Naperville hosting Indian singer for India Day celebration
Naperville's second annual India Day Parade and Celebration will feature a free concert by popular Indian singer Sunidhi Chauhan - and likely a larger location for her to stage her talents.
The event, scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 14, plans to expand on last year's inaugural parade and festival by bringing in a professional performer.
Krishna Bansal, chairman of Naperville Indian Community Outreach, called Chauhan "one of the top singers in Bollywood." The 32-year-old has collaborated with Western musicians including Enrique Iglesias, Pitbull and Alicia Keys, and even played the voice of Elsa in the Hindi version of the movie "Frozen."
"She has a lot of energy," said Nimish Bhatt, vice chairman of Naperville Indian Community Outreach. "She has a commanding performance on the stage."
Chauhan will be the grand marshal of the parade, scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. before her performance about 7:30 p.m.
Organizers plan to host this year's festival in Knoch Park, the same venue used for the Naperville Exchange Club's Ribfest. But they are still finalizing parade route details with the city.
Last year's parade went down Center Street and ended at Central Park, where the festival featured a cultural program of area dancers and entertainment troupes showcasing their talents.
This year a few local groups might get to open for Chauhan before she takes the stage. But Bansal said Central Park doesn't offer enough space for the crowds he expects will flock to Naperville to experience the singer and her orchestra.
"It's going to be a world-class performance," he said.
The India Day festivities come one day before the country celebrates the 70th anniversary of its independence from Britain. The events will welcome Naperville-area residents of Indian descent to celebrate their heritage and those from other cultural backgrounds to check out Indian food, art, clothing and jewelry.
Naperville Indian Community Outreach is accepting parade unit applications and seeking sponsors and vendors at napervilleindian.com.
"The idea is to have a lot of colorful, decorative floats and a lot of color in the parade," Bansal said.