About Events

This is one of the biggest and longest festivals that spans nine nights and ten days and is celebrated annually between September and October. This festival celebrates the victory of good over evil. These nine days celebrate Goddess Durga and her nine distinct avatars. Gujarati people celebrate this tradition by fasting to remember one of nine aspects of the feminine power called Shakti. The prayers are dedicated to a symbolic clay pot called Garbo to reflect the universe's womb. Garbo significance is celebrated through music and folk dance performance on all nine nights. The folk dance, popularly known as Garba and Dandiya Raas, is performed by a live orchestra, seasonal raga, and devotional songs. It is a folk dance where people form circles around the garbo. The circles can grow reaching sizes of 100s, sometimes 1000s of people dancing and clapping in circular moves in their traditional costumes. HGAofCPA organizes Navratri for the lifetime members and nonmembers each year where about 1000 people come together to celebrate the festival for two nights. This event is free to lifetime members, with a nominal charge to non-members.

Diwali is a five-day festival celebrating the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. Also known as the festival of lights, Diwali is usually celebrated a week after the blue moon and continues until the no moon, usually in October. It signifies light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. The Festival of Light also symbolizes the energy needed in the upcoming winter months following the festival. Celebrated and recognized all over the world, Diwali also marks the Hindu new year. Diwali is a cultural and traditional festival too. Diwali has many rituals and mystical stories from Indian Mythology for each day of celebration. The Festival of Light symbolizes destroying indifferences and promoting unity and inclusion through diversity and victory of good over evil. It also represents the abolishment of laziness and evil a the fresh start in the upcoming new year. People clean and decorate their houses, display rangoli artwork with sand colors, and display earthen lamps (called diyas) all around their homes. It is a tradition to wear new colorful outfits, greet others, and exchange gifts. The greeting, “Happy Diwali” is said worldwide. Fireworks are lit as part of their celebration as well. Plentiful amounts of traditional food, savory snacks, and sweets are made at home and in shops. Local bazaars are crowded throughout the holiday. Families also share food and donate to less fortunate families. In this cultural and traditional event, all the HGAofCPA lifetime members and nonmembers meet and celebrate it with entertainment and festive foods. The members socialize and feast together. This event also recognizes any accomplishments in the community and achievements by organizations.

This is an outdoor summer event at a park. In this event, all HGAofCPA community members join together to promote the social activities of Gujarati culture. Usually, 300 to 500 people are expected to attend such events, and it's free to all. Food, snacks, and beverages are provided throughout the day. This event offers an opportunity for outdoor activities, games, socializing, and networking.

Katha is an Indian style of cultural or traditional storytelling, performances of which are a ritual event in Indian Mythology. It involves reciting cultural or classic texts, Puranas followed by speech (pravachan). There are various kinds of Katha, like Bhagvat Katha, Satyanarayan Katha, Ekadasi Vrat Katha, Jaya Parvati vrat, etc. HGAofCPA members or invited speakers perform these kathas at individuals' homes or community centers.

Gujarati Dayro is all about signing devotional songs performed by folk singers. HGAofCPA members often invite folk singers from India and the US to perform Dayro. This preserves the Gujarati culture and traditions and, in a way, educates the youth.

HGAofCPA often calls motivational speakers to deliver speeches and or perform seminars to encourage the members to look at things from a different perspective and to become more attentive to their talents and abilities.

HGAofCPA invite children, youth, and members of all ages for various competitions to promote art and culture. Prizes are awarded in the Navarati celebration each year. HGAofCPA also invites community students to apply for merit-based scholarships awarded during the Navratri celebration. HGAofCPA is planning to expand on such programs.

Any other voluntary activities whose purpose is cultural or traditional and charitable. Help in natural disasters and pandemics. HGAofCPA works with local organizations and volunteers at their events. India Day Community Fair is the most significant event organized by AIACPA where HGAofCPA participates and presents cultural programs, displays folk dance in parades, and volunteers where needed. It is estimated that over 10,000 people attend this community fair.