Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/502893
12 APRIL 29 - May 5, 2015 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Many things define a community; for Fayetteville, diversity is a hallmark of the community. People from all corners of the Earth find their way to the Sandhills, put down roots and call it home, all the while celebrating the customs and traditions of their homelands. Holding tight to their unique culture, different groups often gather and invite the community to experience their food, music and other significant facets of their heritage. It's a time to learn, to share, to listen and to be heard. On May 2, Cumberland County residents don't want to miss the India Festival at the Crown. "India Festival is an annual event every spring; it is a forum for the Asian Indian community in Fayetteville, which is about 400 families strong, to share our culture and heritage with the local community. Through the India Festival, we bring the sights and sounds, the talents and cuisine alive for those who attend," said Dr. Sumedha Dalvi , event spokesperson. "Indian culture, ancient and exceptionally rich and diverse in terms of its art forms, textiles, jewelry and cuisine, will travel to the Crown Arena for those who would like to experience it in a nutshell. The main goal of India Festival is to create awareness about Indian culture and add to the diversity that the melting pot of Fayetteville offers." The day offers opportunities to experience most every facet of the Asian Indian culture. The Festivals of India Fashion Show includes many activities that will enhance the experiences of those who attend. The Festivals of India program brings to life the diversity of religions and celebrations that take place in India throughout the year. Look out for this colorful event on stage at 1 p.m. There will be plenty of food to try, as well. Vendors will offer a variety of dishes so that attendees can experience diversity in cuisine. Dishes will include fare from North India such as naan and chicken tandoori and from South India such as dosa and medu wada. "Come experience tongue tickling, palate warming authentic Indian delicacies at the festival," said Dalvi. Live cooking demos are planned by members of the community. They will demonstrate and demystify Indian cuisine for the audience. Healthy and delicious, Indian cuisine has a reputation for being complicated, but these demos will show how easy they actually are to prepare. In addition, many of the spices and condiments will be available for sale at the adjoining spice booth. The entertainment includes dances and music from India performed by local artists as well as some out of town guests. "For the first time this year, we will have a free Bollywood dance workshop for the festival attendees at 1:30 p.m," said Dalvi. "It is organized by a visiting dancer/ choreographer. She will give step by step instructions to participants and at the end of the hour they will be able to perform the entire dance." Known for beautiful colors and bangles, traditional Indian fashion is on display at the youth and ladies fashion show. "We have vendors from as far as Atlanta and Charlotte who bring beautiful textiles and jewelry for sale at a very reasonable price. We will have a great range of prices and variety available," said Dalvi. Gently used clothes are also available at the bargain corner if you are looking for beauty on a budget. Henna is an ancient beautification ritual; attendees can get beautiful henna tattoos on the palms of their hands by talented henna artists. Not only does the India Festival offer a chance to experience something new and learn about this ancient and respected culture, the money raised at this event is given right back to the community. Since 2005, this event has raised more than $120,000 for education, the police and fire departments, the American Red Cross, arts and cultural organizations, children's organizations, the Armed Forces YMCA and many other worthy causes. This year, the India Festival is sponsoring Second Harvest Food Bank. Bring two canned goods and get in free. Otherwise, admission is $2. The India Festival opens at 11 a.m. and concludes at 7 p.m. Find out more at www.facebook. com/FayettevilleIndiaFestival?ref=ay mt_homepage_panel. The Exotic East Meets West at the Annual India Festival by STEPHANIE CRIDER Bollywood comes to the India Festival with a fun class to teach the dance style comprising one of the many events designed to share the culture of India. STEPHANIE CRIDER, Editor. COMMENTS? Editor@upand- comingweekly.com. The Leading Edge In Contemporary Living MOVE IN TODAY! AddisonRidge.com • 910.227.3775 Margi Zastrow, PT & Associates Florence Rogers Charitable Trust C R O S S C R E E K C H O R A L E