Fab fest A cool carnival about the city offers poetry, puppetry, karaoke and chess contests as alternative ways to chill out

Can't afford to spend another penny on shopping, adventure park rides and fancy dinners? The best things in life, as they say, come free.

The ongoing Beat the Heat summer festival in a capital mall makes sure you can manage masti without having to empty pockets. We tell you how to make this summer invaluable at no cost.

Jokes and pokes

The range of activities includes puppet shows, salsa nights, mehndi and painting, culinary and magic shows, health talks, karaoke and singing competitions, makeover sessions, jewellery making, dance, music, and hasya kavita contests, just to name a few.

"Last year, we had an extensive Egyptian themed festival, but due to budget constraints this year, we decided on fun acts that wouldn't require many props or resources," says Veenu Sehgal, VP, operations.

Name it, game it

There are 17 different events in store, and they're about more than superfluous fun, the organisers assure.
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"There's also a South Indian special, but it's not about dosas and idlis. It's about fun quizzes and things you'd never ever think of," adds Veenu.

A major attraction is the array of games lined up sudoku, chess, tambola, musical chairs et al, and the prizes are as pretty as the rest of the picture.
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An oh, it's an indoor do, so don't worry about the searing heat outside. Thank us for the idea of going mall hopping without shopping!u00a0u00a0u00a0