Pharaohs bring color to Egypt’s trade festival in Kirkuk

Shafaq News – Kirkuk

The Egyptian Shopping Festival in Kirkuk, northern Iraq, has become one of the province’s most notable cultural and commercial gatherings, evolving into an annual event that blends trade with art and heritage.

Now in its sixth edition, the festival features a wide range of products, including foodstuffs, cosmetics, furniture, clothing, and traditional crafts, with organizers noting that prices were kept close to local Iraqi levels to appeal directly to consumers.

Festival Director Hazem Fathi told Shafaq News that the exhibition is not limited to Egyptian goods but also includes products from Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and other Arab countries, which has given it a distinctly regional character and drawn strong participation from both Kirkuk residents and visitors from other provinces.

Alongside its commercial offerings, the festival presented a cultural program that featured the Pharaohs Troupe in traditional costume, the Umm Kulthum Ensemble performing timeless classics, and displays of Lebanese singer Fairouz and Egyptian actor Adel Emam.

“This participation made people feel as if they were walking through Cairo or Alexandria,” exhibitor Mahmoud al-Masri told our agency, while fellow participant Wadie al-Masri described the event as a celebration of Arab cultural exchange and a valuable boost to Kirkuk’s trade.

Shoppers shared similar impressions. Asmaa Khalid characterized the festival as both “an economic outlet for Kirkuk’s market” and a forum that fosters Arab interaction. Families filled the venue, turning it into a communal as well as commercial occasion where children explored interactive stalls and adults benefited from affordable offers amid fluctuating market prices.

By combining shopping with artistic performances and culinary traditions, the festival has established itself as a fixture in Kirkuk’s calendar, reinforcing the city’s position as both a commercial hub and a cultural crossroads.