ALLENTOWN, Pa. (WLVT) - It's been a challenging year for cultural festivals in the Lehigh Valley. Bethlehem’s Celtic Classic and Allentown's Puerto Rican festival and parade have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the third annual India Heritage Day festival in Allentown will go on as scheduled this year, but virtually, on Sunday, August 16.
"It is not live, but we are striving to make it to make you feel like you are there," said Vindya Chari, executive director of Saara Arts, a nonprofit that organizes the event.
The festival, typically held at Arts Park, started in 2018, showcasing local art, cultural cuisine and musical performances.
"We have a theme of art education that is very important," Chari said. "It's not just like a bazaar, where people just come and go and buy stuff -- which can be done -- but it's about educating people on these different art styles."
Saara Arts has already hosted virtual events this year, including a celebration of arts and culture from the Indian state of West Bengal in May.
For the upcoming virtual festival, organizers will stream an hour-long video on YouTube and Saara Arts' Facebook page. The traditional lamp lighting to start the festival will be replaced with short videos from Allentown mayor Ray O'Connell and Lehigh Valley Congresswoman Susan Wild.
Chari said local groups will perform different dance styles -- from classical to Bollywood.
"We are not taking clips from the past or anything. It was done particularly for the show," she said. "They have actually gone out -- they wanted to be safe -- but they wanted to make it good. So, they met as a group, and they did their dance practices and choreographed it outside."
The virtual festival will also include a bridal henna demonstration as well as short culinary segments.
"When you think of Indian food, people are like, 'Oh, I like to eat it, but cooking it, forget it. It’s very involved. You need so many different ingredients,'" Chari said. "It's not like that. Whatever you see here, you can make it in your kitchen right away."
Art is another aspect going digital. A virtual exhibition will showcase work from local artists, and the traditional vendor booths will turn into digital ads during the livestream.
Chari said the festival will end with a finale that celebrates several cultures.
"We are bringing in dance not only from India, but from some countries, and it's going to be a melding of styles that is going to be just mind-blowing," she said.
Organizers are donating proceeds to support front-line workers in the Lehigh Valley.