Large crowds troop to the Eid Festival

The nine-day shopping event, which will be held until November 1, features a wide range of products offered by over 400 exhibitors from Oman and from other parts of the world. The international exhibitors, many of whom are introducing their products for the first in the sultanate, come from over 15 countries including Syria, Egypt, India, Pakistan, China, Thailand, and the UAE. Other countries presented in the exhibition are Cambodia, Jordan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen.

'The strong international participation means that many of the products on display are not available locally and can only be found at the Eid Festival,' said C.J. Paul, general manager of Omanexpo LLC, the leading exhibition organising company in the sultanate.

Omanexpo has been holding the Eid Festival annually since 1986, giving the event a reputation of being the largest and most popular shopping event in Oman for the past 21 years. Held for nine days starting on the first day of Eid, the event has now become a major part of the Eid celebrations of many families.

Paul pointed out that this year's Eid Festival is particularly special because it showcases a highly impressive range of products from all over the world. Among these are snack foods from Thailand, embroidered products from Syria, honey from Yemen, shoes and bags from the UAE, a wide range of garments from China, and home décor from Vietnam.

Other products that have attracted a lot of interest from visitors include fashion accessories, bed sheets and curtains, handicrafts, gift items, food products, children's toys, and furniture. Beauty products, home appliances, handicrafts, t-shirts, and many other products have also been snapped up by shoppers who eagerly visited all the stalls.

Except on Friday when the exhibition will be close in the morning, the timings of the Eid Festival are from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and then from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The morning hours of October 28 and 29 are for ladies only, while the evening hours of those days are also reserved for ladies and families only.

All those who visit the Eid Festival have a chance to win a TV set daily and other valuable raffle prizes by simply going to the exhibition centre and then filling out the raffle coupons being distributed at the entrance. Visitors also get to enjoy a variety of entertainment programs including a magic show and music performances by Omani artists.