Erbil festival offers free booths to entrepreneurs

Shafaq News- Erbil

Thousands of visitors fill Sami Abdul Rahman Park in Erbil each evening as the Kurdistan Region capital's summer festival brings together small business owners, craftspeople, startup founders, and food producers under one roof, most of them occupying free booths provided by organizers to lower the barrier for first-time exhibitors.

For many participants, the event is less a market and more a launch pad. Shalir Ali, who sells handmade goods, told Shafaq News the festival gave her direct access to an audience she could not have reached on her own. "We achieved good sales, and more importantly, we were able to introduce our brand and build a customer base, an opportunity that was not this accessible before."

Zana Rahmani, who runs a food products business, described the festival as a dual-purpose space, “part business platform, part family destination.” He hopes similar events will be held year-round to sustain momentum for small producers.

Visitor Fatima Mohammed said her household returns to the park regularly on summer evenings, drawn by the mix of entertainment, children's activities, and the chance to buy locally made goods at reasonable prices.

The festival runs for several more days, with attendance expected to grow.

Read more: Discover Kurdistan: The Middle East's best-kept travel secret