The India Festival is coming to Panther Creek Park this Saturday, showcasing the rich cultural heritage of India with food, dance, and more. One of the biggest highlights of the event will be a cricket tournament.
The tournament will begin at 7:30 a.m. and features Owensboro’s team – the Kings. The tournament’s championship game will start at 3:30 p.m. when the rest of the festivities commence.
“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase cultural events from India and cricket,” said Dr. Dhiren Haria, one of the event’s organizers. “The main idea is to join people together and expose folks to cultures worldwide. Here in the U.S., we play baseball, pickleball, and more, and we want to share our sports with the community.”
Widely played across the world, cricket is gaining popularity across the states. Haria said they regularly play cricket teams from Evansville, Louisville, Indianapolis, and other cities.
“It’s one of the most passionate sports for many countries in the world,” he said. “We now have Major League Cricket in the U.S., and the U.S. has a team participating in the Cricket World Cup this year.”
The festival is being hosted by the Tri-State Cultural Society of India and the Owensboro Cricket Association. The event is free to the public, and organizers encourage attendees to register here or by scanning the barcode on the flyer.
The festival also features opportunities to purchase an assortment of Indian food, garba (an Indian dance form) lessons, Bollywood Zumba, and free Henna designs. Haria said several Henna artists will be on site with many design possibilities.
Established in 1984, the Tri-State Cultural Society of India exists “to integrate the Tri-State Indian community and to participate with the local community while preserving and advancing our culture and heritage.” The group regularly organizes events to promote Indian culture and forge strong ties among the people of the Indian community in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.
