Taste of India Brings Food, Culture and a Wedding to the Ted on April 26

April 14, 2015

The 9th Annual Taste of India festival will bring the music, food, culture and even a wedding from the South Asian continent to Old Dominion University's Ted Constant Convocation Center on Sunday, April 26.

The popular event, a mix of centuries-old heritage and modern Indian culture, is one of the largest Asian Indian festivals in Virginia. The 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. event features Bollywood music, ethnic Indian food, a children's carnival and vendors selling Indian wares such as clothing, spices and jewelry.

The annual celebration of Indian culture has the theme, "Weddings of India" this year, and will feature an actual demonstration of an Indian wedding from 4 - 6 p.m.

Other new attractions at Taste of India this year include yoga classes, Bollywood dance classes and a traditional Indian Bhangra dance competition featuring local college and university teams from 3 - 4 p.m.

ODU, which boasts a sizable international community, is one of the event's sponsors. There is no cost to attend the festival, and free parking is available nearby.

In his 2012 State of the Region report, former ODU President James V. Koch highlighted the disproportionate benefit the Asian Indian community brings to Hampton Roads, including an annual economic impact of $140 million.

The report notes that Hampton Roads has a vibrant and active Asian Indian community. This community is represented by more than 140 physicians, numerous software and IT professionals, 50 Ph.D. scientists and engineers and 30 university professors.