Manav Mandir Temple Presents Indiafest in Melbourne
Indiafest will celebrate its 27th Annual Festival on Saturday, March 9, and Sunday, March 10, 2024 in Wickham Park – 2500 Parkway Dr., Melbourne. It’s a fun family event that brings the Indian culture, history and tradition to the Space Coast.
Started in 1996, with a curious and humble effort of this ethnic community, today Indiafest is a symbol of cultural enrichment that is received with great enthusiasm. One of the unique things of this festival is that it presents a different theme each year showing various aspects of India.
This year the team is ‘Zero to Infinity which will showcase India’s contribution of Math/Science/Technology to the world, from zero to the decimal system and, ultimately to the recent accomplished South Pole landing of the Moon.
An admirable factor of this festival is its commitment to giving back to the community. Indiafest is a non-profit, cultural organization known for its charitable efforts to several local charities, including the parent organization, Manav Mandir, and aids in disaster recovery, nationally and internationally. With support from the community, the organization has raised and donated over $1.4 million to date and thanks the Community for believing in their mission of spreading cultural harmony while helping worthy causes along the way. In 2022 Indiafest started a $100,000 endowment scholarship with Eastern Florida State College to afford tuition for deserving students who need a helping hand. Last year, the committee chose, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard. This year, two organizations have been selected – Aging Matters of Brevard, which serves meals to the senior population and, Children Hunger Project, which provide food to elementary school kids for the weekend who would otherwise go hungry.
Indiafest has something of interest for everyone, from hands-on activities for the youths, games for the little ones, shopping for the adults, yoga demonstrations, all-day entertainment and, mouth-watering Indian cuisine for everyone to enjoy. The Discover India booth will feature the theme by providing information and displays of various STEM contributions by India.
The stage will come alive with all day performances by local artistes dancing to traditional folk, classical, and modern Indian music while the fashion show will be the highlight of the day. Take a chance at the Raffle to win prizes such as – TV, video game, dinner at a fine restaurant, movie tickets, weekend at a resort, and more.
Visit the cooking booth to observe and sample some of the recipes that will be demonstrated there. The grounds will be buzzing with vendors selling rich colorful ethnic garments, jewelry, and arts & crafts. One can indulge in exotic henna designs while the aroma of the tantalizing flavors of an array of Indian cuisine will entice the taste buds.
Today, as technology makes the world more accessible, appreciation of different cultures is more apparent than ever. At Indiafest you will take back with you, a part of India’s rich culture, be it arts and crafts, food, jewelry, music, dance, or clothes. You will be transcended, as you get a close up view of the traditional and vibrant aspects of this culture. So, come enjoy the 27th Indiafest – Saturday, March 9th and Sunday, March 10th at Wickham Park, Melbourne. Tickets are $8 adults, $4 children under 12 and, children under 5 are free. To avoid lines, tickets can be purchased in advance online at indiafestbrevard.org.
