The Jalawiya Shopping Festival, a month-long shopping festival which started in Dammam last week, has captivated shoppers looking for bargains at a time that even some basic commodities turn into luxuries in the runaway inflation gripping the country. And shoppers had every reason to go there. Not only are the prices comparative, but the assortment of goods is far more extensive than in your typical side street shop. The festival's spaces have been arranged country-wise. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Yemen, China, Pakistan, Iran, and Indonesia, among many others, had their place. A casual stroll through the isles will show Yemeni stalls mainly selling honey and other distinctive spices and herbs unique to that country. Indonesian and Pakistani stalls sell clothes, clothing fabrics and materials, shoes and ornaments. Perhaps expectedly, Chinese stalls cover almost everything, from bed spreads and curtains to kitchen utensils, electronic home appliances, ornaments and bags. Egyptian stalls sell ancient medicines and cosmetics. The Saudi pavilions mostly sell dates and traditional medicinal herbs. There are special stalls for women's items, like abayas, hairpins, and gold-plated and artificial jewelry. In the open-air stalls, carpets, rugs and other furniture, as well as toys, are for the taking. The latest techniques in attracting customers are in themselves a source of immense entertainment. Salesmen vigorously explain the merits of their products – with the help of an almost deafening loudspeaker. Innovative lighting techniques are used for decoration and to draw attention. In the stage set outside, talent contests and fun games for kids were organized. “It is fun for the kids, and we are enjoying ourselves, too,” said Jawhara and Areej, two Saudi sisters who came to the shopping festival with their mother and children. “Shopping is fun here because so many different items are available. The paintings from China were extraordinarily beautiful, though a bit expensive.” Omer Mohammed, an Egyptian expatriate who purchased Yemeni honey, said there is a universal air about the festival. “The main attraction of the fair is that people from other nations are directly selling their products,” he said. “It's a different experience.” The Yemeni national who was selling honey and other herbs was wearing his traditional outfit – right down to the huge dagger. The Chinese salesmen, too, were in their traditional outfits. “Business is very good, and most of the customers are purchasing bed sheets and blankets,” said Xiang, whose second name the Saudi Gazette's reporter desperately tried to make out, and who spoke with heavy, Chinese-accented English. I am facing a problem in communication with Arabic language,” he quipped. “Though some of the items here are expensive, things like carpets and rugs, dresses and clothing materials are much cheaper than the outside market,” said Hussain Al Hajji, adding that the festival is also a good place – and experience – to know more about countless foreign-made products from various other countries. “It will be a huge attraction for local residents who are looking for a change.” The festival was organized by the Society for the Handicapped in the Eastern Province, which has splashed the fair's motto “Disabled People Deserve a Normal Life Like Their Healthy Brothers” all over the place. __
