Unlike the past few holidays dampened by the COVID-19 pandemic and the year-long war, Addis Abeba appears to have regained its mood for festivities. Nowhere is this more evident than at Mesqel Square, a traditional setting for public events. Last week, the area was bustling with the Christmas spirit.

The buzzing phrase responsible for the revival? “The Great Ethiopian Homecoming."

A month ago, the administration of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) called Ethiopians abroad to sojourn home for the upcoming Christmas holiday, daring no less than one million members of the Diaspora to pass through the gates of Bole International Airport. Along Jomo Kenyatta Street, on the main road leading to Addis Abeba Stadium, the city administration has opened Addis Diaspora Hall. It is a one-stop information desk.

With lofty interior design and posh furniture, the desk was opened on December 29, 2021, to guide members of the Diaspora in their quest for investment, immigration services, and social needs. Across the Hall lies the recently renovated Mesqel Square, where a few food trucks have mainly planned to cater to the Diaspora. In the background, the patriotic decorations at the Addis Abeba Exhibition Centre gate are perceptible from a distance, luring shoppers.

Run by the Exhibition Centre & Market Development Enterprise, a public company under the city administration, the venue hosts its second bazaar since it reopened after it had closed for renovation work in 2019. That year it saw over half a million people visit the Christmas Bazaar.

Middle of a workday last week, the Exhibition Centre had attracted hundreds of shoppers who could be seen roaming around the various stalls and shops in the heat of the afternoon sun. Some were resting in the shade offered by a cafe inside. Shoppers were greeted by some of the 500 vendors selling Christmas trees on the right, a line of bank stalls on the left and a field offering horseriding down the middle.

The scene is hectic, accompanied by loud music blaring from enormous speakers. There was little to enjoy from the melody.

The bazaar opened two weeks ago is the only major event in Addis Abeba for the Christmas holiday. It will remain open until Christmas Eve on January 6.

Other popular venues, such as Mechare Meda in the Sarbet area, and Ghion Hotel are not hosting any events as city officials have imposed restrictions complying with the state of emergency declared last month. The Millennium Hall on Africa Avenue (Bole Road) remains to serve as a medical treatment centre for COVID-19 patients.

The number of vendors had not changed from the last event when Eyoha Addis Entertainment organised the Ethiopian New Year bazaar in September. The veteran event organiser established by Ayu Alemu six years ago with 50,000 Br in paid-up capital secured the venue after offering 40 million Br. It had rented out space to vendors at considerably higher prices than this week's bazaar.

Vendors paid 50,000 Br to rent a stall in one of the Centre's four pavilions, while others shelled out a whopping eight million Birr to secure an entire pavilion for themselves. The Enterprise hosts the bazaar, offering vendors a 20pc discount in fees, hoping vendors would match the gesture with goods available for visitors at lower prices.

It was an abrupt decision born out of a default by Betahon Special Events Plc to organise the bazaar. According to the Enterprise's executives, a newcomer to the event industry, Betahon had offered a record-high 68 million Br, only to fail to meet its obligations. The company's offer was 19 million Br higher than what Eyoha Addis Entertainment paid to host the same event two years ago.

Betahon has also won the bid to host the Easter Bazaar, scheduled for April 2022, after offering 43 million Br. It did not make out the payment to the Enterprise for the holiday this week; the latter terminated the contract and took up the challenge on its own. The Enterprise had only nine days to organise it itself.

Usually, such events take three months to organise.

"It's a wonder how they pulled it off," said Tadesse Tamrat, public communications director at Jorka Events, another event organiser and veteran in the industry.

For Tesfaye Abate, director of corporate communications, the Enterprise was established to host various events. Organisers were invited to take part to encourage the private sector.

"We don't think that's workable any longer," he said.

The perk the Enterprise sees with this new arrangement is to expand on its activities in corporate social responsibilities, giving out spots for free to those collecting donations. It has also dedicated two percent of its revenues to the Ethiopian Defense Forces and those displaced by the war in the north.