A Festival Galore: Eat, buy, play and enjoy

IT was a good day to be out of doors. Unseasonably warm temperature on a quite weekend would invite you to a park or playground. Yet a whole bunch of haggling children were jumping in and out of a moon bounce on the second floor of a large office building in Chantilly , Virginia.

That was just one side of a Muslim annual festival that had attracted parents and commmnity members of all stripes to an extensive bazaars selling traditional clothes and exquisite jewelry, and a lot in between. And not to forget food. Traditional middle eastern and south Asian dishes and sweets were available in plenty. To top it all, visitors could get tested for various ailments at the free health clinic with attending doctors.

Such occasions are the glue of a community, and the Muslim community is no exception. People mingled about. Many ate and ate more. Others shopped for clothes not easy to find in regular stores. Children indulged in games and crafts to their hearts’ content.

And all that was a good cause. Ticket sales and vendor booth rentals raked up a decent amount that will go towards the purchase of a facility to house the Sully Center affiliated with All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS Center). A good cause made everyone enjoy themselves and feel good at the same time.

Do share your thoughts and your experiences!