Cancellation of 26th Festival of India due to COVID-19
INDIA ASSOCIATION of CHARLOTTE - Press Release 4-12-2020
In order to contain the spread of COVID-19 virus, federal, state and local government directives, restricting social interaction outside the home have created an unprecedented challenge to our way of life.
We have been following the advice and guidelines from the authorities in real time; and monitoring the situation with some of our key partners. After assessing the projected outlook in the coming months, our board has recommended a change in direction of our current festival plans.
We deeply regret to announce our very difficult decision to cancel the 26th Festival of India, scheduled for July 18-19, 2020 in Belk Theater and on Tryon St. This is an extreme step of cancellation of an annual event, that has been our labor of love for the last 25+ years.
“The safety of our visitors, our performers, our volunteers and all other stakeholders, is of paramount concern to us and that is why we are taking this extreme action,” said IAC President Lal Vishin.
“We understand the pain and disruption that our community is going thru as a result of this pandemic, and hope our action will be a small step in helping control the spread of the virus. We will continue to follow all guidance from the authorities as we move forward and will keep you updated via our website (www.indiafestival.net)."
India Association of Charlotte (IAC) is working with all the festival stakeholders and exploring new dates for our next Festival of India in the Fall of 2021. We thank everyone for their understanding, patience and support, as we navigate together through these uncharted and treacherous waters in the days and months to come.
Charlotte Welcoming Week
Event - Virtual Festival of India
We are honored to be part of the Welcoming Week celebrations in Charlotte. Here is a presentation curated to highlight key facets of our annual Festival of India, that we had to cancel this year for the first time in 25 years, because of pandemic related challenges.
The exhibit touches on some key community service initiatives by our festival team, like - a) The Bus Stand Project b) Anuvia Collage Project c) Covid Mask Initiative d) Big Fat Indian Wedding.
And it also offers you a broad view of the activities within the festival itself, by displaying vignettes of various types of content like - a) Cultural Exhibits b) Indian Dance Performances b) Visual Arts c) Food/Souvenirs d) Turban/Saree & Henna Tattoos and more.
The exhibit content is in eight segments and here is a link to those. Please play each segment in the order listed and enjoy!
Sponsorship Questions?
The India Association of Charlotte, an IRS Non Profit cultural organization, is proud to present the annual Festival of India. This event is driven by an all volunteer team of dedicated folks, who generously give of their time & talent year after year.
But we depend on the enthusiastic support of our community and corporate sponsorship is the life blood of our enduring success in doing the festival for the last 25+ years. We greatly appreciate your interest in sponsoring our festival, and that sponsorship comes at a number of different levels. This is a plea for you to please contact Toni Sawhney at sponsor@indiafestival.net, to discuss your interest and additional relevant details. She can also be reached on her Cell: 704-604-2133.