ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The town of Amedi in Duhok province this week held its annual festival celebrating locally-made tahini, drawing large crowds from across the Kurdistan Region and beyond.
An estimated 25 tons of tahini were sold during the two-day event that wrapped up on Friday, according to organizers. Around 50,000 visitors attended the festival, which featured dozens of stalls showcasing local products.
Chra Amedi, a shopkeeper, said he sold half of the stock he brought. “We brought 500 tons of tahini and sold half of it,” he told Rudaw.
Visitors stocked up on a variety of local goods.
“I bought tahini, khabis [a locally made sweet], and several other products,” said festivalgoer Hiba Luqman.
Alongside the rich display of local produce, the festival also featured musical performances, folk dancing, and other cultural activities.
“This year’s festival was much better organized, more beautiful, and more crowded than last year and the year before,” said visitor Hayfa Amedi.
The event, now in its third year, continues to grow. It has more than doubled in size since its first edition in 2023, according to festival organizer Karwan Amedi.
Amedi is home to 34 tahini grinders, many of which run partly on hydroelectric power, producing the town’s renowned sesame paste.
The town produces hundreds of tons of tahini annually and exports to markets in the Netherlands and the United States, according to Hakar Hamid, head of the Amedi agriculture directorate.