Community Corner
Chicago Halal Festival A fantastic fusion of community, cuisine, and culture
Chicagoland Halal Fest 2025 was a vibrant cultural event that combined celebration, food, and community, and it was an incredible weekend
Over 20,000 people attended the third annual Chicago Halal Fest, which took place at Frontier Park in Naperville, Illinois. It is referred to as the biggest halal celebration in the US on August 2nd to 3rd, 2025
The Illinois Muslim Chamber of Commerce hosted the two-day event, which featured a festival of international halal cuisine, stalls from Midwest and other states' artists and vendors, and thrilling cultural events like camel rides and traditional dances like Zaffa and Dabka. According to Shafiq Abubakar, president of the Illinois Muslim Chamber, the event is about identity, solidarity, and giving the Muslim and non-Muslim communities a place to gather and celebrate diversity and common values. It is not only about food and drink.
Several federal, state, and local political leaders attended the opening event, including Congressman Foster, State Senator Laura Claymore Elman, Dr. Mudassar Siddiqui, the president of the College of DuPage, Pakistani Consul General Tariq Karim, and Scott Wehrle, the mayor of Naperville. Gourmet halal burgers, halal Mexican food, and Mediterranean fare from El Bawadi Grill were among the unusual flavors that guests savored. Bandwada, a first-generation American Qawwal from Virginia who goes by WADA, gave a special performance for entertainment. Given the festival's increasing appeal, its organizers are thinking about relocating it to a bigger location in 2026. The City of Naperville was credited with helping to ensure that the event went off without a hitch, even though this year's security precautions included metal detectors and a clear bag restriction.
