diverse food options.
Celebrating Culture
The festival was attended by a big number of Muslim families who enjoyed a day in the air with their children, Islamic culture, and special entertainment performances.
“We have a full 11 attractions, and we have over 25 vendors. We have 10 performances coming up and I think the community is really happy,” Ahmad said.
“More people are coming in we’ve had pretty okay weather, but the energies here and yeah, we’re happy to celebrate Muslim art.”
The festival is held in five different cities. Before London, the carnival stopped in Markham in July 16.
Muslim Fest is an annual cultural festival that brings together Muslims from all over Canada and even across the globe.
It is one of Ontario’s top 100 festivals, and listed among the top 40 best festivals in North America by FlightNetwork.com.
Launched in 2004, Muslim Fest is a joint project of DawaNet and Sound Vision. Today, it is considered North America’s largest Muslim festival of its kind, attracting over 30,000 attendees annually.
In addition, the event has received various local and national recognition recently. This include the Best Social Media Campaign and Best Greening of Festival awards.