Ramadan bazaar helps Montrealers prepare for Islamic holy month
Posted March 18, 2023 1:59 pm.
Last Updated March 18, 2023 7:16 pm.
Montreal businesses are getting ready for the Islamic holy month by holding a Ramadan bazaar on Saturday.
The Ramadan Bazaar at Karnak Shriners in Dollard-des-Ormeaux aimed to support and give exposure to local businesses.
The event was organized by Azzdah Events – co-owned by sisters Amber and Amel Yunus.
“We’re creating a platform where people can buy things for Ramadan and get ready for it,” said Amber. “So there’s desserts, clothes, jewelry, everything that people would need to get ready for this festival.
“We need different types of foods. We need clothes, we need jewelry that we will use for the time of Eid, just like Christmas. It’s a time of festive occasion for us. And we do prepare in advance for the month of Ramadan.”
Woman receives gifts after donating at the Ramadan Bazaar on March 18, 2023. (Credit: CityNews/Kwunkeyi Isichei)
From clothes, jewelry, Islamic home décor and homecooked meals, 27 vendors took part in the Ramadan-themed one-day event.
For the Islamic community, Ramadan is a month of fasting and dedicated to prayer and giving charitable acts to those in need.
“In Ramadan, the biggest thing is we break the fast with food,” said Amber. “So we have packaged foods that people can buy here today. We have desserts like macaroons. We have dates, dates to some of the most important things for Ramadan. We break our fast with dates.”
Almost all the goods were made by local Montrealers coming from different cultures that observe the holy month.
Non-food items included traditional Indian, Pakistani, Afghani, Indian, and Bangladeshi garments.
“In Montreal, we do lack a little bit of the South Asian facilities, festivities, community events, and it’s nice to create a platform where the community can come together and shop and buy,” said Amber Yunus.
“Compared to Ottawa, Toronto, there are so many events happening all the time where people can go and shop, but to create a South Asian feel within Montreal is something where we feel there’s a void and we’re trying to fill that in.”
The sisters behind Azzdah Events are hosting another Ramadan bazaar on April 1.
