Gujarat: Amit Shah, CM Bhupendra Patel inaugurate Ahmedabad Shopping Festival

Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], December 6 (ANI): The 'Ahmedabad Shopping Festival (ASF) 2025-26', jointly organised by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation and the State Government, was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. To mark the festival's commencement, they flagged off the Ahmedabad Shopping Festival Carnival Parade and formally opened the festival. Cabinet Minister Rushikesh Patel was also present on the occasion.
The Union Home Minister and the Chief Minister visited various stalls of the shopping festival. The dignitaries purchased indigenous products and made digital payments to encourage the initiative.
The event was attended by Ahmedabad Mayor Pratibha Jain, all MLAs and Councillors of Ahmedabad city, along with Deputy Mayor Jatin Patel, Standing Committee Chairman Shri Devang Dani, Leader of the Ruling Party Gaurang Prajapati, Whip Shital Daga, Chief Commissioner of State Tax Rajeev Topno, Ahmedabad Municipal Commissioner Banchhanidhi Pani, Chairmen of various committees, City BJP President Prerak Shah, and officials and office-bearers of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation.
This grand festival of retail, lifestyle and entertainment, scheduled from 5 December to 16 January 2026, is set to infuse new energy into the city's trade and tourism sector while advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Vocal for Local'. The second edition of the festival, themed "Swadeshi with Global Appeal", has already generated strong excitement among citizens.
This year, ASF features six major shopping districts and more than twelve hotspot zones across the city, including Sindhu Bhavan Road, C.G. Road, Nikol Modern Street, Kankaria-Rambaug Road, Vastrapur, Prahladnagar, Science City, the Riverfront, Law Garden, Manek Chowk, and leading malls, creating an extraordinary blend of shopping, entertainment, food and artisan markets. The festival will offer food festivals, live music shows, cultural programmes, comedy and poetry evenings, sports activities, youth zones and family entertainment zones for citizens and tourists. Specially curated heritage walking tours for local and international visitors, along with a dedicated Wedding Shopping Experience Zone on Sindhu Bhavan Road, will add a premium touch to the season's celebrations. Major brands, hotels, malls, retail outlets, clothing and gift segments, restaurants and several other sectors have partnered with the festival, further enhancing its scale and appeal.
To make this festival digitally accessible, the official ASF mobile app and web portal have been launched. Through the app, users will get access to special offers, interactive maps, real-time event updates and a Shopper Pass that will provide free travel on AMTS and BRTS during the festival along with special deals and lucky draw opportunities. This year, more than 8,000 businesses have joined ASF, including retail stores, malls, MSMEs, hotels, restaurants, artisans and premium brands. The Swadeshi Mall at Vastrapur, Cottage Industry Exhibition and special participation of local artisans will also be key attractions to promote Vocal for Local in the city.
During the festival, customers will get discounts ranging from 15% to 35% at outlets across the city. The festive spirit will spread throughout Ahmedabad with Hungrito, Weekend Window, Fun Blast and various cultural and entertainment events. Ahmedabad is eager to welcome visitors from across India and around the world to this unique and vibrant celebration of trade, culture and entertainment. With its blend of Swadeshi pride, retail innovation and modern urban lifestyle, ASF 2025-26 is poised to give Ahmedabad a distinctive new identity on the national and international retail map. (ANI)