Diwali Festival

Diwali – Festival of Lights” Celebration

Saturday, October 8, 2011, 10 am - 5 pm Memorial Park

The Eighth Annual Diwali-Festival of Lights will be held at Memorial Park in Cupertino on Saturday, October 8, 2011 from 10 am until 5 pm. Presented by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce and its Asian American Business Council (AABC), festivities will include a wonderful feast of food, business and craft booths, music and dance including a traditional Rangoli display. Admission to the festival grounds is free with plenty of free parking available at De Anza College.

Diwali – Festival of Lights marks the beginning of the new business year in India and it is a festival of joy, splendor, brightness, happiness and prosperity. Celebrated throughout the world, typical Diwali traditions include exchanging gifts, new clothes, meeting new and old friends, offering traditional sweets and wishing each other prosperous new year.

Visitors to the festival will be treated to a festive atmosphere of sari festooned trees, spectacular lanterns, and a cultural kaleidoscope of activities and performances. Beginning at 10:00a.m. with the popular “Kids Zone” art show and grand opening ceremony at 11:30am featuring Mayor Wong and elected leaders in native Indian clothing, the festival appeals to all senses Indian food, music and dancing, featuring classical “Kathak” and “Bharatanatyam” to folk “Koli”, to popular “Bollywood” dances. 

Attendees may get decorative “mehendi” tattooed on the palm of their hands or attend the booths with ethnic Indian art, clothing, jewelry, children’s books and toys.

The elaborate and exciting Kids Zone will be packed throughout the day with children visiting the magic show, petting zoo, pony rides, Jump abouts, wood workshop, face painting and coloring contests.

Mahesh Nihalani, Event Chair states, “The Diwali Festival of Lights is an excellent opportunity to bring the business community together to celebrate a holiday that is very significant for our Indian population”. Asian American Business Council Chair Neil Bhatnagar comments that “the mission of the AABC is to promote, strengthen and enhance the inter-ethnic business environment in the Cupertino Chamber and the Diwali Festival has proven to an excellent way to bridge our business community with the residents of Cupertino.

For more information about the festival or membership in the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce and the Asian American Business Council, please contact the Chamber in Cupertino at 408-252-7054 or visit the Chamber’s website www.cupertino-chamber.org.