
FLORIDA NEWS
5TH Annual East-West Music & Dance Festival FEB. 8 IN TAMPA!
Date: Saturday, Feb. 8
Location: Water Works Park, 1701 N. Highland Ave., Tampa
Time: 2 to 7 p.m.
Admission: Free
Shruti Foundation will hold its fifth annual East-West Music & Dance Festival on Feb. 8 in Tampa. The free event will feature performers of both Eastern and Western styles.
Food vendors, jewelry, clothing and other service vendors with family activities will also be present. More than 100 dancers from around the world, including different forms such as Indian folk, Bollywood, Flamenco, Hawaiian and belly dances, will take the stage.
Live bands performing at the festival are Shankh & Friends, AboveOnlySpace, Mike Quick Band and Shruti School of Music Ensemble. Dance performers include Vanessa Cerolio (Flamenco Dance Group), BollySoulFit (Indian Dance Group), Floreos (FCBD Belly Dance Group), Tatiana Olga (Fusion Dance), Sway with Sur (Indian Dance Group) and Hawaiian Cultural Dance Group.
“This festival is a celebration of diversity and connection. It’s an opportunity for our community to come together and experience the beauty of cultural expression through music and dance,” said Shankh Lahiri, founder and director of Shruti Foundation.
The family-friendly event will be from 2 to 7 p.m. Feb. 8 at Water Works Park, 1701 N. Highland Ave., Tampa.
The East-West Music & Dance Festival is supported by a Special Events Partnership Grant from the Cultural Arts Commission, part of the Arts Council of Hillsborough County.
For more information, visit shrutifoundationtampa.org or call Shankh Lahiri at (813) 549-9288.
Annapurna Kitchen OPENS at Sanatan Mandir in TAMPA
Sanatan Mandir recently held a grand opening of Annapurna Kitchen, a brand-new cafe serving an array of delectable Indian dishes. More than 60 percent of temple trustees joined the celebration at which over 250 people were served meals from the canteen. Lohri celebrations were simultaneously held, which included a ceremony by the priests and distribution of sweets.
Located within the mandir premises, the construction of the commercial kitchen was completed by Pawan Sharma of Royal Construction & Fixtures in November. Subsequently, the City of Tampa granted the certificate of occupancy in December.
Yatendra and Rani Kumar’s generous donation and unwavering support helped make this project a reality. Gateway to India restaurant owner Sanjeev Kumar is supervising and running the temple kitchen.
The canteen offers a diverse range of mouth-watering options, including dosa, idli, wada, thalis, and Punjabi and Gujarati meals. The café is open all day until 9 p.m. on weekends and during normal lunch/dinner hours Tuesday to Friday.
Sanatan Mandir is at 311 E. Palm Ave., Tampa. For information, call (813) 221-4482 or visit https://sanatanmandirtampa.org/
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