Cupertino Memorial Parks comes alive with the 11th Annual Diwali Festival

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Cupertino Memorial Parks comes alive with the 11th Annual Diwali Festival

CUPERTINO, CA-On Saturday,October 12, 2013, the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce and its Asian American Business Council held their 11th Annual Diwali Festival of Lights. The beautiful Cupertino Memorial Park came alive with over 12,000 parents, kids and community members taking part in dancing, coloring contests, craft projects, and other festival activities.

The theme of this year’s festival was “Healthy Eating and Healthy Living.” The festival’s presenting sponsors, El Camino Hospital and the South Asian Heart Center, gave the inspiration for this theme. As part of this year’s theme, all the festival food vendors offered a heart healthy meal item, as well as a recipe for the item for all the festival attendees. In addition, the South Asian Heart Center set up a large anatomically correct inflatable heart display in the center of the festival grounds and gave conducted tours inside it, to raise awareness about the high incidence of coronary artery disease among South Asians, which would hopefully save lives.

Visitors to the festival were treated to an entertaining and foot-tapping program of music and dance performances, a traditional Rangoli display, and numerous stalls featuring handicrafts, games, and clothing.Guests were also able to see a huge replica of the famous Red Fort of India, which was brought to Cupertino by India.com as also take pictures by the Taj Mahal,which was arranged by Key Point credit union.

The grand opening ceremony featured community and elected leaders including: State Senators Jim Beall and Jerry Hill; Assembly Member Paul Fong,Cupertino’s Mayor Orrin Mahoney, Vice Mayor Gilbert Wong,Council member Mark Santoro and City manager David Brandt,Fremont vice Mayor Anu Natrajan and Councilmember Raj Salwan ,Sunnyvale’s Mayor Tony Spitaleri; Council member Chris Moylan, San Jose council members Pete Constant and Sam Liccardo, County Sherriff Laurie Smith and Indian Consul Anand Jha.“Cupertino Union School District’s Board President Anjali Kausar, Board members Ben Liao, Phyllis Vogel ,Josephine Lucey,Gary Mcue and Superintendent Wendy Gudalewicz; Fremont Union High School District’s Board President Nancy Newton and Board members of the Cupertino Chamber of commerce.

The first time ever CYSA’s Indo American teen ambassadoress Sindhu Ravuri was also acknowledged.

Diwali is an excellent opportunity to bring everyone together to celebrate a holiday that is very significant for the South Asian population,” said Mahesh Nihalani, the event chair. “The Diwali festival has proven to be an excellent way to bridge our business community with the residents of Cupertino.Diwali 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.”

The festival was successful due to the generous contributions and participation from our sponsors: El Camino Hospital; South Asian Heart Center; Apple, Inc.; Wells Fargo Bank; India.com; TechCU; KeyPoint Credit Union; Recology Cupertino,Lehigh Cement Company;Umedex/Mahima; Skanska; Santa Clara Valley Water District; PG&E; Palo Alto Medical Foundation; Cupertino Inn; Shashi Group LLC; Comcast; State Bank of India; Pacific Business Centers; Travel Pod.

Wonderful volunteers and school clubs were also invaluable in ensuring the success of this event.

Welcome –Love your Heart,Light up your Life.