KARACHI: The Expo Centre Karachi was abuzz with activity once again as the much-awaited three-day Dawn All About Lifestyles exhibition kicked off here on Friday.

There is something for everyone. For foodies there is the big food court in the open outer area where they can enjoy different snacks such as burgers, pizzas, chaat, barbecue, Chinese cuisine, etc, with nice music playing in the background. Children too were enjoying themselves in the kids’ play area.

Inside the Lifestyles exhibition is spread over four halls. Hall 1 has the driving licence stall and the life insurance stall along with a few nice Sindh handicraft stalls with ladies embroidered suits, kurtis, bags, etc.

Head Constable Rahatullah Khan at the driving licence stall said that they were only issuing learner’s licences at the exhibition. They were not taking driving tests. “The actual tests take place at the police driving licence branches. Here we just ask for your CNIC for your learner’s licence. Your photograph is taken right here and the process takes less than five minutes,” said the policeman.

Ms Shazia, the entrepreneur at Shazia’s Collection said that she always had a stall at the Lifestyles exhibition. “It has been several years now,” she said, adding that she had seen many happy customers asking about her stall every year. Besides block print and handmade embroidered shirts and suits, the stall also offered bridal wear. “I have suits reasonably priced at Rs800 only and as expensive as Rs25,000,” she said.

Hall 1 also offered gaming stalls and several consumer goods. “Those who are not particularly interested in shopping like me, can always enjoy the good music, play a few games to try their luck at winning something and just do a bit of window shopping on the first or second days,” Jalees Anwer, an early visitor to the exhibition told Dawn. “Then I am planning to bring my family over on Sunday for the shopping bit,” he added.

Moving towards Hall 2, there were more consumer items, from pickles to ketchup and mayonnaise. On the right of the entrance of Hall 3 was a very interesting stall of vegetable choppers, samosa and kebab moulds, biscuit cutters, slicers, etc, all hand-operated.

There were stalls selling elegant imitation jewellery, also several furniture stalls and even a marriage bureau offering its services at a stall. Close to it were also stage decorators. “The fragrance of fresh flowers, especially roses drew me close to Hall 3 and then I ventured inside to find everything one needs while planning their son or daughter’s wedding,” said a gentleman in a dark suit. He added that he had actually come to see the philatelic exhibition and discovered Hall 3 first.

And finally, there was Hall 4 with the stamps displays, a few bookstalls too though the area was largely dominated by home appliances such as refrigerators, air conditioners, LED TVs, etc.

The next couple of days offer more excitement as the Dawn Education Expo kicks off, too, on Saturday. It will be a fun-filled weekend as chef Zakir cooks in front for a live show in the food court on Sunday following which there is also an Asim Azhar concert. The Dawn All Breed Dog Show is also something for pet lovers to look forward to on Sunday.

The exhibition will be open on Saturday and Sunday from 11am to 10pm.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2019