Indian Community Outreach is hosting Naperville’s ninth annual India Day Parade & Celebration on Sunday, August 13 at Rotary Park, located at 440 Aurora Avenue.
The free festival will run from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and is expected to draw 30,000 to 40,000 people. It celebrates the history of India’s Independence Day.
India Day parade details
The celebrations kick off at 11 a.m. with a parade featuring approximately 4,000 people, among 70-80 entrants. The parade begins at Naperville North High School and will take a mile-long route along Mill Street in the city, ending at Naperville Central High School.
Indian Community Outreach chairman Krishna Bansal calls the parade a “moving cultural procession.”
“We have people from different regions of India,” said Bansal. “They come and they have dance performances, they decorate floats with special decorations from the region. India is very diverse and has a lot of history.”
Due to the festival’s growing popularity, Bansal said Naperville city officials requested his group spread the celebrations throughout the day this year.
“The change in timing is really important,” said Bansal. “It has been starting at 4 p.m., but this year we have moved it up to 11 a.m.”
Daler Mehndi concert & activities at Rotary Hill
After the parade, India Day festivities at Rotary Hill begin at 2 p.m. The schedule includes a concert by Daler Mehndi.
“The King of Bhangra” is the next Bollywood star to take the stage at Naperville’s India Day. Last year, Guru Randhawa performed at the festival.
“(Daler Mehndi) is one of the mainstream, big stars and is known for his pop singing,” said Bansal.
Along with the concert, there will be an international food court, an ethnic Indian bazaar, a talent show, a children’s park, and a fashion show. Main stage programs start at 5:30 p.m.
“We wanted to really build an awareness, have people come out and see what the culture is,” said Bansal. “Enjoy that time and just enjoy the festivities.”
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