The ongoing annual Margalla Festival 2015 at Arts and Crafts Village is attracting a large number of visitors including fun lovers from Rawalpindi and Islamabad.
Capital Development Authority (CDA) Sports and Cultural Directorate Director General Asif Javed Shah Jahan said that the festival will continue till April 19 and each day of the festival is dedicated to regional cultures of the country.
“Attiring in traditional costumes, folk artists from different provinces entertain the visitors by presenting eye catching cultural heritage and musical traditions of their respective areas, while the CDA has dedicated different days for the presentation of the traditions of provinces,” he said.
He said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cultural evening was observed in the festival in which KP folk singers and artists presented Pashtu songs and received appreciation from audience. He said that the Cultural Department of KP with its performers, including Khattak dancers, artisans and folk singers, are participating in the festival. “Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh folk singers and artists are also entertaining the audience with their melodious voices. Special group from Gilgit-Baltistan will also show their cultural colours,” he added.
He said that the young folk singer, Bilal Saeed and Potohari folk group is also participating in the four-day festival.
Director General Asif Javed further informed that the purpose of the Margalla Festival is to provide best recreational and amusement opportunities to the residents of the federal capital and the surrounding areas. Entry of the public in the festival would be free.
He said that CDA Margalla Festival is a mega event which would be attended by an audience of over 200,000 people comprising of families, students and people of different professions, guests, visitors and media personalities.
He said that a number of activities have been organized for the festival including stalls with different items, folk performances, performance by famous singers and musical bands, walk with cultural dresses, stage plays, game shows, heavy bikes show, pets show, cooking competition, painting competition, photography competition and picture corner.