Calgary Muslims celebrate Ramadan and support food bank

Calgary's Muslim community came together on Saturday night to celebrate Ramadan and support the local food bank. The event, known as the fifth annual community suhur, took place at the Rajveer Banquet Hall in northeast Calgary. Host Shaukat Hayat shared that this year’s goal is to collect 10,000 pounds of food for the Calgary Food Bank. So far, they have gathered about 2,500 to 3,000 pounds. Ramadan is a month of fasting for Muslims, who enjoy two meals: suhur before dawn and iftar after sunset. The suhur for this event started at 9 p.m. and will continue until 6 a.m. on Sunday morning. Hayat expected over 7,000 attendees to enjoy food from local restaurants, browse stalls, and enjoy live entertainment. He described the event as a food-tasting festival, where restaurants showcase their best dishes for free. In addition to food donations, organizers hope to raise $5,000 in cash donations. The event emphasizes the spirit of giving during Ramadan.