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Our Village, Our News
AUGUST 23, 2012
Vol. 6 No. 6
Taste of Pakistan
Tastes and traditions of Pakistan come alive at festival
By Sherri Dauskurdas Staff Reporter
B
olingbrook residents have a chance to celebrate Pakistani style at the 2012Taste of Pakistan, held Saturday at the Bolingbrook Performing Arts Center. In its 21st year in Bolingbrook, the event marks Pakistan’s Independence Day and features food, music, booths and merchandise of Middle Eastern origin. It is hosted by the Association of Pakistani Americans of Bolingbrook. Organizer Talat Rashid began the ceremony 21 years ago, with just 20 families in attendance. Rashid began the event as a traditional flag hoisting ceremony, designed for the Pakistani families living in the area. “I used to live in Chicago and was
“People came all the way from Ohio and Iowa,” Talat Rashid, organizer a president of Pakistani Federation of America, a large community organization that existed in 1980s,” Rashid explained. “When I moved here, I decided to have a token event in Bolingbrook since we had only 20 families then.“ So Rashid took his request to the Village Hall, where he said Mayor Roger Claar encouraged the celebration. “The Mayor not only supported us, but encouraged us whenever we had any kind of cultural event,” Rashid said. Over the years, the small celebration has grown into the public event it is
today, adding in 2007 the Taste of Pakistan portion, which has been hugely popular. Last year, Rashid said attendance had grown to an estimated 8,000. “People came all the way from Ohio and Iowa,” he said.“We normally have around 40 to 45 booths, including 6 to 10 for food. People can try Pakistani Indian spicy food. We will have a raffle for only $5 to win a ticket to anywhere in the world.” A Pakistani singer, Jawad Ahmand, will be travelling from Pakistan to perform at the event. As the population in Bolingbrook exploded in the 1990s, Pakistani people have been largely included in the ethnic mix found in this west suburban town. “We do not have exact figures but it is
estimated there are between 3,000 to 4,000 people originally from Pakistan who now reside in Bolingbrook,” Rashid said. “This is one of the best villages where people feel welcome and the city encourages diversity.” The event begins at noon, but Rashid said the best time to come is around 3:30 p.m. when things really get rolling. He still holds the traditional flag hoisting at 6:30 p.m., and the event wraps up at 11 p.m. Admission is free, and more information can be found at www.apabolingbrook. com.