ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – Christmas has come early to the Kurdistan Region capital of Erbil with the opening of the Empire Christmas Festival on Saturday. 

Running daily from 3pm to midnight until January 7, organizers hope to make the festival an annual tradition.

Although Erbil is a Muslim-majority city, it is also home to many of Iraq’s Christians, concentrated in the northern neighborhood of Ainkawa, and to a large community of Western expatriates. 

Peshraw Dizayee, chairman of Falcon Group and Empire World, the residential and commercial development on the west side of the city hosting the festival, says the aim is to bring a little of the magic of Europe’s famed Christmas markets to the Kurdistan Region. 

“We want to do something beautiful for the people and city of Erbil so they can spend a good time on the occasion of the onset of the New Year like every other country in the world,” Dizayee said.

A fireworks display is also scheduled to take place on the Empire development to ring in the New Year.

“We see that there is good reception for it. The people of Erbil are coming and spending time here. We will try to mark not only the New Year in such good and beautiful manner, but for other occasions, such as Newroz, as well,” Dizayi added. 

Wooden cabins have been set up around the Empire development selling food, clothing, and other festive goods.

Photos by Blind Tahir / Rudaw