Never underestimate the power of food, music and dance, bouncy houses and shopping when it comes to bridging the gaps between cultures.
Every cultural seemingly has a love of these things, or perhaps organizers recognize the importance of face painting, a parade and a tasty treat in a festival.
The 10th annual India Day Parade and Celebration is from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Aug. 11 at Rotary Hill, 440 Aurora Ave. in Naperville. The parade is at 11 a.m., kicking off from Naperville North High School, 899 N. Mill St., and concluding at Jackson and Mill streets. After the parade, the celebration continues at Rotary Hill in Naperville.
Presented by Indian Community Outreach, India Day celebrates Aug. 15, 1947, the day India won its freedom from British rule, said chairman and event organizer Krishna Bansal. The event is free and all are welcome, he said.
It has become one of the largest Indian American celebrations in the United States and is instrumental in bringing the community together to experience Indian culture and heritage through music, dancing, food and more, he said.
“We have a lot of activities. We have food — a lot of international food booths,” he said.
There will be vendor booths with cultural and ethnic clothing and jewelry, children’s activities and a health and wellness fair.
On the main entertainment stage, there will be talent contests and local singers and dancers during the afternoon. A second stage will feature more local performers, he said.
Headlining is a Bollywood brother act called Salim Suleman.
“They’re coming with their entire band, several singers and musicians,” he said.
The parade is always a spectacular affair, he said, with large, elaborate floats, dancers in colorful costumes and joyous music.
“This parade is one of the best Indian parades outside of India,” Bansal said. “It is very vibrant, very colorful, full of culture. You will see a lot of (entries) from different regions of India. People decorate their floats, decorate their groups. You will see a large display of Indian culture in the parade.”
Additionally, the Shriners will make an appearance along with local businesses, politicians and community groups, he said.
The parade is a mile long and lasts about 90 minutes. Mill Street provides the best views, he said.
“It brings so much vibrancy. It is not a typical parade,” he said. “We want more people to come to the parade as we work very hard on it.”
The festival is an outreach and education effort and one he hopes is appreciated by the community, he said.
“It is one of the best festivals. It has fun, it has culture, it has vibrancy, it has color,” he said. “It has good food, it has good music. It is the best thing to come and see and we have it right here in Naperville. I believe people will love it and they will learn a lot about Indian culture as well.”
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
India Day Parade and Celebration
Where: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Aug. 11
Where: Rotary Hill, 440 Aurora Ave., Naperville
Tickets: free
Information: 630-300-0345; indiancommunityoutreach.org/india-day-parade-celebration
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