Muslim community invited to 'share lifestyles' at 'huge' Halal food event in Birmingham

Dates have been revealed for the next Halal Food Festival, a celebration of food and drink at the NEC. The festival will be held on May 25 and 26 this year, ahead of the Spring Bank Holiday.

More than 30 street food vendors and other independents will be showcasing their Halal fare alongside TikTok stars, radio DJs and YouTubers. As well as food and drink, the two-day event will feature live entertainment, modest fashion, jewellery, beauty and culture with more than 150 Muslim lifestyle exhibitors and more than 40 artisan market vendors confirmed to appear.

The event is being hosted by a team of young British Muslims who welcomed 15,000 visitors to last year's Birmingham event, which was the first in the city. They've also held festivals in Leicester and Manchester.

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Bilal Khan, CEO of The Halal Family Group, said: "We are really excited to be bringing this event to the Midlands. The aim is to bring Halal cuisines from across the globe together for a weekend of live entertainment and special guest appearances."

Among the food vendors confirmed are Chipsta, Cleopatra's Kitchen and Only Jerkin as well as Malik Butchers, known for their Halal artisan hotdogs, Samosa Boy, Culture Cooking Caribbean cuisine and Mr Tee's ice cream van. New vendors for this year include Kiran Corndogs and Wolverhampton's Eat & Meat.

Bilal said: "We are looking to showcase Halal cuisines from all across the globe, including Asia, Africa, the Middle East and from Turkey and the Western region too. Expect street food vendors, special guest chefs, influencers, your favourite Halal brands, live cooking demonstrations and entertainment for all ages."

Among the confirmed influencers scheduled to appear are TikTokkers @Anisagrams and @ZaynahsBakes and YouTuber Pulwasha Cooks.

Bilal said: "This is a huge scale event that will give the Muslim community a chance to bring their friends and family and share their lifestyles and heritage through delicious food and entertainment."

Tickets for the full day are £21 for adults and free for under 5s. Under 14s pay £9 each and there are discounts if you don't want to be there all day, check the website for tickets, details and full prices.

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