Padang Great Market Packed as Eid Approaches

With Eid al-Fitr just around the corner, Padang’s Great Market has become extremely crowded. A week before Eid, residents are flocking to purchase new clothes to wear during the celebration.

It is a tradition among Muslims that Eid celebrations feel incomplete without wearing new clothing. Consequently, shopping centres and clothing stores are inundated with visitors.

As observed on Saturday and Sunday (14-15 March 2026), the flow of shoppers to the Great Market was quite high, with Phase VII experiencing busier-than-usual activity. Throughout those two days, the Great Market appeared crowded from midday through to evening. Visitors frequented clothing and accessory shops at the Great Market, as well as shops in Phase VII.

“I’m going to look around for Eid clothes, maybe I’ll find something suitable,” said Rani, a visitor, on Tuesday (17 March).

Rani intentionally came shopping with her younger sister to the Great Market to see the clothes in person. “It’s better to come here with my sister. The advantage of shopping at the Great Market is being able to see the goods directly. When you buy clothes online, you can’t tell their quality,” explained the Siteba resident.

Similarly, Dion, a resident of Lubuk Minturun, made the journey specifically to shop in Phase VII. According to him, the clothing sold in Phase VII is quite good. “After seeing the clothes here, I became interested in buying. The prices aren’t too expensive either,” he said.

When asked, Muhamad Faisal, head of the Padang Great Market UPTD, confirmed that the Great Market and Phase VII do experience increased visitor numbers approaching Eid. He noted this surge almost always occurs before Eid. “It’s busier now, with the peak occurring around two days or a day before Eid,” Faisal said.

Faisal noted that the visitor increase is not limited to Phase VII. Rather, it affects every phase from Phase I through Phase VI. He attributed the market’s busyness partly to the recently cleared market corridors, formerly occupied by street vendors. “Since the corridors have been cleared of vendors, shoppers have more freedom to browse, and the traders inside the phases have become busier,” Faisal explained.

Faisal urged all traders to conduct business in an orderly manner, always prioritising cleanliness and comfort.