Colombo Christmas Street 2016 concludes successfully

From left: MP Dr. Kavinda Jayawardene, Dilmah Tea Founder/Chairman Merrill Fernando, Minister of Health Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Coca Cola Sri Lanka Managing Directress Sonu Grover and former Mayor of Colombo Titus Perera

A high street type, upmarket carnival style ambiance street was created in the heart of the city with a variety of foods, trade, gifts, hampers, new products and entertainment and fun fair titled ‘Colombo Christmas Street’ recently.

Organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Religious Affairs together with the Colombo Municipal Council in partnership with Sri Lanka Retailers’ Association (SLRA), it was an enormous success. This three-day event opened gates to shoppers on 22 December and continued till Christmas Eve at Green Path, Colombo 7.  

There were over 20 pop up stalls set up on Green Path covering sectors such as retail, home decor, food and beverage, entertainment and charity sponsored by SLRA. The Sri Lanka Apparel Brands Association (SLABA) also participated in this event with seven stalls as the Associate Partner by further contributing towards this event’s tremendous success. 

Several other activities such as entertainment games, street activities, differently abled students’ activities, children’s play area, social service awareness programs and a food festival were held with entertainment sessions from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. including choirs, live bands, DJ music, animators/magicians, and a street fashion show. 

Not only did large crowds gathered to witness the events and entertainment arranged, but there was also a massive triumph in sale of the retailers who had stalls at Green Path. Many tourists became a part of this event to witness this novel concept. 

Minister of Tourism John Amaratunga, Minister of Health Dr. Rajitha Senaratne, Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Harsha De Silva, Member of Parliament Dr. Kavinda Jayawardene, Singer Group CEO Asoka Pieris, Commercial Credit CEO Rohan Egodage, DFCC CEO Arjun Fernando, Coca Cola Sri Lanka Managing Directress Sonu Grover and Dilmah Tea Founder/Chairman Merrill Fernando were some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion during the three days.

This project in collaboration with the Tourism Ministry is a stepping stone to SLRA for its proposal to launch Sri Lanka’s first-ever Shopping Festival in September 2017, which would be similar to those held in Dubai, Malaysia and Singapore. SLRA stated that the Government had allocated Rs. 50 million from its National Budget for 2017 on behalf of this project which will be titled ‘Colombo Fair’.

SLRA Chairman Hussain Sadique extended his appreciation to Minister Amaratunga and Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs Advisor Dinesh Weerakkody for their guidance and all the support extended to make this inaugural event a success. 

He added: “We hope to upgrade Colombo Christmas Street to a national level, where it will be held in most parts of the country as an annual calendar event, comprising of even more collaborative proceedings to make Sri Lanka a retail shopping destination. Our intention is to join regional and rural retailers to give leadership and take Sri Lankan retail to the next level of growth.”

SLRA together with the Ministry of Tourism sponsored the young upcoming millennium retail entrepreneurs in facilitating their growth in the retail industry, which was demonstrated through this three day event. This event paved way for even the street vendors to be part of this Christmas Street.