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Eid Festival 2002 |
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| February 24, 2002/Dhul-Hijjah 3, 1422 | |||||||
| The Eid Festival has become a
tradition in Ottawa where members of the Muslim community along with their
friends and acquaintances gather to celebrate the joy of Eid.
On Saturday, February 23, over 1200 people gathered at the Centurion
Center to celebrate Eid in a fun environment in keeping with the best
Islamic spirit and traditions.
This the sixth Eid Festival was once more a success. A great many were turned away at the door as the event was sold out. Those hoping to gain admittance at the door without buying a ticket in advance were disappointed. Those who were in attendance for the first time were simply amazed by the organization of the event, the variety of games, food, and sponsors. In conversation with those who have been attending since the Festival's inception, they have noted that the festival could accommodate more people if there were a large enough venue. Although there were plenty to occupy the very young, the Festival needs to expand to accommodate the older children and youth. Organizers have pointed out that they had to work within a budget and that it is very difficult to find a venue with more space at a reasonable cost. To pull off such an event, the Festival operates on a non-profit basis and depends on donations and financial support from sponsors, businesses and individuals. In fact without the support and collaboration from Muslim businesses and organizations, the organizers would not be able to financially support such an event. Most members of the Muslim community are used to a huge celebration of Eid where Eid is a national holiday. They would like to share a little bit of their experience with their children who have not been exposed to such a festivity. The Eid Festival provided an opportunity for the whole community to share in a tradition bound together by faith. As usual the food court was a busy place where both ethnic and fast food fare were served all day. All of the food outlets provided 'halal' food consistent with the dietary regulations of Muslims. The international bazaar provided products ranging from Islamic wear to Henna Designs and Islamic books and tapes. The festival was held in two sessions beginning at 10:30 am and ending at 9:30 pm. At the prayer times the Adhan or call to prayer can be heard. Irrespective of the activity, the five daily prayers is an integral part of a Muslim's life and organizers arranged for prayer rooms where families could take a break from the many fun activities to devote themselves to the remembrance of Allah. This year, organizers have introduced a new feature that was popular with the audience. Throughout the event, video clips of interviews with attendees were shown along with videos of the popular Malaysian Muslim Nasheed (Islamic songs) group, RAIHAN. Great fun and a popular event for the Ottawa Muslim
community.
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