Manchester to Host Halal Food Festival in August

Manchester’s Bowlers Exhibition Centre will play host to the Halal Food Festival 2023 on August 19th and 20th. To celebrate British Muslims and promote their cuisine to a broader audience, the festival will showcase more than 150 exhibitors, following a successful event held earlier at the NEC in Birmingham.

The bank holiday weekend festival is expected to attract over 20,000 visitors. The event will feature outdoor food vendors, an indoor exhibition of Muslim lifestyle stalls, and an assortment of entertainment options.

Food stalls will provide a global culinary experience, featuring vendors such as ‘Afrikana’, ‘Redfern Kitchen’, ‘Myos Japanese Fusion’, ‘The Dutch Fishmen’, and Middle Eastern representative ‘Cleopatra’. Other stands include ‘Malik Butchers’, known for their artisan hot dogs, and ‘Ritas Reign’, offering Afro-Caribbean cuisine from Manchester.

The festival’s main arena will be occupied by a variety of Halal lifestyle brands, showcasing fashion, jewelry, Islamic art, and charity initiatives. Attendees can look forward to live cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs such as Pulwasha, Mia Dia from The Islam Channel, and KanD Man from the BBC Asian Network. The festival will also host TikTok sensation ‘Mr. Tee’, a renowned ice cream vendor in Britain.

In addition, the ‘Muslim Instashop Expo’ will present an ‘Artisan Market’, displaying fine delicacies, home décor, arts and crafts, fashion, and beauty products. The market, which has served as a launchpad for small and start-up Instagram businesses at Birmingham’s Monthly Muslim Market, will also provide a similar platform for businesses at the festival.

Festival Director Bilal Khan expressed his excitement about the event. “Hosting The Halal Food Festival feels like a dream come true. We look forward to bringing together friends and families to eat, socialize, and celebrate the Halal lifestyle. We invite people from all backgrounds to join us and learn about our integration into the UK. It also provides us a great opportunity to support Halal businesses, nurturing them from small start-ups to leading enterprises in their respective fields.”

The festival will operate from 11 am to 7 pm each day. Tickets can be obtained from the Halal Food Festival’s official website, with prices beginning at £7.00.