Centennial Park in downtown Fort Myers was filled with dazzling colors, fragrant aromas, and invigorating music on Saturday. India Fest was back for the 33rd time, following a 5-year hiatus brought on by the covid pandemic and then Hurricane Ian. Approximately 3,000 people gathered under sunny skies to attend the festival, which was put on by theIndia Association of Fort Myers.
Dr. Sam Desai is a dentist in Cape Coral and former president of the India Association: “We as Indian people, we always believe in harmony. Live together, contribute to the local society, and enjoy the life. So that’s what we are all here for,” he said.
Vendors selling food, clothing, and more came from as far away as Fort Lauderdale. Indian dance groups came from Tampa and University of Florida in Gainesville to perform on the main stage. Audience participation in the dancing was strongly encouraged!
Renuka Devacaanthan is President of the India Association of Fort Myers today, but she’s been taking part since she was a child: “I don’t want to go way back, but let’s just say about four decades ago, I am a Florida resident, I grew up in this from the first India Fest, I was probably five years old. I performed on our first stage. We used to go train in India, come back, do our best to give performances. There wasn’t a whole lot of culture here at the time, so it was the perfect time to start showcasing Indian culture,” said Devacaanthan.
In its current mode, the festival strives to appeal to everyone in the community.
“We just want to bring everybody together. It’s India Fest, but it’s India Fest for the community at large,” said Devacaanthan. “We capture Southwest Florida all the way from Naples up to Sarasota. I can’t wait for next year.”
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