Mouthwatering cuisine and TikTok foodies headlining Halal Food Festival in Birmingham this weekend

One of the world’s largest halal food festivals is back in Birmingham this weekend, showcasing an immense array of culinary delights and tasty treats from across the globe.

Just in time for the May Bank Holiday, the Halal Food Festival will be returning to the NEC on 25 and 26 May.

This family friendly, ground-breaking event will be bringing a fun-filled tasty experience to Birmingham and Solihull.

YouTube and BBC radio star Smash Bengali will be attending the Halal Food Festival in Birmingham

The weekend will be brimming with foodies, food experiences, live cooking demonstrations, big trends, radio stars like Smash Bengali from Radio 1 and Kan D Man from BBC Asian Network as well as famous Tik Tok stars such as Anisa Karolia (Anisagrams) and ZaynahsBakes. Not forgetting YouTuber PulwashaCooksOfficial with almost half a million subscribers.

Traders confirmed include Malik Butchers with their legendary Halal Artisan Hot Dog who recently made their TV debut on the Channel 4 show Aldi’s Next Big Thing. There will also be vendors such as Samosa Boy, Culture Cooking (Caribbean Cuisine from Edgbaston) and Tik Tok sensation Mr Tee’s Ice Cream Van.

New to the festival is Kiran Corndogs from London and Eat & Meat from Wolverhampton, jumping on the jacket potato craze with Gourmet Spuds topped with brisket.

Tik Tok sensation Mr Tee's Ice Cream Van will be at the Halal Food Festival in Birmingham — Tik Tok sensation Mr Tee’s Ice Cream Van will be at the Halal Food Festival in Birmingham

The humble jacket potato has become the latest millennial craze when Spudman, a pink-mohawked father-of-nine got Tik-Tokers travelling hours across the country to queue around the block for his spuds in Tamworth. Spud Army has amassed a whopping TikTok following of 1.9 million.

The event is the brainchild of a team of young British Muslims with a vision to create an experience that celebrates their culture, whilst also producing an opportunity for entrepreneurs within the Halal/Muslim industry to come face to face with their target market. It’s also a great opportunity for other cultures to come and get involved.

Bilal Khan, CEO of The Halal Family Group said: “We are really excited to be bringing this event to the Midlands. The aim is to bring Halal cuisines from across the globe together for a weekend of live entertainment and special guest appearances. Really good to see Chipsta, Cleopatra’s Kitchen and Only Jerkin coming back too.

Foods blogger and author Anisa Karolia - aka anisagrams - will be at the Halal Food Festival — Foods blogger and author Anisa Karolia – aka anisagrams – will be at the Halal Food Festival

“We are looking to showcase Halal cuisines from all across the globe, including Asia, Africa, the Middle East and from Turkey and the Western region too. Expect street food vendors, special guest chefs, influencers, your favourite Halal brands, live cooking demonstrations and entertainment for all ages.”

The Halal Food Festival has previously been launched in Leicester and Manchester and arrived in Birmingham for the first time last year with over 15,000 visitors at the NEC.

The success of these exhibitions has highlighted the popular demand for Halal food and festivals that showcase Islamic culture, with events such as these not having always been accessible in the past.

Bilal adds, “This is a huge scale event that will give the Muslim community a chance to bring their friends and family and share their lifestyles and heritage through delicious food and entertainment.”

Tamworth baked potato sensation Spudman will also be on hand at the Halal Food Festival in Birmingham

Every attendee will get a lanyard which gives a variety of discounts: £5 voucher for JustEat, a £10 voucher for Chickaros and free delivery worth £9.99 from The Halal Food shop. With tickets starting at £10 this is great value for money.”

With the growth of the Halal market having grown substantially, The Halal Food Festival has welcomed back the ‘Muslim Lifestyle Experience’.

‘Fashion Avenue’, hosted by iStyle Events will be showcased in the indoor arena, including stalls dedicated to modest wear, jewellery, beauty and more. With over 150 vendors ranging from fragrances, kids clothing, educational gifts, travel, modest wear, gifts, and art. People will be excited by the Desi Doll Company with Omar and Hana mascots.

There will also be an Artisan Market, including Arts and Crafts and fashion, allowing aspiring businesses to showcase their talents.

The event is an opportunity to represent British Muslims, as well as a great occasion to invite and unify the different cultures of Birmingham and the Midlands together through the shared pleasure of great tasting food.