You may have heard about Phoenix the mythical bird that rises from ashes. The Grub Fest last week did a similar feat. The festival was slotted between 6-8 April 2018 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi. However, an unexpected bout of thunderstorm followed by heavy rain played havoc at the Grub Fest on the first evening on Friday, April 6th. As a result, the marquees flew off, the stalls fell apart and the stage for performance was uprooted. There was devastation all over.

The organizers lived up to the demands of the calamity. They made urgent arrangements and everything was reinstated. The whole fairground was prepared all over again pretty much in less than 24 hours. In fact, we are told that they offered to refund the ticket value for all visitors who had pre-booked for Friday 6. However, some of them chose to retain the ticket and come back on the following days on the same ticket. Very civil on behalf of both parties we say.

We have been attending The Grub Fest for a number of years now and are impressed as to how it has developed into a youth festival. It seems to be a must-do for the young adults. That is no surprise since to keep Delhiites well-fed and entertained, the festival brought together some of the most popular restaurants offering their signature drinks and dishes over concerts and music, dance, games, and contests. The last edition had a preview to the new star of Delhi – Madame Tussaud’s.

This year they had a section dedicated to fashion – swank clothes, cool glasses and stylish accessories. In fact the fair overflowed with footfall to its seam and there was a happy crowd who didn’t seem to mind the jostle.

Guru Randhawa and his music have a special inroad to the hearts of youngsters. No wonder, he is a regular performer at The Grub Fest. This year too, Randhawa enthralled the audience with his power-packed rendition and many came to watch him over cool food and beverages. In addition to the star performer some many other upcoming singers and bands also entertained during the three-day food extravaganza. But there was another first in the entertainment zone. When we went on Sunday evening Kutle Khan (Coke Studio fame) was on stage with his group. He performed typical Rajasthani folk songs and the audience was lapping it all up; clapping, recording away, and grooving to the beats. Folk music at The Grub Fest was a very pleasant surprise for us.

But then, given the exemplary resilience that The Grub Fest recently displayed, nothing surprises us about this event. No wonder, The Grub Fest has evolved as a sought-after event for the young and the young at heart.