The Karachi Eat Fest 2016 ended on a positive note after entertaining visitors and connoisseurs of good food. There was live music, entertainment for children and a wide variety of food. From fast food to the signature burns road goodies, from koyla karahi to live Barbeque and from white biryani to mouth watering desserts, the Karachi Eat Festival was a thorough family affair which provided a secured environment to Karachiites to come, relax and enjoy good food. Now that the city is back to normal, such events strengthen the social fabric of this great port city and provide hope to the citizens of a better tomorrow.
This event seems to be getting better each year. There was improved security, a much-organized setup and aesthetically appealing décor. However there are a few areas where the management needs to work for a flawless event next year.
Traffic congestion:
The public turnout this year was massive. This is a reflection of the fact that Karachi Eat Festival is a big hit with the food loving Karachiites and they will continue to support such initiatives no matter what the security situation of the city is like. Now that Karachi is experiencing an improved security situation, families converged to the venue without any fear and paranoia which resulted in severe traffic jams. The snarl up was all the way till Shahrah-e-Faisal and people had to wait for hours in queues to be able to reach the venue only to be told that the valet services were no longer accommodating any more vehicles. This let the people with the only option of parking their cars at far off parking spots and walk all the way. Considering the fact that Frere Hall is located on one of the busiest arteries of the city and KEF is attracting a large number of people, for the next year, the management can consider shifting the venue to a location that could handle such an influx of people and vehicles. A few options could be Bagh-e-Ibn-e-Qasim, Expo Centre, National Stadium, PAF museum and any vacant plots in DHA Phase VIII near the Do Darya food street.
Live music:
It is a good idea to let budding musicians perform live and get acknowledged but when it comes to Rock music, there always is deafening noise as well. The music being played at the venue was too loud and a lot of people complained regarding this. For next year, the management should consider having some cultural music involving the use of tabla, sitar, sarangi, harmonium etc to give the event more elegance and grace. The subject of consumer behavior suggests that music should be pleasant to the ear when customers are enjoying a meal. Rock music is deafening and makes one want to leave.
First Aid:
There should be a separate designated area for first aid with the availability of a male and a female paramedic, life saving equipment and an ambulance on standby. Any reputed hospital could be approached for this purpose and they would definitely love to contribute in anyway they could. With such a massive turnout involving the young and the old, any sort of an emergency could occur and for which the management must be fully prepared.
Tickets availability:
The availability of tickets was at the venue which resulted in long queues right near the entrance. Next year, the management could make them available at different cafes and grocery stores for public convenience.
After making their mark in Karachi, KEF must go global specifically to North America.
