Festival celebrating Arabic music, art and culture set to hit Mississauga

A festival celebrating Arabic music, art and culture is set to hit Mississauga this weekend.

The first annual event is called the Taste of the Middle East Winter Festival, which promises to transform the Mississauga Convention Centre into a walk-through of the streets and souks of the Middle East.

The festival will be inspired by the concept of 1001 Nights and will strive to showcase a mix of new and emerging local artists, familiar favourites and some of today’s most prominent performers in Toronto’s Canadian Arabic community.

It is set to feature music, dabke, dance, chef demonstrations, an array of Arabic food and dessert options and over 60 vendors and artisans selling art, jewelry and fashion items.

The family-friendly event will also feature games, activities and shows for children in the kids carnival.

The not-for-profit organization was established back in 2018, in hopes of empowering the Middle Eastern community by giving access to opportunities where people can feel a sense of belonging.

Since then, the festival has garnered a lot of attention and success with thousands of guests attending the event each year.

The festival will take place on Mar. 17 from 6:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. and Mar. 18 and 19 from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

For more information, click here.

Photo: Taste of the Middle East Winter Festival